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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (July 9, 1998)
Tim KARSTENS Good sports If you ’re going to drink, don ’t act like an idiot KARSTENS is a news-editorial graduate student and a Daily Nebraksan columnist. It’s coming! Although you may not be think ing about it, fall is not far off. That means cooler temperatures, gun-metal gray skies, falling orange and yellow leaves and football. And around here that means Comhusker football. But be forewarned Lincolnites, for the beasts are coming. It is the unruly, ungodly drunken football fan. Certainly you know the species. They migrate like so many sandhill cranes on autumn Saturdays. They will land and nest in Lincoln for two or so days to witness a hotly con tested battle. (Well maybe not until Washington or Ricky Williams ... I mean Texas comes to town.) The only reprieve for besieged Lincolnites is the occasional away game. Please let me clarify for the uninitiated or con fused. I am not talking about the majority of Husker football fans. Most are well behaved and retain their dignity while having a good time. I’m talking about the five ner renters and their season of Hiah Buffoonery. The five per centers are the small num ber ofHusker fans who feel the need to drink them selves senseless, and then display their wisdom to foolish locals with stunning verbal gymnastics. As a longtime resident, I have often wit nessed this dearth of high-thinking. Comments such as “only queers ride bikes,” or the crafty “Hey baby,” can be heard any time anywhere. But why is it this behavior increases on game day Saturdays and often comes from a guy wearing red and white striped overalls? I guess the joke is on the recipient of these missives. Lest anyone think I am wrong, misguided or unfair, try it out. Go downtown after a game and walk around. (Don’t take a dog though, because drunks like to tease them for some reason. Trust me, I know) As the night grows longer, it becomes more evident. Take a notebook because you will get some good material. Let me cite one incident I personally witnessed last fall after a game. Two couples swaggered into a downtown establishment obviously intoxicated and full of bravado. While waiting to be seated, one of the men leered at other customers and com mented about the hostess and her weight from about five feet away. Do you think she heard it? Do you think they would have done it in their home town? Do you think any of them would have been courageous enough to do that alone or sober? I know the majority of Nebraska fans are friendly and accommodating. Even most drunk fans are friendly and well-behaved. I know — I am a fan too. And if I can do it, others can too. So chip in for the big win and clean up your act. Editorial Policy Unsigned editorials are the opinions of the Spring 1998 Daily Nebraskan. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, its employees, its student body or the Univerky of Nebraska 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 Editorial Board. Tne UNL Publications Board, established by the regents, supervises the production of the paper. According to policy set by the 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 letters 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. Submitted material becomes 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 affiliation, if any. Submit material to: Daily Nebraskan, 34 Nebraska Union, 1400 R St. Lincoln, NE. 68588-0448. E-mail: letters@unlinfo.unl.edu. Haney’s VIEW ■ •• J6& %-vi& " .-• jnif ■T Barb I ' CHURCHILL No Baloney Hormel ambassadorship mired in anti-gay rhetoric CHURCHILL is a gradu ate student in saxophone performative and a Daily Nebraskan columnist. Homosexual people are the only group in the United States not afford ed equal rights under the law. What, you don’t believe me? Well, then, just ask James Hormel, prospec tive ambassador to Luxembourg. President Clinton nominated Hormel in October 1997, and expect ed immediate confirmation. Hormel is an active philanthropist and schol ar, and Clinton did not expect Hormel’s sexuality to be an issue. Several prominent United States sen ators, including Nebraska’s own Bob Kerrey and Minnesota Democrat Paul Wellstone, have supported Hormel’s candidacy. Hormel’s nomi nation sailed through the Senate roreign Relations comminee lasi fall, approved by a 14-2 vote. But then Hormel’s nomination stalled. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) will not send the issue to the Senate floor for a vote because of his personal beliefs. And unfortunately, many Republican senators, including our own Chuck Hagel, agree with him. Apparently, Hormel’s personal qualifi cations do not excusehis sexuality. Whatls even worse than the stalling is that many prominent news services have either refused to cover the story or buried it in the back of the paper. Perhaps the major news services are embarrassed by the Senate. Several prominent conservative Republican Senators, including Lott, Nebraskan Chuck Hagel, James Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Dick Armey (R-Texas) have made statements that prove how little they know about homosexuality and human nature in general. Or, perhaps the news services are ashamed of Hormel. Hormel is com petent and capable, but is also openly gay. Hormel obviously unnerves the Republicans; maybe he unnerves the networks as well. And the spurious rhetoric used to keep Hormel’s nomination in limbo hasn’t been exactly pleasant Inhofe said that Hormel is “more interested in promoting the gay agenda” than in promoting the United States. Then, he compared Hormel to David Duke, KKK Grand Wizard. Oh, come on. Comparing Hormel, a dedicated, honest law pro fessor, a noted philanthropist to one of the most racist men in the 20th cen tury is ridiculous. White House spokesman Barry Toiv said, “(This statement is) outrageous. It makes it more clear than ever that Mr. Hormel is being blocked only because he is gay and only by those who have the most extreme agendas.” However, Inhofe wasn’t the only one making intolerant statements. Lott likened homosexuality to “klep tomania” and “sex addiction” in a television interview, and when asked whether homosexuality was a sin, he said, “Yes, it is.” Dick Armey (R-Texas) immedi ately supported Lott, although he avoided the word “sin.” Others who backed Lott were Tim Hutchinson (R-Ark.) and former football star Steve Largent (R-Okla.). Ralph Reed, conservative commen tator and critic, believes the Republican leadership is out of touch. So does Gil Alexander-Moegerle, co-founder of Focus on the Family, a conservative Christian group. He has broken with James Dobson, the other co-founder, over the issue and has madean apology to the gay and lesbian community. Republicans have missed the point here, and should be ashamed. If Hormel were straight, he would have been confirmed by now and packed off to Luxembourg. Locally, politicians are also at odds. According to the July 3, 1998 Omaha World Herald, Kerrey asked Hagel if he would meet with Hormel regarding the ambassadorship. Hagel agreed, and called him “a nice fellow.” Kerrey was hoping Hormel’s Nebraskan bloodline might help Hagel to disregard the Republican leadership, as his grandfather George Hormel founded Hormel Foods in Fremont in 1947. Or, perhaps Kerrey thought Hormel’s outstanding record of charity work would impress Hagel. Hagel refused to budge from the Republican party line. Hormel^s nomi nation remains stalled. And Kerrey seems baffled by Hagel’s intransigence. But in Hagel’s view, Hormel’s innate honesty and “niceness” just didn’t matter. “(Ambassadors) are representing America,” Hagel said. “They are representing our lifestyle, our values, our standards. And I think it is an inhibiting factor to be gay — openly aggressively gay like Mr. Hormel — to do an effective job.” Should a man who is otherwise qualified to be an ambassador be denied solely because he is gay, or shouldn’t he?
