Homophobia still prevalent,
several UNL students say
By Jessica Fargen
Staff writer
The hate-driven beating and
subsequent death Monday of a gay
University of Wyoming student has
reacquainted several gay UNL stu
dents with the reality that it could
happen to them.
Sherri Joyner, a member of the
UNL group Spectrum, a gay/les
bian/bisexual/transgendered group,
said the “hate-driven” beating death
of Matt Shepard, a 21-year-old gay
man, brought the same kind of fear
that she experienced when anti-gay
chalkings appeared on UNL side
walks last year.
“Both incidents make me ques
tion my safety, and remind me that
some people in the United States
hate me because of who I love,”
Joyner said.
The reality of that ignorance
could also turn into violence at
UNL, she said.
“I think I’ve encountered
enough homophobia at UNL that I
think what happened to Matt
Shepard could happen here,” Joyner
said. “There is that underlying
homophobia here on campus.”
Jill Matlock, president of the
Allies Against Heterosexism, said
she was fearful for her safety at
UNL sometimes.
“(Shepard’s death is) very scary,
more than anything,” Matlock said.
“Just knowing that it is out there is
scary enough.”
Matthew Zwick, president of
Spectrum, said hatred toward gay
people is always out there.
“I am very saddened by
(Shepard’s death),” Zwick said.
“And I am appalled, but it’s some
thing that happens just about every
day, not to this extent, but it’s some
thing that we as gay people have to
live with.”
Zwick, a senior English major,
said he was feeling more anger than
fear about Shepard’s death, but said
it will not affect the way he acts on
campus.
“It will make me a little more
aware of possible fag bashing, but I
am already used to doing that - I
have been out for 12 years now,”
Zwick said.
“It may make me even more
determined to increase gays’ visi
bility on this campus.”
Joyner said fear can hinder, but
should not stop the effort to educate
people about homosexuality.
“It’s real easy to be scared,”
Joyner said. “We just have to not let
the fear stop you from being active.”
Matlock, who is a junior
English major, said although UNL
could be more welcoming to gay
students, the climate has gotten
slightly better in the past few years.
An unwelcome environment is
because of homophobic people’s
uncertainty, said Joyner, a senior
English major.
“I think a lot of it has to do with
people who commit these crimes
are very insecure about their sexu
ality - this internalized homopho
bia,” Joyner said, “They are not
secure so they take it out on people
who are out.”
Matlock hoped UNL students
would listen to the message that
Shepard’s death is sending to the
nation, but also notice the things
that go on every day.
“I think it opens up the eyes of
some, of how pervasive gays and
lesbians can be in the eyes of our
society,” Matlock said. “But in
terms of making long-lasting
changes, it’s the everyday actions of
groups such as Allies -1 think those
little differences.”
Anti-smoking group calls
for scrutiny from Stenberg
By Todd Anderson
Senior staff reporter
With rumors flying about what’s
inside a soon-fcPbe-released settle
ment with U.S. tobacco producers,
members of a statewide anti-smoking
organization recommended Tuesday
the inclusion of certain health and
regulation stipulations.
SmokeLess Nebraska, an associ
ation of more than 30 Nebraska
health and community organizations,
urged Attorney General Don
Stenberg not to accept the group
financial and restriction settlement if
measures to protect the public health
are not included.
Attorneys general representing
cigiu states nave oeen negotiating
with U.S. tobacco companies since
June, when a federal deal with tobac
co manufacturers fell through at the
last minute.
The new deal would cover an
expected 46 states, including
Nebraska, which all would receive
part of a possible $200 million.
Dave Holnquist, a government
relations manager for the American
Cancer Society-Heartland Division,
said the settlement should not just be
about how much money U.S. tobacco
firms have to pay in fines.
He said the agreement should
include restrictions on tobacco adver
tising and product promotion to pre
vent more people from developing
the addictive habit.
“We have to make sure that
Nebraska’s kids, America’s children,
are saved from this addiction,” he
said.
SmokeLess Nebraska advocated
limiting advertising campaigns of
cigarette and chewing tobacco com
panies, particularly campaigns aimed
at persuading teen-agers to start
smoking.
Susie Dugan, executive director
of Parent Resources and Information
(4
We have to make
sure that Nebraska s
kids, America s
children, are saved
from this addiction ”
Dave Holnquist
government relations manager
on Drug Education-Omaha, said
tobacco companies advertise with the
intention of attracting children to
ensure the existence of tomorrow’s
markets.
She said the attorneys general
were really creating public policy on
smoking that should hold tobacco
companies responsible for present
and fiiture addictions.
Dugan and Holnquist said it is not
clear what sort of requirements will
be included in the law settlement
expected to be released in one or two
weeks.
In addition to placing restrictions
on the sale and promotion of tobacco,
Holnquist said, the money Nebraska
receives should be channeled into
areas related to public health.
Last year Nebraska’s Legislature
created the Nebraska Health Care
Trust Fund, which will use funds
from the national settlement.
Holnquist said the decision
whether Nebraska should sue the
tobacco firms individually if the
agreement lacks recommended
restrictions would have to be taken by
Stenberg’s office.
He said representatives from
SmokeLess Nebraska met with
Stenberg’s office to present their con
cerns for the settlement’s contents.
“If he feels it’s not good enough,
he needs to pursue it.”
Correction
In Tuesday’s Homecoming Royalty guide, Angie King and Ben
Aken were mistakenly identified as presidents of their greek chapters.
King is a member of Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority. Aken’s is a member of
Farmhouse Fraternity.
Wesley announces
mayoral candidacy
■ The former state
senator, who graduated
from UNL in 1978, will run
on the Democratic ticket.
By Todd Anderson
Senior staff reporter
After stepping down from the
Nebraska Legislature, former Lincoln
Sen. Don Wesely wants to move into
the mayor’s office.
Wesely announced Tuesday on the
east steps of the Capitol he will run for
mayor in May’s elections.
“It’s just a wonderful opportunity
for me to continue public service,” he
said.
Wesely, a Democrat, said he has
been urged to run by his colleagues and
voters for the past 12 years.
He said his role as mayor would be
to make sure Lincoln continues to see
the same level of growth in the future
without risking its quality of life.
Wesely was elected to the
Legislature in 1978 when he was a
graduate student at the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln.
i
He served as chairman of the leg
islative Health and Human Services
committee before announcing he
would not seek re-election in April.
Lincoln City Councilwoman
Cindy Johnson, a member of the
Republican party, has said she will
officially announce her candidacy in
November.
Current Mayor Mike Johanns will
vacate the job in May after serving the
maximum two terms.
Nebraska Republican Party
Chairman Chuck Sigerson said
Tuesday in a statement that if Wesely
were elected mayor, an era of conserv
ative budgets and smaller government
would come to an end.
Sigerson also said Wesely’s early
announcement was curious because it
would divert attention from the state’s
gubernatorial race.
“One can only wonder if Don
Wesely, by announcing he’s running
for Mayor just three weeks from the
general election, has such disdain for
his fellow Democrats that he’s conced
ed the governor’s race to Mike
Johanns.”
http://www.unl.edu/DailyNeb
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