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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 7, 1999)
Measure caps bottle club Bar owner says he had no plans to start organization By Jessica Fargen Senior staff writer ^ A bottle club where people could consume liquor, but not buy it, will not be possible in Lincoln thanks to a City Council ordinance passed Monday night Talk of a bottle club in Lincoln was sparked last month when Mike Webb, co-owner of Barry’s Bar and Grill, 235 -N^Ninth St., requested the Liquor Control Commission define the term “bottle club.” But Webb said he had no plans to open a bottle club. “We didn’t even ask them to declare a bottle club law,” Webb said. “I never ever asked anything about bottle clubs. I never asked for a license to open a bottle club.” Regardless, the City Council took a pre-emptive strike against the idea Monday night, voting 7-0 to add a new section to its municipal code to prohib City Council it bottle clubs. The ordinance was orig inally proposed at a March 29 meeting. “We decided to act in advance of any Liquor Control Commission advi sory ruling so no one could claim that they were grandfathered in,” said Curt Donaldson, a City Council member. “It doesn’t really matter to me either way,” Webb said of the vote. UNL Chancellor James Moeser and Lincoln Police Chief Tom Casady testified in favor of the measure that puts the cork on bottle clubs, Donaldson said. Webb’s petition to the Liquor Control Commission on March 3 states that the proposed club would specifically target UNL students. Members of die club would be allowed to consume their own alcohol on the premises between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., Thursdays through aaonuays. Association of Students of the University of Nebraska President Andy Schuerman said the idea of a bottle club made people aware of loop holes in the law. The fact that students have also come together to oppose die ban was encouraging, he said Two weeks ago ASUN officially opposed the idea of a bottle club. “I think it’s reflective of students taking responsibility for their own lives,” said the junior business educa tion major. “We don’t believe this is a good idea for students either.” Chris Linder, student coordinator for NU Directions, was glad to see the university and the community coming together on an issue. “I was really glad to hear that the City Council thought that this was as big of an issue as we did,” said Linder, a senior management major. “It’s just nice to know that the university and the community can work together.” Students struggle over morality MORALS from page 1 depression. “I would cry all the time,” she said. “I decided this wasn’t who I am, but I felt that people didn’t know who I was.” She knew that she needed to change but didn’t know how. “Without God as my stability, I lost all my morals and values,” she said. “I broke down.” Edward Becker, philosophy of reli gion professor, said there is not a clear cut connection between morality and religion. Different people have differ ent views on the two subjects, he said. Becker said three main ideas sum up students’ views on the relationship between morality and religion. “Many people believe that morality must be based on religion, some think there is some religious basis for moral ity, and others doubt that there is any religious basis for moralityhe said. The majority of the people who believe morality is interrelated to reli gion believe in Christianity, Becker said. “The most prevalent form of reli gion today is Christianity, because it is stressed so much,” he said. “Some other students who seem perfectly moral don’t profess Christianity or any religion.” Becker, who started teaching dur ing the Vietnam War in 1968, said he has noticed major changes in students’ morality. “Things have mellowed out and gotten more conservative,” he said. Dan Augustyn, a senior philosophy and math major, and founder of Campus Atheists and Agnostics, said people often confuse the relationship between religion and morality. “Religion is often the convincing way to accept morality for people,” he said. Augustyn said he followed the phi losophy of Hillel, who lived as a Jewish rabbi 100 years B.C. He said Hillel was known for say ing, “Do not do unto others as you would not have done unto you.” Hillel’s Golden Rule is slightly dif ferent than the Golden Rule of Christianity. “Hillel’s is just more peaceful,” he said. “If we want to get along, I think there are certain ways we should treat each other.” Jason Boetcher, director of Christian education at the University Lutheran Chapel, used a passage from the Bible as a way of tying morality in with religion. From the book of Matthew 5:38: “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” Boetcher said this perfection is necessary to be good enough or moral enough. “It’s a perfection that God desires. That’s one of the neat things that God did for us in Christ Jesus,” Boetcher said. “He came to live that perfect life that we couldn’t.” Boetcher has had many years of experience in dealing with students on campus and the role that faith has played in their lives. He said he had seen many students like Beach come to college and sud denly lose their faith and moral values. “I think there are a lot of college students who grow up in a Christian family and in a home that’s pretty strict,” Boetcher said. “Suddenly, they get to college and all the structures they have kept throughout their life are running wild.” One reason for this is that students realize that their actions weren’t neces sarily coming from the inside, but the pressure from the outside had con formed these ideals, he said. Boetcher, who has worked with college students at the chapel for five years, said he knows a lot of young stu dents who believe that the only good thing religion does is teach people to be moral. “I don’t know that’s all that it is about,” he said. When Boetcher was in college, he turned in someone else’s paper as his own for a theology class. After handing it in, Boetcher went to class the next day and the professor, whom he respected the most, said he had recognized some of the papers that had been turned in. The professor had kept all of his papers from previous semesters. He threatened the class that he would find out who cheated, and they would fail the class. “I couldn’t rest. I finally decided that this wasn’t worth it,” Boetcher said. “This was not the person God wanted me to be.” Boetcher told his professor the truth and completed the course, receiv ing a C. “It was absolute grace, because I didn’t deserve to pass,” he said. The incident in college taught Boetcher what he wanted to do for God. He now follows the now-popular “What Would Jesus Do” motto because it makes students think about how Jesus would respond to different situa tions. He likes the illustration from a series called, “Becoming