Thursday, February 5, 1998
Thumbs up/ Thumbs down
Wasteful solicitation
Thumbs down to the UCLA Store for wasting so much paper, by
stuffing every shopping bag with unnecessary credit card
applications, phone card deals, CD club applications and various
other promotional pamphlets. Such wasteful practices are
irresponsible, and ASUCLA should act immediately to be more
environmentally correct. If we want credit card applications, we
can pick them up ourselves; we don’t need them shoved in our face
every time we make a purchase.
Defending one’s freedom
Thumbs up to Professor Julian Heicklen at Pennsylvania State,
who is standing up for his and students’ rights. Two weeks ago, he
sat down outside on campus and smoked what seemed to be a joint.
Heicklen explained that his motive was to defend personal freedom,
and while he does believe marijuana has medical benefits, allowing
students to recognize their personal rights is of utmost
importance.
He was not arrested nor was the joint confiscated because campus
police said it lacked the distinct smell of marijuana. However, Ben
Norman, president of the Penn State chapter of the National
Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), said he
believes Heicklen was not arrested because he is a professor and
because of the media’s presence.
Heicklen then promised to show up again at the University Gates
Jan. 29, and he lit up again. Before a crowd of 100 people, the
professor sat on a lawn chair and started smoking. University
Police Services then seized the cigarette, and someone from the
crowd handed him another. Following the confiscation, Heicklen said
the police had made an "illegal seizure" and told the crowd that
they should notify the district attorney of the "theft."
Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down represents a majority opinion of the Daily
Bruin Editorial Board. Please send comments or suggestions to
thumbs@media.ucla.edu.