Paying your dues
United States ’ inability to pay UN. debt bad policy
Like a very large number of
Americans, I find many of the things
our government does objectionable,
and that’s just the stuff I know about.
I am now, following the example
of Congress, considering refusing to
pay my taxes until I have assurance
my money won’t finance the activi
ties I object to.
Something tells me this stand on
principle won’t please Congress,
even though it is based on its own
double standard: ~
Just as U.S. citizens pay income
taxes, the United States must pay its
dues to the United Nations.
The United Nations does not run
on money from bake sales and
lemonade stands. It relies on dues
from member countries. More than
half the money owed in legal dues is
overdue debt from the United States.
The United States may not be
thrown out of the United Nations
based on the dues it owes, but it is in
danger of missing out on member
ship in key administrative commit
tees.
As a major player in international
politics, the United States should be
careful of stepping on the toes of an
^organization it had the primary role
in forming.
Officially, the U.N. Charter
defines’four purposes: to maintain
international peace and security, to
develop friendly relations among
states, to cooperate in solving inter- .
national problems and in promoting
respect for human rights and to be a
center for harmonizing the actions of
nations.
This charter was developed after
World War II when broad interna
tional cooperation was identified as
a need in order to create a world of
peace and prosperity.
The United States has been active
in the United Nations from its forma
tion. The name “United Nations”
was coined by our own President
Franklin Roosevelt.
Five of the six major arms of the
United Nations - the General
Assembly, the Security Council, the
Economic and Social Council, the
Trusteeship Council and the
Secretariat - are based at U.N. head
quarters in New York.
The United States maintains a
strong leadership role in nearly
every way but one. Congress refuses
to pay U.N. dues because of objec
tions to the U.N.’s population control
program, particularly abortion.
When Congress did send a bill to
the White House to pay the dues -
dependent on the
condition that
none of the
«
With so many different sides to this complex
issue, the debate is sure to be a lively one.
money was used for “objectionable”
programs - it was vetoed by
President Clinton.
Issues such as these make one
wonder why the United States stays
involved in the United Nations if the
conflicts of interest are so great as to
hold back such a vital source of sup
port.
Sunday was United Nations day.
Today the Model United Nations
will be holding a debate in the
Nebraska Union at 3:30 p.m. to dis
cuss the question of the involvement
of the United States in the
United Nations.
With so many different sides to
this complex issue, the debate is sure
to be a lively one. I hope to go and
see a few punches thrown or even
throw a few myself (verbally speak
ing), that is if the IRS’s SWAT team
hasn’t found me yet.
Melissa Beran is a sophomore English and international studies major and a Daily Nebraskan guest columnist
Bruised egos
Rally’s message about violence awareness, not male-bashing
n’t a man-hater rally. It was an
awareness rally.
The rally exists to make people
aware that there are men who feel it
is their right to act violently toward
women.
There are men who think they
can rape women because they have a
God-given power over them. There
are men who think it’s OK to beat
their wives when their dinner isn’t
ready soon enough.
This is not acceptable, and our
worldwide human race needs to fig
ure out that it’s not.
Yes, most of the rally’s message
was concentrated in ending violence
against women. This is, traditionally,
what Take Back the Night rallies
have always been about.
If the offended had been listen
ing, though, they would have heard
that there is violence in same-sex
relationships, and violence in the
real voice to so many who cannot
defend themselves.
These women’s voices have been
translated into a public outcry here
only once this semester. If there was
a rally every time a woman endured
violence, we’d hear about it every 20
seconds.
What was revealed at Take Back
the Night isn’t an insult to men. It’s
an insult to women all over the
world.
1 am insulted and offended that a
member of my sex is raped every two
minutes.
I am offended that I have
close friends who’ve been
raped.
u
Someone must defend and give a real voice
to so many who cannot defend themselves.
I’m not too sure they have a whole
lot to be insulted by.
Next time you hear about or read
a statistic concerning violence
against women, see it for the atrocity
that it is. Don’t cry ________
that some-^^gtfritfMMHBk|
one isn’t being fair to you. There are
others out there who deserve your
sympathy more.
It’s time to put yourself in the
shoes of every abused woman and
walk around for awhile. Maybe then
^ the pain you feel won’t be because
a bruised ego but because
Ih^of a wounded heart.
This past Wednesday I attended
the Take Back the Night rally at the
Union Plaza. I was there with the rest
of ASUN, because we had voted a
couple of weeks previous to co-spon
sor the rally in the interest of vio
lence awareness and prevention.
The women on the steps present
ed frightening statistics on violence,
and President Andy Schuerman got
up there and said some words. After
everyone had their say, the march to
the Capitol began.
I didn’t get to go on the march
because we had to go back inside to
finish our meeting. I really, really
would have liked to, though.
I can’t tell you how moved I was
by the words spoken that night. I was
elated to see that so many people,
male and female, had gathered there
in fronfof the fountain. I was proud
that ASUN had decided to support
this event.
But my elation didn’t last very
long.
Once we resumed our public
meeting, it became apparent that
some people had been offended by
the rally. They thought that it was
one big anti-man fest. They thought
that it concentrated too much on rape
and violence against women.
In other words, some people did
n’t get it.
They didn’t get it because it was
|| i
I am offended that tl
first thing 1 was told
New Student
Enrollment was to
never, ever walk an
where alone at
night.
I am offended
that my mom
to send a
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expiam to me one more time wnat
it was that bothered them so much.
name of heterosexuality is still bemg
waged against gays.
They would have heard that vio
lence against a person of any race, of
any religion, of any sex, is wrong.
If they had taken the time to see
past what they took as a personal
slam, then they might have gotten it.
But they didn’t. Instead of being
shocked by the gruesome statistics,
they were insulted. And instead of
being inspired to help rid the world
of these deplorable acts, they were
selfishly caught up in something that
wasn’t even happening.
I have a feeling that there were
women in that crowd who’d been
abused or raped, and I’ll bet that they
weren’t offended.
I’ll bet that they were grateful
that someone was taking a stand for
them.
Someone must defend and give a
Erin Reitz is a senior theater performance major and a Daily Nebraskan columnist.