The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, November 07, 1996, Page 4, Image 4

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    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.
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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,
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