Diversity Players
combat ignorance
By Lindsay Young
Assignment Reporter
Abbie Thompson wants to fight the
racism she has seen throughout her life.
Thompson is white and has a broth
er who is black and because of this, she
said, she and her family have firsthand
experience with racism,
The Diversity Council’s skit group,
the Diversity Players, gave her the
opportunity she wanted.
Although Thompson, a sophomore
broadcasting major, may not have the
time to stay involved with the group,
she did take something from the train
ing.
“Training was eye-opening for
me,” Thompson said. “I learned very
much that I’m still a racist person.”
Diversity Council members hope
the Diversity Players, who plan to take
stage in university classrooms by Feb.
2, will do the same for students and
generate similar discussion on diversi
ty this semester.
The Diversity Players will perform
skits based on diversity issues which
will show examples of discrimination
and how to deal with discrimination
when students encounter it.
If audience members do not think
the real-life situations in the skits are
being handled correctly, they can jump
in and take care of the situation the way
they see fit.
Skits will include more than just
race and ethnicity issues. They will
also deal with greek housing and resi
dence halls, gender, age, ability, reli
gion and creed, and gay, lesbian, bisex
] ual and transgender issues, organizers
said.
Ben Wallace, former moderator of
1 the Diversity Council, has participated
in similar skits.
Wallace, a junior French major,
n
said the role-playing approach is ideal
because it gives students experience in
confronting real-life issues. When stu
dents do come upon a situation con
fronting discrimination, they will feel
more comfortable, he said.
John L. Harris, special assistant to
the vice chancellor for student affairs,
said the skit group will help a lot of stu
dents.
“I’m excited that if it’s done right
then it may be one of the best things
that has come to our campus in a long
time,” Harris said.
Deanna Zaffke, a Diversity Players
organizer, agreed.
“It’s going to be a real service to the
entire campus,” she said.
It will bring students face to face
with diversity issues and will generate
discussion where there may not have
been discussion before, organizers
said.
Harris said just as racism and cul
tural ignorance don’t just happen
overnight, neither does a quick fix for
these problems.
Rachelle Winkle, Diversity
Council moderator, said 16 classes
already have asked the Diversity
Players to perform.
Those interested in becoming a
member of the Diversity Players can
pick up an application in 218 Andrews
Hall or can call (402) 472-1880.
Applications can be returned to Zaffke
in 218 Andrews Hall.
The Diversity Players require a
commitment of one to four hours a
month after the training is complete,
Zaffke said.
“I hope people will be interested
and will add their voice to the growing
chorus that is in favor of diversity.”
Nebraska congressmen
await due process of law
CLINTON from page 1
is alleged of having with Lewinsky.
“I don’t think we all have to be
preachers up here,” he said, “but I think
the public should expect more out of our
leaders.”
What people across the country
have taken notice of, it seems, are the
federal crimes of peijury and obstruc
tion of justice the president has been
accused of committing - and the seri
ousness of those crimes.
News polls taken over the weekend
indicated that more than 50 percent of
those polled believed the president
should step down if it is found that he
lied under oath.
And nearly the same number said
they believed Clinton did have some
kind of sexual affair with Lewensky.
However, those same polls indicate
presidential approval ratings have
remained nearly the same or have
dropped just slightly since the latest
scandal erupted.
U.S. Rep. Bill Barrett said both
Republicans and Democrats were wear
ing ffownsjn light of the recent string of
accusations.
“There is a lot of concern on both
sides - a lot of concern for the country,”
Barrett said. “Nobody is happy about
this.”
Hagel said people would look at the
entire situation differently if any of the
president’s alleged criminal - or sexual
- activities are proven.
“I think it is going to give America
some time to pause and sober up a little
bit,” he said, “to not dismiss early signs
of misconduct in people’s lives.
(Brain gain9
bill presented
GAIN from page 1
Nelson said he didn’t want stu
dents to feel chained to the state; the j
bill would encourage students td
explore opportunities in Nebraska. ,
“This will be a scholarship to plug
the drain,” he said. “We wait to acceler
ate the brain gain.”
Dennis Smith, president of the
University of Nebraska, said the pro
posal would aid NU’s quest td
improve academic rigor, as well as
Nebraska’s business climate.
“Any scholarship program such as the
one the governor is proposing will further
enhance our competitiveness,” he said.
Two honors students, Mary Nabity
and Travis Fisher, appeared with Nelson
in support of the measure.
They said the bill encouraged stu
dents to look closely at a Nebraska future.
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