2008 Woodie Awards
Advocating Progress: Act, It's Not Legal Yet
M.E. Osborne
Issue date: 12/4/07 Section: Editorial/Opinion
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12/04/07 - Hello, readers. As many of you may have noticed there has been some confusion as to the title of this column. It has seen many variations of a few names, NAACP: Justice for All, Advocating Progress, Advocating Justice for All, Justice for Progress etc. I would like to clarify. The title is Advocating Progress because social progress is the underlying theme of the column.
I am the chief editor of the University of Rhode Island chapter of the NAACP, although my views do not necessarily reflect the official position of the NAACP. I would like to thank the readers for their patience.
I saw a stupid shirt the other day. Oftentimes, stupid slogans at first sound witty. "Think, It's Not Legal Yet," the shirt read. It implied that people should not use marijuana because it is not legal and that breaking the law could get them in a lot of trouble.
I agree. It is never a good idea to get caught breaking a law, especially a drug law since the consequences for college students found violating drug laws include elimination of federal financial aid.
That having been said, it is a ridiculous law that is a violation of everything this country is meant to stand for. It is a law that should not be on the books, and it should not be tolerated by educated Americans.
The campaign against marijuana began as a means for corporate interests to control resources. DuPont had a stake in artificial fibers and William Randolph Hearst had a stake in paper. Once technology permitted hemp to be processed into paper and clothing among other products at a low cost, it became a threat to established industries. Hemp paper and hemp clothing are stronger and more durable than the paper and cloth on the market now.
Yellow journalism in newspapers owned by Hearst spread false information about the effects of marijuana and played on white Americans racist fears of Mexicans and African-Americans. Marijuana is not a threat to the security of the United States. If it were, the damage would be done anyway since people use marijuana. No law can change that.
I am the chief editor of the University of Rhode Island chapter of the NAACP, although my views do not necessarily reflect the official position of the NAACP. I would like to thank the readers for their patience.
I saw a stupid shirt the other day. Oftentimes, stupid slogans at first sound witty. "Think, It's Not Legal Yet," the shirt read. It implied that people should not use marijuana because it is not legal and that breaking the law could get them in a lot of trouble.
I agree. It is never a good idea to get caught breaking a law, especially a drug law since the consequences for college students found violating drug laws include elimination of federal financial aid.
That having been said, it is a ridiculous law that is a violation of everything this country is meant to stand for. It is a law that should not be on the books, and it should not be tolerated by educated Americans.
The campaign against marijuana began as a means for corporate interests to control resources. DuPont had a stake in artificial fibers and William Randolph Hearst had a stake in paper. Once technology permitted hemp to be processed into paper and clothing among other products at a low cost, it became a threat to established industries. Hemp paper and hemp clothing are stronger and more durable than the paper and cloth on the market now.
Yellow journalism in newspapers owned by Hearst spread false information about the effects of marijuana and played on white Americans racist fears of Mexicans and African-Americans. Marijuana is not a threat to the security of the United States. If it were, the damage would be done anyway since people use marijuana. No law can change that.