EDITOR
Erin Gibson
OPINION
EDITOR
Cliff Hicks
EDITORIAL
BOARD
Nancy Christensen
Brad Davis
Sam McKewon
Jeff Randall
Bret Schulte
I
Our
VIEW
Abuse of
power
Web site crosses line of
First Amendment right
Freedom of speech. It’s a right we take
very seriously in the newspaper business.
The dissemination of information is crucial
to a democratic form of government.
But what happens when freedom of
speech is abused?
Tuesday a federal jury ruled that the
authors of an Internet site called “The
Nuremberg Files” must pay more than $100
million in damages to plaintiffs who have
said the site puts their lives in jeopardy.
66
Since the site
has been
constructed,
three doctors
have been
killed. Their
names were
promptly
crossed off the
list”
The authors
say their freedom
of speech has
been violated.
The jury ruled
the information
on the site
amounted to
death threats, and
under the 1994
Freedom of
Access to Clinic
Entrances Act, it
is illegal to incite
violence against
people who per
form and obtain
abortions.
The site lists
the names and addresses ot doctors who per
form abortions throughout the nation.
However, this is no telephone directory. It
also lists the names of the doctors’ children
and spouses, as well as physical descriptions
and photos.
The authors encourage visitors of the site
to send information that can be used to iden
tify an “abortionist,” which according to the
authors is a doctor or anyone else who works
at an abortion clinic or supports abortion
rights. This information includes photos,
videotape, names and birth dates of family
members and friends, license plate numbers
and descriptions of cars, Social Security
numbers and fingerprints.
The site’s authors claim they need this
information to prepare for the day when
abortion is illegal and people who perform
abortions will be tried in a court of law for
' child killing.
But the threatening tactics used by the
authors don’t suggest they are willing to wait
for that day.
When “abortionists” are killed their
names are crossed off. Those who have been
wounded are listed in a gray typeface.
And since the site has been constructed,
three doctors have been killed. Their names
were promptly crossed off the list.
Although the site does not explicitly say
kill “abortionists,” the message seems pretty
clear.
“The Nuremberg Files’” thinly masked
threats are nothing short of terrorism.
Editorial Policy
Unsigned editorials are the opinions of
the Spring 1999 Daily Nebraskan. They
do not necessarily reflect the views of the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, its
employees, its student body or the
University of Nebraska Board of Regents.
A column is solely the opinion of its author.
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UNL Publications Board, established by
the regents, supervises the production
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the regents, responsibility for the editorial
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-V i» -» (4 iO
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DN
LETTERS
I pledge allegiance...
I just had to write a quick note con
gratulating David Baker on an out
standing letter. It could not have been
said better.
Yes, the United States has an
incredible history of oppressive war
fare, both internally and in foreign
affairs. It also has an equally incredi
ble, and sadly ingenious, system of
indoctrination that convinces its citi
zens that the unjust wars waged by the
state are, in fact, righteous and just.
We must be especially skeptical of
that wonderful phrase “defending our
national interests,” which usually
involves invading and systematically
oppressing defenseless people.
Seth Felton
sophomore
English/history
Without honor
Upon reading the article printed on
the front page of Monday’s DN, and
Mr. Brian Oppliger’s letter (Tuesday),
we believe it warrants a response from
the “non-honors” community, those of
us not privileged enough for free books
every semester or tor special bragging
rights and buildings.
With a campus so devoted to creat
ing diversity, it is die attitudes of many
honor students, including Brian, who
feel that their non-honors coun
terparts should be eliminated
from their community altogether, /
one such place being the Neihardt /
Residence Center. 47 j
We question whether these /(( /
honor students are acting honor-^Jimw
ably at all. Pointing fingers, 'M ^
you’re not as smart as us, you
don’t have our “label,” get out.
Our response would be: Grow up!
What is to say that honors students
can’t live elsewhere?
We realize that a lot of honors stu
dents study very diligently, but why do
they need a special dorm for this?
There are plenty of honors students
currently living elsewhere who do just
as well maintaining their caliber of aca
demic devotion.
As far as the greater portion of
NON-honors students goes, the univer
sity is dishing out thousands of dollars
into die honors program enhancement.
We, as a campus of all students,
should not allow this academic segre
gation to continue. We come here to
learn from one another and to grow as
individuals in a community, “growing
up” into accepting others and helping
one another succeed.
If we are to talk about diversity and
segregation, it should not include
someone’s GPA.
Stephen Kroening
senior
meteorology/communication
studies
Whitney Sykes
junior
English
Pound 9&10CPRA
Representatives
Still true to his school
I was disappointed to read Adam
Klinker’s article, “Low attendance at
Devaney causes significant concerns,”
(DN, 1/27/98) regarding the loss of stu
dent fan support for the Husker Hoops
team. When I was at
Nebraska, the
HH team was the
most exciting
thing
: 4
Matt Haney/DN Jf
going (even better than my stint as a
DN opinion columnist). Sure, they did
n’t win every game, like Touchdown
Tommie and Eddie Stewart seemed to
do, but you couldn’t ask for a better
way to spend a measly $3.50. To me,
Husker Hoops is about four things:
* Nebraska is Tradition: In 1990-91,
the Miracle Team of Clifford Scales
and Beau Ried shocked the country,
rising as high as No. 7 in the polls.
Since then, the ’Skers have been to
the NCAA tourney six times, won the
NIT once and even won the very last
Big 8 tournament EVER. Kansas
couldn’t win in Lincoln - if it was
Jamar Johnson killing the Jayhawks
one year, it was the Polish Rifle the
next year. Rock-Chalk-Dead Duck!
Nebraska is Players: To name a few
Husker Heroes: Clifford Scales, Beau
Ried, Dupries “Double Zero” Owens
(also on cover of the Wall Street
Journal in 1997 - no lie!), Eric
Piatkowski, Jamar “Ice Cold” Johnson,
Derick “DC., the Honeybee”
Chandler, Bru-u-u-uce Chubick, Tom
Best, Eric Strickland, Terrance
Badgett, Tyronn “Laker” Lue and my
favorite all-time ’Sker, Melvin “The
Jokeman” Brooks. Today, Venson “Big
Man” Hamilton (a favorite of mine
since his ffosh year) could win the Big
12 player of the year award, and Cary
“Future Man” Cochran looks like the
franchise.
Nebraska is Fans: We may not have
had the loudest or most fans in the Big
8/12, but the ’Skers have had fans. I
remember waiting in the Devaney
Center all day before a Creighton game
for “Dinner with Danny Nee” (and a
terrible T-shirt, later replaced) and
repeating the ordeal the next year for a
_ Burger King/”Hnsker Stalker”
T-shirt. I remember “The Ref
_ Guys,” some student super
I fans who wore referee T-shirts
and basketball helmets (proba
bly still there for all I know).
I remember harassing Greg
Ostertag, one of the best-natured
|| and funniest guys ever to play
v against the ’Skers.
£ Nebraska is Danny “The Dean”
[ Nee: OK, he’s not The Dean yet, but
i once Norm Stewart retires, he will be
| the dean of the Big 12. How can peo
ple complain about Danny? Yeah,
he’s a loudmouth who says the wrong
thing at the wrong time, but he’s funny,
a great recruiter and the best coach the
’Skers have had.
So, kudos for the big Kansas win -
you haven’t won one of those since I
went to school there. Great job recruit
ing for next year. And most important
ly, good luck in the Big 12 tourney -
you can win it! - and best wishes in the
NCAAs - you’ll be there. As for every
one else-GO TO THE GAMES!!! _
Christopher Banks
Class of December 1994
Washington, D.C.
PS.
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