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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 4, 1996)
EDITOR DougKouma OPINION EDITOR Anne Hjersman EDITORIAL BOARD Doug Peters Matt Waite Paula Lavigne Mitch Sherman Anthony Nguyen From The Minneapolis Star Tribune. As one clear measure of separation that drug abuse has brought to American households, consider that half a dozen companies are now selling home drug-testing kits. As an equally plain gauge of the silliness of this political season, consider that one outlaw manufacturer is being paraded as a crusader against a government alleged to be soft on dope and too tough on entrepreneurs. It is sad reality for many parents that despite deep concern and firm guidance, their children will use drugs. Understandably, these parents reach for a chemical test as another tool for protecting or restoring the health of their kids. Unsurprisingly, such testing is now widely available through physicians, clinics and counseling services. But as testing tools go, the do-it-yourself type can be a very blunt instrument. It trans forms the parent from counselor and confidant into cop and, possibly, spy. Even when the testing occurs in the open, with children providing samples of urine or hair, it is likely to introduce a coercive dimension to an already strained parent-child relationship. Some companies offer a more devious, less reliable alternative: a treated pad with which parents can wipe schoolbooks or stereos, purportedly capturing traces of drugs deposited by their kids—or anybody else who happened to touch the tested objects. Imagine the heart to-heart after those results come back. Sunny Cloud, the former Georgia school teacher whose home urine-test kit made , \ headlines, says she got the idea for her business after taking her own son for a drug test, and finding the experience expensive and disagree able. She assembled a specimen cup, instruction booklet and prepaid laboratory mailer into a kit she priced at $40 — and had sold about 1,000 of them when the U.S. Food and Drug Adminis tration pointed out that federal law bars selling such an item until it s proved sate and ettective. Cloud and supporters call this a ludicrous interference in a family decision-making, and argue that parents have a right to do home testing. On the latter point, not even the FDA would disagree. It has already approved a highly similar kit, as a prescription product. But because Cloud has refused to submit her product for FDA review, there’s no way for the agency to make sure that a specimen will reach the testing lab without contamination. Or that the lab has adequate safeguards against mixing up samples, which for confiden tiality reasons are labeled with numbers, not names. Or that the lab results are reliable. If the FDA can’t know these things, neither can consumers. Despite its significant problems, a reliable home drug test should be available to parents. But the key word is reliable. In telling the FDA to take a hike, Cloud wasn’t defending parents’ rights. She was simply making a business decision, gambling that political pressure — and parental desperation—will help her . triumph over a sensible regulation. Drug testing Concerned parents need approved option Editorial Policy Unsigned editorials are the opinions of die Fall 19% Daily Nebraskan. They do not nec essarily reflect die views of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, its employees, its stu dent body or the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. A column is soley the opinion of its author. The Board of Regents serves as publisher of the Daily Nebraskan; policy is set by the Daily Nebraskan Edito rial Board. The UNL Publications Board, es tablished by die regents, supervises the pro duction of the newspaper. According to policy set by die regents, responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies solely in the hands of its student employees. Letter Policy The Daily Nebraskan welcomes brief let ters to the editor and guest columns, but does not guarantee their publication. The Daily Nebraskan retains die right to edit or reject any material submitted. Submit ted material becomes the property of the Daily Nebraskan and cannot be returned. Anonymous submissions will not be published. Those who submit letters must identify themselves by name, year in school, major and/or group affilia tion, if any. Submit material to: Daily Ne braskan, 34 Nebraska Union, 1400R St Lincoln, Neb. 68588-0448. E-mail: letters@unlinfo.unl.edu. oooe«.fcmatr < m&. i Disgruntled fan I used to have the utmost respect for Husker Coach Tom Osborne. In fact, I previously viewed him as one of the most professional coaches in NCAA college football. I was very proud for him and his team when they achieved the title of national champion. , Now I am ashamed of the way he chose to run up the score this weekend against the University of Oklahoma. John Blake knew it would be a tough game against the Huskers. Little did he know that Osborne would choose to use his superior arsenal to totally humiliate Blake’s inexperienced Sooner squad. Shame on Tom Osborne. I hope he remembers this when OU matures to their potential and whips the pants off the Huskers in the very near future. Doug Harris former Husker fan Disgusted Catholic Steve Willey’s column on “Cafeteria Catholicism” was down right disgusting. It is people like him who bring out misinformation and cause all of the divisions among Christians that there are today. His ability to create a new version of reality is very outstanding. His quips, although somewhat humorous, are totally inappropriate for all people. I am glad that Mr. Willey is no longer a Catholic—the Church does not need people like him in it. I hope that he realizes that most are not fooled by his deception of his childhood stories and in fact are appalled by the whole thing. The entire column including the editor’s note (written by Willey) was repul sive, and I hope that the DN would respect my freedom of religion by not running these ridiculous columns about it and by limiting the use of lies in a column. John P. Hogg senior political science Jason Gildow/DN Informed voter In responding to Andy Bosselman’s letter in Thursday’s Daily Nebraskan, I would ask him to take his own advice and choose his candidates carefully. If Mr. Bosselman does so, he will learn that the candidates endorsed by College Republicans are the candi dates who truly support education. The facts are very clear on this issue. The 1995 Republican budget increased student loans over seven years from $24 billion to $36 billion. The maximum level for a Pell grant was increased from $2470 to $2700. Funding for work-study programs increased from $616.6 million to $830 million. In total, student-aid funding increased from $38.3 billion to $41.6 billion from fiscal year 1996 to fiscal year 1997. How can a $3.3 billion increse be considered a cut? The candidates endorsed by College Repubilcans do seek to eliminate the Department of Educa tion, in order to return control of our schools to the states and communities instead of the federal bureaucracy. Our candidates also endorse school choice programs which give poor children the same opportunity to a quality education as rich children have. These facts indicate that the Republicans are truly the party that is pro-education. Mr. Bosselman’s allegations are typical of the scare tactics used by Democrats to cover the fact that they have no plans of their own. These scare tactics are not backed up by the facts, and the students of this university are intelligent enough to realize that. Chad W. Pekron senior political science and economics t Displaced parker I have a HUGE problem with the UNL parking services. First, at the beginning of the year I was told that I could park anywhere after 4:30 p.m. by someone at information. I parked at Bancroft Hall on Wednesday nights at 6:30 pjn. for two months before receiving my first ticket. This is ridiculous! I have a remote pass and there are no buses at 9:30 at night. I do not feel I should have to pay for the mistakes of the people at informa tion. Second, last Wednesday night there was a volleyball game at the coliseum. I had a class. Parking Services shut off all of the main parking lots so no one could park there. I was told to find some other place. Of course, on a volleyball night, there are NO parking places any where. Where was I supposed to park so I could get to my required class?!!! I have a friend who told me she had to park at Harper-Schramm Smith. We should not have to walk in the dark that long of a distance at 9:30 p.m.!! Something must be done soon. I pay for parking, and when Lhave a night class, I should be able to park wherever for my own safety. The parking services must make a change. I know I am not the only one who Slinks this way. Kara Widhalm junior , communication studies - -■—-™--.1 I E