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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 6, 2001)
ZM/yNebraskan Since 1901 Editor: Sarah Baker Opinion Page Editor Jake Glazesld Managing Editor Bradtey Davis 'Minor7 issue? Regent Miller's comments about race could hurt NU In a state where it’s sometimes hard to con vince minorities they're valued, comments like the ones from NU Regent Drew Miller certainly don't help extend the welcome mat Millet ataSatuiday Board ofRegents meeting in Kearney, asserted recruiting minorities to die university could hurt its academic reputation. 7hose people, he said, typically score lower on standardized tests, which could drag down the test average of the entire university system Come on. Comments like that are out of place in this day-and-age. Especially when the university has been under increasing pressure from the Legislature in recentyears to bolster its minority enrollment In fact, the Legislature, in 1997, required NU by2002 to reach the midpoint of its peer institu tions in terms of hiring women and minorities. Certainly Miller’s views work against goals the Legislature has charged the university with attaining. What's more, Miller made the insensitive comments in response to University of Nebraska at Kearney Chancellor Gladys Styles Johnston’s suggestion NU include stepped up minority recruitment in its plan to boost total enrollment Johnston is black. Is she dragging down the university system? We would hedge a guess she’s nnt Unfortunately, views like Miller’s are what drag down the university system. Well give Miller the benefit of the doubt and guess he didn’t mean to say something overtly racist If one looks at mere facts and figures, one might come to the same conclusion Miller did: Minorities traditionally do score lower on stan dardized tests than their non-minority counter parts. But that conclusion begs a critical analysis. Sociological and statistical studies have indicat ed standardized tests often include a bias against minorities’ experiences. In other words, if you come from a disadvan taged or “different” background, you might not have exposure to certain questions asked on standardized tests, which are typically written from a white point-of-view. Because you were bom into a certain socio economic status, does that mean you shouldn't have the chance to study at the University of Nebraska? Certainly not While the university must be mindful of measurements used to determine its academic reputation, its administrators also must look at the entire picture: A public institution of higher learning is about more than simple statistical information. It’s about exemplifying values and ideals that are pillars of a just and good society. Comments that are insensitive, at best, and racist, at worst, are certainly not part of the ideals a leader of a public university should espouse. Neither the Legislature nor the university aims to diversify NU campuses just for appear ances. Instead, minorities should be recryited because they’re a valuable - and often scarce, in this state-resource. Seeing someone who does n't look like you can help you leam a great deal a fact not lost on most administrators and law makers. We call on Miller to explain himselL Perhaps this newspaper and a good number of con cerned citizens took his comments the wrong way. In any event, Miller should apologize. For whether his comments were overtly racist or amply misunderstood, they were most certainly insensitive. tr iBim ■■ i ■ | n n nwrl cononai soara Sarah Baker, Jeff Bloom, Bradtey Davis, Jake Glazeski, Matthew Hansen, Samuel McKewon, Kimberly Sweet Letters Poficy Tin>!>■■** wnljet ntmii UP iImimi muui»w m teetieirpufafceton.'nieO—yMrt»1unio>dnotiori[?t*po<«orioioctanymn>w1rtaubmaiad. SubmttKtrratMMbecomee property of the Daly Nabrarican and cannot be nsbsned Anonymous uiwjmtnu elimtturnlTlrfrttl TTimintin mtrmft fmrr —nrr^rfifTTirliirniifi m try-writ yeerrecfaool. mgorendtergwui rtSMnn. tan* SubnttmrtvM la tMyNtfmelan. 20 Nefamfca Union, 1400Ra.Unoah.NE 6868B4448 Unrigned edfcvMeae tie opnone of tie Spring 2001 Oatytfabraakan. They do not necesearty letect tie *m» of tie UniwwiyotWebBMlahUncctn.teemplo»eee. te student body or tie Unhorrtfrof tfataroturinoelof Regtr Acatumn ieaoWy tie option of fee eutior e cartoon ie eoMy tie opinion oftearitt. Tbe BoeTOofRegrt* acts aeprtWierof tie Dely Nebraskan; pof cy Ie art fay tie CM* ftabratfon EdtorW BoenL The UNL Pittcetone Bawd, eetabWied by tie ■gwlAemenit—tiepwdUctonoftiepepecAcoowtngtopofcyeBtbytiewBWtAieopcwi b»ytBrtieeittaltcoof»ottieneii«pnp«,lM ectrtyintiohondeofeamptoyaro. inu Raans' plans m impiwh6 mm mmm * » chdrujc or name to: UMSTITofIMK |Plan F: improve dcedenric, stuff || Meg»Gxfe/DN Letters to the editor Moan s done his homework At the outset of the elections, I decided to put more than just good intentions behind my issues. Good intentions fill the hearts of most presidential candidates, but draft translate into results. Now, with the presidential pot narrowed to two, my decision means nothing except who I cast a vote for cm Thesday. Both candidates have qualifying credentials, sup porters who vouch for the competency of the candi date and an attitude of inclusiveness. So who’s the One to vote for? The Score! party has run a campaign that speaks to the talent of its leaders. But in the end, I didn't hear those traits backing up the party’s platform goals. The grandfather tuition clause first meant frozen tuition. Then it meant thatASUN would generate new solutions for tuition increases. Then it meant students would get a tuition increase in increments. toother words, the “grandfather tuition clause” is nothing more thanapooriy spun lie to get your vote. So, phis zero for ScoreL