The unsung
senator
Kerry’s retirement shouldn’t
overshadow Hagel s record
Bob Kerrey is gone, and the speculation begins.
Who will run for Senate? Ben Nelson? Doug Bereuter?
What about the House? Tom Osborne? How did this affect
Don Stenberg? Will Kerrey take a job at a small university in
New Yoik? Will he lead a small revolt through the streets? Will
he run for president? Will he ask Osborne to be his running
mate? Will the Nebraska football team officially become
America’s team?
Hold it. Let’s stop the speculation, and go with what we
know. And we only know one thing for sure - with Kerrey
gone, Sen. Chuck Hagel becomes the central political figure
in the state of Nebraska. And that’s a good thing.
Since his election in 1996, Hagel has made his mark and
cooperated with both sides of the
aisle. He’s gained the respect of not
rpnrp <zprt tprl only Kerrey, but other important sen
* ators who help shape this nation’s
Nebraskans policy. In his short time in office,
, , . Hagel has made an impression, even
ana tneir on the people who didn’t vote for him
beliefs well - on^,ally . , .
J Kerrey is no longer the figure
possibly more head for Nebraska. Hagel is. It’s a role
, he’s ready for, and a role Nebraskans
SO than should My support him in. Not all of
us on the board are Republicans. But
we recognize a job well done. And so
far, Hagel has represented
Nebraskans and their beliefs well - possibly more so than
IWUV^J.
But then again, Hagel is his own man. He’s made it well
known who he supports in the upcoming Republican pri
maries - Sen. John McCain - moving away from the popular
party line of Geoige W. Bush. It seems that Hagel, like Kerrey,
is also someone concerned in affairs abroad - an often over
looked aspect of his resume. A world view is important for a
senator from the nation’s interior.
Keeping Hagel in the news is something that inevitably
occurs through the state’s media services. When Kerrey
breathed in die state of Nebraska, it usually made news.
That isn’t to say Hagel will get that kind of coverage right
away - but as the state’s most important politician, he imme
diately becomes a leader and our top extension in
Washington. Like Kerrey, Hagel has the clout and ability to
keep Nebraskans important with people who haven’t even
been here.
It’s that quality that kept Kerrey in office. Chances are, it
will do the same for Hagel. And it’s time we recognize that.
Editorial Board
Josh Funk (editor) • JJ. Haider • Cliff Hicks • Samuel
McKewon • Dane Stickney • Kimberly Sweet • Lindsay
Young
Letter Policy
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rial will not be published. Those who submit letters must
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Submit material to: Daily Nebraskan, 20 Nebraska Union,
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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;
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three.
Obermeyer’s
VIEW
AN ABoRTETp AftTeinPT AT Tf^ ALtfMATlVB'fum..
I W AA l [ m I \ \
Letters to the
EDITOR
What Not ToDo
Tony Bock’s Jan. 25 editorial on
NUtodo is both discouraging and frus
trating for those who are working to
make NU a better place. Mr. Bock has
chosen to write a commentary without
j knowing the. facfs, without checking
with thakoufcC aifd without considera
tion of the bigger picture: the impact of
a published attitude on a campus of stu
dent drinkers.
The truth is, NU Directions is partly
responsible for the existence of NU on
Wheels, Tailgate on the Turf and a host
of other projects. We currently have a
seat cm the Mayor’s task force for con
certs in Lincoln, we work directly with
the bars to promote safe drinking
(which is why they’re on the Web site)
and we are planning events like those
Mr. Bock requests.
By voicing his own ultimatun\
(“Get something I like to do here or I’ll
keep drinking irresponsibly”), Mr. Bock
only adds to the problem of high-risk
drinking by encouraging an attitude of
non-cooperation.
We are constantly asking for sug
gestions like those you’ve made - we
challenge you and any student to come
to our office and become part of the
solution. As a journalist, you breed pub
lic opinion. Please realize the conse
quences of your actions when die sub
ject is drinking, and your published
behavior becomes the role model.
Tom Workman
Communications Coordinator
NU Directions
Where’s the Pay?
