Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 7, 1996)
EDITOR DougKouma OPINION EDITOR AnneHjersman EDITORIAL BOARD Doug Peters Matt Waite Paula Lavigne Mitch Sherman Anthony Nguyen On a roll Nebraska soccer team deserves fans’ support Created three years ago as a solution to a gen der-equity imbalance, the Nebraska soccer team has taken the Comhusker Athletic Department by storm. After two relatively successful years and the expected growing pains that come with a new pro gram, Coach John Walker’s squad has run circles around the compe tition this fall. Wednesday, Walker was named the Big 12 Con ference Coach of the Year, and five members of his 19-0 team earned first team all-conference hon ors. Walker should be com mended, and he should be considered for national coach-of-the-year honors. He has done an incred ible job, leading this team to a conference champion ship and defeating several national powers along the way. This weekend in St. Louis, Nebraska will try to ^ take its magic one step fur ther by winning the first ever Big 12 Tournament. The Huskers’ main competition will come from Texas A&M, which fell to Nebraska 1 -0 in Lin coln earlier this season. The Aggies are a top-notch program, and because of „ NU’s success this season. it In three years, Walker has given Husker fans an exciting product, a team that deserves he support of the entire commu nity.” it now ranks among the nation’s elite, too. Nebraska and Texas A&M are likely to meet on Sunday in the tournament’s championship game. The contest will be televised live on Fox Sports Rocky Mountain, becoming the first-ever women’s collegiate soccer game to be televised live. Three years ago, no one would have imagined Nebraska in this position. Regardless of what happens this weekend in St. Louis, the Huskers are destined for the NCAA Tournament. They will play host to at least one game and perhaps as many as three later this month. Three victories in the tournament and the Huskers will be bound for Santa Clara, Calif., and the already sold-out Final Four. In three years, Walker has given Husker fans an exciting product, a team that deserves the sup port of the entire community while playing in the NCAA Tournament. 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 the 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, 1400 R St Lincoln, Neb. 68588-0448. E-mail: letters@unlinfo.unl.edu. Editorial Policy Unsigned editorials are the opinions of die Fall 1996 Daily Nebraskan. They do not nec essarily reflect the 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 saves as publisher of the Daily Nebraskan; policy is set by the Daily Nebraskan Edito rial Board. The UNL Publications Board, es tablished by the regents, supervises the pro duction of the newspaper. According to policy set by the regents, responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies solely in the hands of its student employees. - s ...OW%W,\T VI& TDDML | ~rm m> clbs&^L Kt OHE \W vie TH006RM % vJeke frrnk m~ (Ml, nor W... , ^or \me fan m UAHV 6TOS hands Off m. JilMSMDWfe to m Vdu a mt k Todd ANDERSON Family values the French way Once again we have passed through another major election year during which the issue of “family values” repeatedly came up. What ever effect debates on issues involv ing “family values” actually have on the outcome of the election, it seems odd to me that this term is used so heavily, because no one can really give a hard definition of what ‘Tamily values” means. All the same, conservative leaders and liberals alike generally bicker over abortion rights, gay rights, social security, family leave, etc, etc. Our leaders talk about restoring the family to the way it was years ago, conjuring delightful images of Ward and June Cleaver for some and frightful images of a penal colony for others. Family, or more specifically, those you include in your family, obviously is not set in stone. Generally, it means people to whom you feel close: friends, relatives, colleagues, etc. However, the term values is easier to defme, meaning something that is important or precious. How can we know what is important to us as a people, a society, or a culture? I think we should look at “family values” on a more basic level, noting habitual actions and customs that signify what is really important in our world. I am rather certain you and I are familiar with the culture and society of the United States. So, in keeping with the study-abroad-in-France theme, my job here is to mention the habits and traditions that point out values in French society. Why is this significant? By contrasting and comparing the habits of our own culture with another, we can identify what we value and whether the way we express it is sufficient. Anyway, on with a few points of cultural interest: • The French always greet each other with kisses and handshakes, the block of time between noon and 2 p.m. is reserved for lunch breaks lasting about an hour. Shops and banks close for lunch. It’s common to sit down for a meal with friends, family or colleagues. Dinners are later than in the United States — usually around 7 or 8 p.m. — and the whole family is almost always present, though this is changing a little. If you are invited to dinner at someone’s house, it is customary to bring flowers, an after-dinner snack, or a bottle of wine — even if the host is someone your age. The dinners are rather elaborate, consisting of an aperative and a five-course meal served by the host or hostess. The French love to host dinners in their homes; it is a gesture of kindness and a great way to get to know people better. • in my residence hall, there is only one phone to every floor, and outside calls cannot be made on those phones. We all have to use the public phone, and there are only four for the whole building. Anyway, on Sundaygights, after students have returned from home, and during the middle of the week, these phones are always busy with French students calling their parents. In the United States, we have completely different ways of greeting people, building relationships and staying close to family. Neither culture is superior to the other because of these habits. The idea here is to reflect on our own culture and our own manner of expressing what we value at the most basic level. Keeping this in mind, it helps to see more clearly what “family values” might mean and what place that will or should have during the next four years and in upcoming elections. Anderson is a junior French and Spanish major and a Daily Nebraskan staff reporter who is studying in France this semester. u Our leaders talk about restoring the family to the way it was years ago, conjuring delightful images of Ward and June Cleaver for some, frightful „ images of a penal colony for others.” Men greet each other with hand shakes and a hello; men and women and pairs of women greet each other with kisses and a hello. Here in Angers, and in the region of Anjou, the people are known for always giving four “bises” or small kisses on the cheek to someone they know well. • Weekends on campus in Angers are generally dead. Why? The University of Angers is a lot like UNL in that a large percentage of the students come from this area. The difference, however, is that most of the students travel home to visit their parents almost every weekend. • The French make sure to take time for lunch and dinner. Generally, f' S Va/k*i +« . febraskan, 34 Nebraska Union, 1400 "R" St., Lincoln, *-1._ .^ . —Jto (402) 472-1761,.or e-mail<letter8@unlinfb;tml:edu.... M/’i/**’ !rs must be signed and include a phone number for verification ' ■ - . j;'
