EDITOR
Doug Kouma
OPINION
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Anthony Nguyen
EDITORIAL
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Paula Lavigne
Joshua GiUin
Jessica Kennedy
Jeff Randall
Erin Gibson
Our
VIEW
Super Sendoff
Don’t bog down event
with needless politics
Freshmen arriving at the university each
fall are greeted by grand galas sponsored by
various living units and student organizations.
There’s no reason seniors shouldn’t leave
on the same note.
For the last few years, the Student Alumni
Association (SAA) and the Nebraska Alumni
Association (NAA) have co-sponsored a big
bash for outgoing seniors.
Traditionally, Senior Sendoff has been a
semi-formal wine and cheese party.
As senioritis and the weather heats up,
who wants to be wearing pantyhose and a tie?
So this year SAA and NAA pulled in
college alumni groups to sponsor a free out
door party for seniors graduating in May,
August and December.
Tonight is that party.
There will be free barbecue, door prizes
and music by Lincoln Star’s announcer Craig
Estudillo.
Yes, even free beer.
Quiet rumblings have been heard from
within the administration building about al
cohol being served to students on campus.
But before anyone passes judgment, keep
these facts in mind:
■ Alcohol has been served at Senior
Sendoff in years past. ■
■ Students must show identification.
■ There will be two security guards on
duty.
■ To receive the free beer, students must
use their two drink tickets.
P And finally, whether the administra
tion wants to admit it or not, there is alcohol
on campus, in both the greek houses and the
residence halls.
Apparently the publicity for Senior
Sendoff also raised some concerns by admin
istrators.
Sure, students and fliers shouldn’t have
emphasized the free beer aspect of the party
but, let’s face it—the students are going for
the free beer. Just look at the RSVPs. They’re
up more than 400 percent from last year’s
Senior Sendoff.
In the end, this is a nice way for the uni
versity to congratulate seniors on the comple
tion of their collegiate careers and the begin
ning of foe rest of their lives.
Senior Sendoff is an event that shouldn’t
get bogged down in the mire of university
politics.
UNL’s administrators should trust that
SAA and NAA have taken and will take ap
propriate precautions to ensure that foe party
is a success in terms of safety and fun.
As for the seniors: Have a good time and
enjoy yourselves. Take foe opportunity to
mingle with your friends and eat free food.
But first and foremost, be responsible.
Senior Sendoff is a gift, don’t spoil it for
foe seniors to come.
Editorial Policy
Unsigned editorials are die opinions of die
Spring 1997 Daily Nebraskan. They do not
necessarily reflect the views of the Univer
sity of Nebraska-Lincoln, its employees, its
student body or the University ofNebraska
Board of Regents. A column is solely 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,
established by the regents, supervises the
production of the paper According to policy
set by the regents, responsibility for the edi
torial content of the newspaper lies solely
in the hands of its student employees.
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or reject any material submitted. Sub
mitted material becomes the property bf
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Mehs ling's
VIEW
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Guest
VIEW
One Earth
Embrace 1tree-hugger ’ activism for future generations
AUSTIN, Texas (U-WIRE) —
Last Saturday, an Austin American
Statesman editorial discussed the
significance of Earth Day. The
Statesman suggested celebrators
shift the holiday’s focus from
controversial environmental issues
to more scientifically-minded ones.
Rather than sparking more debate or
raising children’s fears about our
planet’s future, the holiday would
help reignite young people’s interest
in natural science.
Earth Day without environmen
talism? Somehow, hostility about
environmentalism has grown out of
control.
Environmentalists are now “tree
huggers.” Bumper stickers read,
“Unemployed and hungry? Eat an
environmentalist.”
More and more people seem to
think a proponent of recycling and
car-pooling secretly yearns to
destroy capitalism, democracy and
the American family. When did
ecological concerns become so
taboo?
True, Earth-friendly folks and
business-friendly folks have clashed
in the past ova* issues like air
pollution and endangered species.
But extremist confrontations like
these are the exception. Environ
mentalists have created some
booming industries of their own and
they’ve helped improve our quality
of life.
You personally have probably
saved a few bucks on electric bills
and gasoline over the years thanks to
tips from a conservation-minded
person.
You also may be breathing
cleaner air, drinking fresher water
and consuming fewer chemicals
because environmentalists fought to
preserve some basic standards. Yet
you may agree with all the backlash.
Among the most disturbing
trends in the anti-environmentalist
movement is the way it’s surging
among young conservatives. Fiscally
conservative students reason that
pro-Earth policies are anti-economy,
and conservative Christians now call
yesterday ’s stewards of the Earth
“eco-cultists.”
But people once considered our
age-group the Enviro
generation.The first Earth Day took
place just before most of us entered
preschool. At an impressionable age,
we saw thousands of birds killed in
the Exxon oil-spill and watched
children near Chernobyl grow sick
from radiation. In 1989, when many
of us were forming our ideological
identities, 50 Simple Things You
Can Do to Save the Earth became a
best-seller.
We pestered our parents into
recycling newspapers and begged
them not to buy tuna when dolphins
were being killed. We lectured our
younger siblings on the importance
of turning off the faucet while they
brushed tneir teeth.
Matt Haney/DN
Now many young people have
abandoned their earlier idealism.
This Earth Day should provide a
chance to get back in touch with
childhood’s respect for nature. Take
the opportunity to renew your
commitment to the simple things
you can do to make a difference.
Haul those beer bottles to the
recycling center.
Cut beef out of your diet for a
week. Adopt a manatee or an acre of
rain forest.
Better yet, drop a grudge against
environmentalism. Your kids and
grandkids might thank you.
— Cfcrlsttae Shlrtoy
The Daily Texan
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