The No Bull party has told students that our e mail and Dead Wfeek policy sucks. Tm afraid the Dead W3ek revolution will result in something worse. But I can respect what I’ve heard from the No Bull party throughout I’ve heard solutions that resulted from speaking with administration in control of both our e-mail and Dead Week. They’ve die necessary research behind their issues. Phis one for No BulL It’s a dose call, but only One party has more than just good intentions. And only Ctoe party hasn't lied to you. Vote for the One that has done some homework on his issues: Mixan. JaronLuttkh junior The One Party presidential candidate Sane! would bring dtaaty Today, ASUN elections go into their second rounct tne an too taminar run-on etecnon. btuaenis have an important choice between two distinctly dif ferent candidates. One candidate has passion for students, the other a passion for maintaining the “status qua" One has an open mind, the other a deaf ear Let me be dear Nathan Fuerst is, withoutadoubt, the best candidate for student body president. Andy Mixan and the No Bull party stand for most of what NUForce fought against the status quo and the maintenance of the same powerful elite in UNL student government NUForce brought new people into the process of student government Andy Mixan win undo this work single-handedly if elected. Mixan is not a bad person; rather, he’s unaware of the broad range of student needs on this campus. He doesn’t seem to reflect a desire to gather knowledge about students who are different from himself Nathan has taken steps to become an aware stu dent leader who wUl passionately try to represent aU students, not just an elite few. As recentASUN presidential and first vice-presi dential candidates, we believe we have an obligation to our supporters and the general student body to step aside and offer our endorsement of one of the remaining presidential candidates. We wholly offer that endorsement to Nathan Fuerst and Jessica Lopez. We need executive leader ship that cares about students. The Score! candidates are the only candidates who offer this. Angela dements junior history and political science NUForce presidential candidate Erick Kmyungu junior biochemistry NUForce first-vice presidential candidate The fabric of our vaginas What is the first thing you do when you get two e-mails about tampons and your per sonal safety? Well, you pull the plug. After that, I guess you should leave the room and Meed somewhere in privacy, uoitss, ui ujuim;, yuu Miupiy don't mind being a medieval woman. Karen Brown Now, I’m not bashing medieval women; I just want ed to provide an exquisite fell person when the issuesl speak of deal with dirtiness and unruly ways. What else are stereotypes about medieval women for? So I got mo exciting e-mails this weekend as I was saying They consisted of basically the same informa tion. Basically. At first, I dkint really care to lode for the difference between the two e-mails even though, for some odd reason, Idid read them both. The differences would be subtle anyway, I told myself. little did I know my life could depend on it Allow me to explain. The e-mails were, of course, forwarded by some one who cares about me and wants to pass on the scary story because they love me. Gush. They cared enough to send the two versions of die circulated “Tampon Scare"-my title for the paranoid literature. The first version detailed a study by a woman, Karen Couppert, who is getting her Ph.D. at the University of Colorado at Boulder Couppert tells her e-mail recipients that tampons are dangerous not only for Toxic Shock Syndrome, but also because they contain two items that could be potentially harmful: Rayon (for absorbency) and diox in (a chemical usedmbteachmg the products). Dioxin is potentially carcinogenic (as is every other thing inserted into vaginas) and has been linked to endometriosis and lowsr sperm counts for men and it breaks down the immune system. Of course, if there wasn't a potential harmful side effect for men, only half the population would care. Now with men involved, the issue would be heard. Couppert then mentions a snippet from an Environmental Protection Agency report to give her findings a bit more dout. In the second version I received on my e-mail account, there wereafew paragraphs that the first ver sion had not been stained with. I wanted to know why they weren't both the same. When vaginas are at stake, I want the full dog! Read that however you will; I simply mean that all the info about tampons should nofbe kept from me or any other bleeding female now or ever again! The second e-mail added this summed up warn ing that the first one lacked: Have you heard that tam pon makers include asbestos in tampons? Is it any wonder that so many women in the world suffer from cervical cancer and womb tumors? Why do this? Because asbestos makes you bleed mote; if you bleed more, you’re going to need more tampons! Now, I’m not really one for “finding the facts.” I've never bothered to look into the root of “facts" that seem to be urban legends, rumors and hoaxes-I just don't want to know But today was different. I wanted to know if there was a correlation between my extended blood flow in past years and the daim to the insertion of asbestos. Also, I wanted to know if there would be a correla tion between women who have stood up against hav ing to put cotton objects in their vaginas and divorce, but that was to come later. I went to a Web site, urbanlegends.about.com, to find the scoop on the “Tampon Soue" and found more than I bargained far (two sheep and a donkey). First of all I didrit know that such a Web site existed, and sec ond, I didn't know that I possessed all the signs that indicatedlshouki have found this Web siteatang