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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 13, 2000)
Take on the day King s message should be remembered on a daily basis On Monday, people across the nation will take a day off work and school to commemorate the life of one of the great est civil rights leaders who ever lived. It’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Members of a university planning committee have spent months coordinating events between the university, the city of Lincoln and other organizations so students and members of the public can spend the day honoring King. They even came up with a catchy slogan - “Remember! Celebrate! Act! A Day On, Not A Day Off.” The not-too-subtle slogan reminds students that the day away from class has a purpose other than catching up on sleep. The slogan shows the committee knows UNL students It s too bad that the university committee has to remind students that Martin Luther King Jr Day is “a day on.” well. Without a reminder that Martin Luther King Jr. Day exists and has a purpose, many students would go on without thinking about how King’s efforts changed their lives.It’s too bad that the uni versity committee has to remind students that Martin Luther King Jr. Day is “a day on.” It’s also too bad that the cele bration of King’s ideals is limited to one day. King is famous for helping to secure equal right for all people under the law, and we should take time out to recognize that fact on Monday. King’s legacy is one of activism and not being con tent with the status quo. Students should continue the work that King began and leave a legacy of their own. On Wednesday, King’s oldest daughter quoted her father to a crowd in Tennessee: “This is no time for apathy or com placency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.” King’s words still ring true. There are no fewer problems today than when the civil rights leader was alive. Problems exist on this campus, in this community and in this state that students could have a powerful role in fixing. Unfortunately, too many of us get caught up in our day-to day lives, becoming bogged down in homework, jobs and extracurricular activities. Monday should be more than a day to reflect about the things King did for us. It should be a day to think how we can be activists in our own circle of influence. It should be a day to dedicate ourselves to carrying on a tiny piece of the legacy King began. Perhaps then it can really be called “a day on.” Editorial Board Josh Funk (editor) • J.J. Harder • Cliff Hicks • Samuel McKewon • Dane Stickney • Kimberly Sweet • Lindsay Young 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 submissions.Submitted material becomes property of the Daily Nebraskan and cannot be returned. Anonymous mate rial will not be published. Those who submit letters must identify themselves by name, year in school, major and/or group affiliation, if any. Submit material to: Daily Nebraskan, 20 Nebraska Union, 1400 R St., Lincoln, Neb. 68588-0448 or e-mail to: let ters@unl.edu Editorial Policy Unsigned editorials are the opinions of the spring 2000 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. The Board of Regents acts as publisher of the Daily Nebraskan; policy is set by the Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board. The ..... UNL Publications Board, established by the regents, super vises the publication of the paper. According to policy set by the regents, responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies solely in the hands of its student employees. The Daily Nebraskan strives to print fair and accurate cover age; any corrections or clarifications will be printed on page three. Obermeyer’s VIEW I IT & OUR Job to S&R^ and represent the J H STUDENTS OF TTUSy'’ I DEVOTE OUR ^neroy) / TO ONLY TWr Most If Monumental of J? lSSUESU^/jd. /SO ARE W£ ^ &ONNA PUT THE 1 P(\pry NAMES ON . the BALLOTS k V OR NOT? ^A Bon voyage Study-abroad program to be exciting, unique opportunity I Semester ' at Sea : ■, ; f f'T . A <■. Ms$oln* Nebraska, USA :. • "' > / My anticipation is rising as I count down the number of days until I set sail. Soon I will be leaving for the opportunity of a lifetime, to trav el the world on a ship. The University of Pittsburgh, along with The Institute for Shipboard Education, has designed a semester-abroad program that allows students to live, eat and study abroad on a 23,500-ton vessel. We’ll be trav eling around the world and earning college credit, forming the world famous program Semester at Sea, as seen on MTV’s “Road Rules.” It is no booze-cruise, though. Unlike on “Road Rules,” I will be required to focus on my studies and take full advantage of the opportuni ties presented. I probably won’t be taking a lot from the classes I’m in. I’ll be learning by traveling to faraway lands. The ship is scheduled to set sail on Jan. 22, from Nassau, Bahamas. I will travel to 10 other wonderful countries, such as Cuba, South Africa, Malaysia and Hong Kong before returning to Seattle, Wash. This is something I have been dreaming about doing since high school. And I know a few other par ticipants of Semester at Sea that will be traveling on my voyage. So I’m not alone with 598 strangers in the middle of the ocean. The procedures that I have had to go through to help prepare for the voyage have been timely. I had to be fully vaccinated, since many of the countries.I will be visiting are infest ed with things we are not used to in the United States. I received shots such as Hepatitis A and B, plus things like a polio booster, a flu shot, malaria pills and many more. This has left me with sore arms over the past couple of weeks. But the nurses in interna tional at the Health Center were great. Before I could visit some of the countries on our route, I was required to apply and obtain visas from a few of these faraway places. I now have visas from Brazil, India and Vietnam which have really added to my passport book. Besides the classes taught by the professors from around the world, I will be able to participate in field studies to help focus on what is 1 will have the chance to go on an African safari, do a village home stay with natives of an area, fly in a hot air balloon over Kenya, see the Taj Mahal and even visit a Cuban cigar factory in Havana. being taught onboard. I will have the chance to go on an African safari, do a village home stay with natives of an area, fly in a hot air balloon over Kenya, see the Taj Mahal and even visit a Cuban cigar factory in Havana. I’ve nervous about my being so far away from home, not knowing anything about my roommate or even where he will be from and even experiencing culture shock. I know I will have a wonderful time and that the experience will be amazing, but I’m afraid of the lan guage barriers or even not being able to find my way, since I have never been to any of the countries I will be visiting. I am sure that I will be fine, and that what I learn will be more than I could by staying in Nebraska. Keep reading as I offer updates from around the world. Andrew Broer is a sophomore secondary education major and a Daily Nebraskan columnist