When I opened up the Opinion
pages on Monday, I was so glad to see
that my career choice in education was
being assaulted by someone with very
little correct information who was
drawing false conclusions.
Mr. Donley says that our education
system is failing because we do not
compare well with the system of 25-30
years ago. Because you are a sociology
major, I would expect you to understand
the difference between todays society
vs. society 30 years ago.
• You state that die key to our educa
tional and social problem is the family. I
could not agree more. However, today
that is not happening as it was 30 years
ago. Mom and Dad no longer live
together. In many cases there is no Dad,
and Mom is a 16-year-old girl who is
still trying to grow up herself. Then
society expects the teachers to instill the
morals and ethics that should be given at
home. The teachers spend more time
with students than many of the parents
do.
Do you see why teachers want more
money? Our job is to educate, not to be
students’ parents. You say teachers
should give more homework so parents
will get involved. More homework is
not the answer because many parents
still won’t care. I’ve talked to some
teachers who say they have never met a
student’s parents because either the par
ents blow the teacher off or they are too
busy with work.
An educator has to be a teacher fore
most, but secondly a psychologist, a
police officer and a psychic.
I think a pay increase is warranted.
Our teachers are overworked and out
numbered. Nebraska teachers are
underpaid compared to the rest of the
nation. However, they still manage to be
better than some states that pay more.
It is because of the narrow-minded
view that people like you have that I,
and many of my colleagues, will have to
continually justify and fight for our jobs
the rest of our careers as educators.
Nicholas A. Spath
senior
music education
Devaney Distress
For four years now, we have been
student season ticket holders for men’s
basketball games. In previous years, the
athletic department has complained
about the lack of student attendance at
home games. This year, many more stu
dents bought season tickets because of
reduced prices. The problem is, the
Devaney Center “improvements” have
completely ruined the possibility for a
big-time college basketball environ
ment and transformed it into a circus.
The following is our list of the top
10 real improvements for Bill Byrne to
consider
10. Let the band actually play at die
game - or get rid of them; we need the
seats.
9. When more students buy tickets,
you probably need more seats to put the
students in, not fewer. Example: elimi
nating two rows because of negligent
planning in designing the “improve
ments.”
8. The athletes and Husker Fury are
students - they should sit in the student
section. They should not have a whole
reserved section that usually is half
empty.
7. Get rid of the dumb DJ - this is
not a rap concert
6. Unless you plan to someday show
a good angle of a replay, get rid of the
HuskerVision. Any crap not related to
the game needs to be eliminated. You
can watch commercials at home, and
nobody wants to see bowling highlights.
5. Students should be encouraged to
stand in the student section, not threat
ened to sit down. This is what creates an
intimidating environment for the oppo
nent. Move us to the top and see how
many students buy tickets next year.
4. Schedule an opponent that people
actually want to see play (Michigan,
Duke, North Carolina, Indiana) - not
Colgate, Middle Tennessee State and
Southwestern Utah Center for Knitting
Skills (SUCKS University).
3. Even though Runza Rex is a bet
tor shooter than most of the players, this
is the dumbest thing we have ever seen!
Does Kansas do anything this ridicu
lously stupid? Maybe the athletic mar
keting department should look into that
one.
l. oet nd ot the Huskervision. we
thought we needed two reasons to take
care of two screens. The last time we
looked we were buying a basketball
ticket, not a ticket to a documentary on
Husker athletics or a lousy Hollywood
film production.
1. Perhaps die most pathetic thing at
the games is die corporate sponsorship
of the “Husker Power” cheer.
Eventually someone is going to come in
and sponsor the crowd chanting “bull-;
xxxx” to the referees.
Make these changes, and perhaps
you will keep some student loyalty. If
the current system stays in place, how-,
ever, we will strongly consider not buy
ing tickets in the future. Until the
changes are made, we encourage every
one to support die team, bait when play
stops, put a paper bag over your head in
protest of the ridiculous atmosphere aft
the Devaney Center that makes NU bas
ketball a joke.
■ j. ~ •- : ‘ ..i
Brian Costanzo
Brian Langbehn
seniors
accounting