time ago. As a person who gets many e-mails and believes every word they say, I realized that I suffer from 1) naive credulity, 2) a potential for deception, and 3) 1 am especially vulnerable to misinformation. Thist me, Jack, I can handle the truth. Especially when it's true. The aforementioned Web site stated the obvious: “We do know that spontaneous alterations of the texts erf forwarded e-mails are common; in fact, they're the rule rather than the exception." This is exactly what happened whenlreceived two slightly different emails. The first actually wasn't that inaccurate, as this sight suggests. The debate over Dioxin still exists, and the representation by Couppert may or may not have been accurate; however, the sight says dial in no way is asbestos found in tampons. This is your time to choose who to believe or not, so check out the sight and other surrounding sights on your own. A good place to start would be where this e mail excerpt originated in the first place - bdsm online.com, then, dick onTbxic Shock. Since I’m on this objective stance kick, I might as well mention that die Web site about myth bashing could also be a hoax. There are misspelled words and the name of the Ph.D on the Web site is spelled Houppert, not Couppert Credible? Maybe. As someone who usually likes to take great opposi tion to corporations, I actually decided to look up some background info in lieu of immediately pointing my finger at fag business bullies. No matter who is right or wrong, I think that die problem lies notwithin chemicals that are harmful for the body, but within this patriarchal misogynistic soci ety. If men didn’t want us to hide our womanly essence, we wouldn't have to wear tampons in the first place? I think HI start an e-mail. Dave did it, not his band I felt the cold steel in my hand as I pulled the gun from his mouth. He started mumbling about how he didn't Bock want 10 go on anymore. 1 brought him inside to calm him down. I made some warm tea. I asked him why he felt life was unlivable. He handed me die CD, and I nodded empatheticalty. It was the music that had rocked college campuses across this country to its very foundations. A firestorm of controversy was unleashed about it, and everyone who has listened to it has a strong opinion on it It's either loved or hated, there’s no in-between. Of course, the CD the man had was “Everyday," the new Dave Matthews Band release. He asked if I’d heard it yet I said I’d only heard the first single, “I Did It." I told him I hadn’t been a big fan of DMB in the past Sure, I admitted it was real ly just petty jealousy that fueled my dis like of his band. I couldn't get over the way girls I knew adored Dave and die way guys I knew liked Dave a little too much. I think all of us have known one or two completely straight men that would have had sex with Dave out of respect I couldn't relate. But I did tell him I thought the new video was great, and I was curious to hear exacdy what Dave “did." He put the album in, and I lis tened to it with a completely open mind. After the first few songs, I could see why the album has been the num ber one topic of dis cussion from every greek house to every stoner hang out What you're hearing on "Everyday” is a Dave Matthews solo album masqueradi ng as a Dave Matthews Band project. It's different, that's for sure. After half the album, I couldn't take it anymore. I’d rather have cigarettes put out on my genitals for a week than sit through it again. It doesn’t just suck. It really sudcs. You heard me. I look at Dave Matthews now and see a modern-day Huey Lewis. The songs are nothing but pop drivel. If you enjoy the music on that disc, you have no soul Do you think I've gone too far? Well let’s look at the making of the album for a second. They started recording in Virginia in January of2000. The album was scheduled to come out last sum mar. The most recent tour was intend ed to promote the new album. It was recorded and went so far that a track listing was posted on the Internet. But it was never released. What happened? The record company didn’t hear the next "Tripping Billies" or anything resembling it It was a little too dark for their liking, so it was postponed. Dave was flown to Los Angeles to work with Glen Ballard, the man who has pro duced hits for Alanis Morrisette, Aerosmith and others. Dave worked alone with Glen and came up with entirely new material in a flourish of creativity. Then the rest of the band was flown out to listen to the new work. The work that came from those sessions is the new album. So the band, which was what was great about early DMB work, was reduced to nothing more than a studio band with no input or creativity into the music. If I wanted mat i d listen to KicKy Martin. What you’re hearing on "Everyday” is a Dave Matthews solo album masquerading as a Dave Matthews Band project Before 1 wiped my ass with it, I noticed that the cover of the CD is a picture of the band. All their previous albums had no picture on the front, and they felt even pictures on the inside of the CD booklet detracted from the music. Now it's them on the cover. And I have a theory as to why. The song “The Space Between” is sure to be a single, and probably the next one. This will be huge at all proms and graduations, and mindless young boys and girls will have a lot of dispos able income. Wanting to appear cool, and older, they will flock to the record store with money burning a hole in their pockets. How will they know what to buy? Well Dave Matthews’ picture is on the cover of die CD, making it easy to iden tify. Did Dave sell out? It’s not that sim ple. When you get to die level of success they got to, it’s impossible to "sell out” But he caved in to the record company. Guilty as charged.