.EDITOR
Erin Gibson
OPINION
EDITOR
Cliff Hicks
EDITORIAL
BOARD
Nancy Christensen
Brad Davis
Sam McKewon
Jeff Randall
Bret Schulte
Quotes
OF THE WEEK
“If I ever see him at a gover
nor’s convention, I definitely won’t
challenge him to an arm-wrestling
match.”
Governor-elect Mike Johanns, on
the election of former pro-wrestler
Jesse “The Body ” Ventura as gover
nor of Minnesota
“I feel like I’ve let so many guys
down, guys I don’t even know who
started this streak at home.”
Senior rush end Chad Kelsay, on
NU’s home loss to Texas - the first
loss in 47 games at Memorial
Stadium
“Marriage is but slavery made
to appear civilized.”
Albert Einstein, via a “synthetic
interview ” created by former UNL
Professor Scott Stevens
“Your body assumes that you
can’t smile for an hour.”
Charley Friedman, on his video,
“One-Hour Smile,” currently being
shown at the Sheldon Art Gallery
“It’s up to you to take the cam
paign now and through the next 30
hours to victory tomorrow night.”
Governor-elect Mike Johanns,
speaking Monday at a campaign
rally
“When the gun went off, I
thought to myself, ‘This race is
what I’m doing now. I can cough
and be sick later.’”
NTJ cross country runner Jeanette
Zimmer, on dealing with her cold at
the Big 12 Championship
“I think students would like to
know. I know I would.”
ASUN Senator Brad Reynolds, on
future construction plans and their
effect on parking
“Apparently people who are
into museums are also into campy
movies.”
Dinosaur Theater and Auction
Organizer Mary Dupuis, on this
year’s featured film, “Mothra ”
“This type of thing is senseless.”
University Police Sgt. Mylo
Bushing, on the assault of a homeless
man on campus
“We created an organization
this year that says you’re going to
have to listen to our voice because
we’re not going away.”
Gubernatorial candidate Bill
Hoppner, during his concession
speech
“Up in Idaho, they were around
the dish more often.”
Former NU baseball player
Bryan Schmidt, on pitching in the
advanced-rookie league as com
pared to the rookie league
Editorial Policy
Unsigned editorials are the opinions of
the Fall 1998 Daily Nebraskan. They do
not necessarily reflect the views of the
University of Nebraska-Linooin, its
employees, its student body or the
University of Nebraska Board of Regents.
A column is solely the opinion of its author.
The Board of Regents serves as pubisher
of the Daily Nebraskan; policy is set by
the Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board, me
UNL Publications Board, established by
the regents, supervises the production
of the paper. According to policy set by
the regents, responsttMtv 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
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Submit material to: Daily Nebraskan, 34
Nebraska Union, 1400 R St Lincoln,
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letters@unfinfo.unl.edu.
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LETTERS
“Brandon Teena,” Part 1
Both Andrew Ascherl and Sarah
Baker have missed the point concern
ing “The Brandon Teena Story” and its
depiction of Nebraska and its citizens.
While it is an important,*groun4-break
ing film, it commits some serious acts
of omission.
It neglects to point out that all
Nebraskans do not wake up every
morning trying to decide which
oppressed group to maim, injure or
loll. It does not show die thousands of
Nebraskans who are members of the
National Organization for Women. It
does not show the Nebraskans who
were just as appalled by the crime as
the filmmakers.
What the film does depict well
was a certain variety of
Nebraskans, and the social
conditions that produce .
them. The problem is
that by only showing
these people, it foigets
to mention all
Nebraskans are not
like those featured in
the film.
In fact, it does
not even suggest
that the people
depicted in die film
could just as easily 'M
have been from
urban East or West
coasts. Ascherl is J
absolutely right when M
he says these tragedies, W
by nature of their ?
viciousness and sense- f
lessness. occur with the
implicit approval of the
larger society.
However, “The Brandon ||
leena Story concentrates Ijl
intently on the specifics of the
occurrences in Falls City and
Humboldt, so I do not think it is as
effective a larger societal indictment as
Ascherl suggests. In its insistence on
uncovering this one story, the film
lacks a greater theoretical framework
that might confuse the uninitiated.
Those who may not be as familiar
with queer thought or politics may not
get as much from die film as those of us
who have some background in these
issues. In this case, one does not know
the world by first knowing the parish.
Ascherl takes Baker to task for ho*
comparison of homophobia to stereo
types about Nebraskans; he calls it
“insulting.” This is a dangerous propo
sition, because it sets up certain kinds
of prejudice and stereotyping as more
acceptable than others. Let us not for
get there is a large segment of African
American leaders who feel die current
comparison of gays in the military to
the segregation of black servicemen in
the past as insulting.
If we follow Ascherl’s feeling of
being insulted to its logical conclusion,
then all prejudices and stereotypes
must be ordered into a hierarchy from
innocent and acceptable to grievous
and morally wrong. So, how would that
work? Would oppression of gays and
lesbians be more OK than oppression
of African Americans? Would the
oppression of women be more OK than
the elimination of millions of Jews?
And what happens if this hierarchy
shifts, or a new group is added?
Does Asched feel he is qualified to
determine which stereotypes are per
fectly fine and which ones are not to be
tolesated? I don’t believe he does. All
stereotypes are damaging. All come
from a laager societal need to keep peo
ple and communities in their place. All
stem from oversimplification and gen
eralization. All should be challenged.
The biggest shame about “The
Brandon Teena Story” is that it was not
made by a Nebraskan or even a
Midwesterner. Outsiders with their
own preconceptions of the rural
Midwestern experience«had to fill die
void by making this film. Nebraskans
should be most ashamed of that
' '
Michael McCamley
University of Nebraska
Press staff
“Brandon Teena,” Part 2
I am writing in response to
Tuesday’s review of “The Brandon
Teena Story” by Sarah Baker.
Having seen this film on opening
night, I got to hear from Susan Muska
and Greta Olafsdottir (directors of die
film) and gained some insight
First, I do not think Sarah under
stands the concept of producing an
independent feature. In this case, it was
done over four years with credit cards
and money from wealthy fhends. A
tight budget creates ever-growing con
flicts between quality and content, and
in this case, as much as possible has
been put into content, sacrificing qual
ity, which gives it its edgy feel.
It is the same for the soundtrack,
for which rights must be obtained for
each song, which adds to the cost of
each showing. Such films get made
only through the great desires of the
creators and are not designed to neces
sarily turn a profit, if they ever break
even.
It is necessary to keep in mind that
this is a very tragic story, which
must be told within a 90-minute
time frame. This is a remarkable
documentary, pieced together
"ery well. When discussing loca
ions shown in the film, it is
important to note that this is
where the events took place.
However, Sarah forgets
to mention the chilling
shots of the capital and O
Street or that the shots of
PI the use of powerful
interviews and pho
MattHaney/DN tographs.
un a more important note, it is
appalling to me to think when some
thing negative in our society is brought
to light, we fear it is creating or rein
forcing stereotypes. Instead, when
events such as this occur, we should
face the fact that these stereotypes
must be true to some degree, and we
should work together to correct this.
Ibis is not happening when a per
son like Sheriff (Charles) Laux, who
interrogated Brandon and acted in a
hideous manner, has become an elect
ed official within Folsom County.
Rarely do documentaries truly
spark emotional responses such as this
one. I know from Sarahh review that it
has gotten people discussing these
issues, and with recent national events,
it is evident the time to fight hate is
now. This can only be accomplished if
everyone works together to do what is
right
Joshua Bergland
- * junior .
computer science
- .
i