a Contagious Christian.” “Religion is spelled D-O. It is all about what I need to do,” he said. “Christianity is not about what I do, it’s about what has been done. It’s about what Christ has done for me.” Beach said she depends on God to get her through each day’s problems and situations that test her patience. She said her faith in God trans formed her heart. * “I prayed and asked God to make me new and fix my heart. I wanted him to change me,” she said. “My heart felt so black inside.” Ever since last summer in New York, Beach has tried to live a life for Christ “I hope others can see the change in me because if they can’t I‘m not doing what I need to be doing as a Christian.” Questions? Comments? Ask for the appropriate section editor at (402) 472-2588 or e-mail dn@uni.edu. THE DAILY NEBRASKAN Editor: Managing Editor: Associate News Editor: Associate News Editor: Assignment Editor: Opinion Editor. Sports Editor: A&E Editor: Copy Desk Chief: Asst Copy Desk Chief: Photo Co-Chief: Photo Co-Chief: Design Chief: Art Director: Web Editor: Asst Web Editor: General Manager: Publications Board Chairwoman: Professional Adviser: Advertising Manager: Asst Ad Manager: Classifieid Ad Manager: Erin Gibson Brad Davis Sarah Baker Bryce Glenn Lindsay Young Cliff Hicks Sam McKewon Bret Schulte TashaKelter Heidi White Matt Miller Lane Hickenbottom Nancy Christensen Matt Haney Gregg Steams Amy Burke Dan Shattil Jessica Hofmann, (402)466-8404 Don Walton, (402)473-7248 Nick Paitsch, (402) 472-2589 Andrea Oeltjen Mary Johnson Women’s health bill put on bottom of pile ■ Senators spar over the legislation, which would create an initiative to look at the state of women’s health care in Nebraska. By Shane Anthony Staff writer A bill that would establish the Women’s Health Initiative of Nebraska failed to advance to select file Tuesday morning. The bill, LB480, sponsored by Lincoln Sen. DiAnna Schimek, would have established the initiative to serve as a clearinghouse of infor mation on women’s health issues, coordinate pilot projects and provide education and support services to women among other provisions. The bill fell two votes short of the 25 needed to advance to the next round of debate. Much of the opposi tion expressed on the floor Tuesday concerned the creation of a 30-mem ber advisory council. Opponents said the bill would unnecessarily duplicate services. Schimek vowed to return with the leg islation. “I’m not sure what my standing is, but it’s going to come up again sooner or later,” she said after the 23-19 vote. Norfolk Sen. Gene Tyson intro duced and withdrew an amendment that would have prevented any group associated with abortion from being connected to the proposed program. He said he would reintroduce the amendment if the bill advanced to select file. Schimek said the bill had nothing to do with abortion. She also dis missed arguments that the bill deals only with women. “We’re not talking about a small percentage of the population here,” she said. “We’re talking about 52 per cent of the population.” Tyson, one of the bill’s most out spoken opponents, said the initiative would use $147,000 in taxpayer money for services already provided by the Health and Human Services Department. “I think the purpose of this bill is fine,” he said. “But the execution is poor.” Sen. Jim Jensen of Omaha said the department had been made aware of a desire for better coordination of women’s health services and informa tion. The department formed a Women’s Health Task Force in 1998, he said. “I’m willing to let them try,” he said. “If it doesn’t work, then we’ll Legislature « We have almost been derelict in our responsibility to the issue of women s health.” Sen. Gerald Matzke come back at them next year. I think (Schimek’s) idea to draw attention to the issue is a very good idea.” But Sen. Shelly Kiel of Omaha joined Schimek in listing a barrage of statistics she said indicate shortfalls in healthcare for women - especially minority women. She urged support for other reasons as well. “If you don’t support this because it promotes women’s health in Nebraska, support it because it will save money in the long run,” she said. Sen. Gerald Matzke of Sidney also spoke in favor of the bill, as did most senators who participated in debate Tuesday. “We have almost been derelict in our responsibility to the issue of women’s health,” he said. But as the roll-call tally appeared lit the board in front of the chamber, the vote looked like it would fall one short at 24-19. Schimek later said two votes she was counting on - those of Grand Island Sen. Chris Peterson and Hastings Sen. Ardyce Bohlke - did not come in because both senators were absent. Schimek withdrew her yes vote and rushed to the front of the chamber to file a motion to reconsider. But under legislative rules, the bill must fail to advance two more times before a motion to reconsider can be filed in the first round of debate. The bill goes to die bottom of a list of pri ority bills for now, unless Speaker Doug Kristensen moves it up on the agenda. In other news, Senators paused tor a moment of silence before debate Tuesday in memory of Stanton Sen. Stan Schellpeper, who died Sunday. The Legislature will recess Thursday so senators can attend the funeral. A tribute to Schellpeper is scheduled in the Unicameral for Friday. Staff writer Brian Carlson con tributed to this report. Academic Senate passes parking bills PARKING from page 1 that,” he said. Several senators criticized Parking and Transit Services Director Tad McDowell, referring to presentations he and James Main, assistant vice chancellor for business and finance, are giving to explain the new parking garages as a “dog and pony show.” But Morris said McDowell was only doing what he had to do. “You can’t blame McDowell because he’s simply being charged to solve the problem,” he said. The parking portion of the Master Plan had to be first, Morris said. Other professors raised concerns about long walks between office buildings and parking garages. Some said late night walks would not be safe. Walter Mientka, professor of mathematics and statistics, said fac ulty members do not work 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., meaning nighttime walks will be unavoidable. “We cannot let this go forward,” he said. Law Professor Sally Wise pre sented a resolution she and her col leagues put together. The resolution, which also passed, said the Academic Senate strongly urged the UNL administration to fund the new 1999 2004 parking initiatives through means other than a substantial increase in user fees for faculty, staff and students and to report back to the Academic Senate at one of the early fall meetings or earlier. In other news, President Gail Latta announced that a mayoral forum would be held April 13 at 7 p.m. in the Nebraska'’Union. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to attend, she said.
