Let UCPD do its job to protect us
I am appalled by the reporting of the confrontation between
university police and the suspicious individual in Powell Library
two nights ago (“Student shot with Taser by UCPD
officers,” Nov. 15).
As California police, UCPD has repeatedly acted with
professionalism and concern for students.
As a community, we should be concerned when suspicious
individuals on our campus refuse to present identification to
someone whose job it is to ensure our safety.
Rather than add to the commotion by crowding and harassing
officers, we should allow these trained professionals to complete
their duties as expeditiously as possible. Safety is also our
responsibility.
If the suspect endured any discomfort, no one can be blamed but
himself for refusing to present identification and then refusing to
leave. Officers did not violate his rights but were protecting mine
and yours.
What if this suspect had a gun or biochemical agents such as
anthrax?
We have UCPD here to protect us. We need to let them do their
job. Please think of that next time you see an officer working on
your behalf.
Scott Nass Medical student, David Geffen School of
Medicine
Prop. 85’s failure is a sign of
immaturity
It came as no surprise when I read in the Daily Bruin that 80.7
percent of UCLA students voted against Proposition 85, which would
require underage girls to notify their parents before having an
abortion.
I would expect that a similar poll simply asking, “Do you
think abortions should be illegal?” would get a similar
response from UCLA students.
This gives us a very simple reason for why students feel so
strongly that abortions should be performed with no barriers
whatsoever: We have rooted in us a notion that we are not
responsible for our own actions.
I think it is pretty obvious that, except in cases of rape,
having a child is a risk that both the man and the woman accept
when they have sex.
Abortion is a way to eliminate that risk but at the cost of an
unborn child’s life.
I am agnostic, and even I believe that abortion is murder.
People who call it anything but murder do so only as a way to
reconcile their own guilt for taking the life of a child.
UCLA’s overwhelming vote against Proposition 85 shows that
we would rather kill a defenseless child than deal with the
consequences of our actions.
We need to start taking responsibility for our decisions.
Jimmy Dunn Third-year, astrophysics Secretary, Bruin
Republicans
Marijuana not as safe as it may seem
In the Daily Bruin’s editorial about legalizing marijuana
(“Marijuana should be legalized, regulated,” Nov. 13),
the drug is falsely portrayed as being safer than legalized drugs
like tobacco.
It is true that tobacco and marijuana both have similar
deleterious effects on the body.
They are both potent carcinogens and their prolonged use is
linked to numerous respiratory and heart problems.
But the huge difference between tobacco and marijuana is their
effects on the mind.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, long-term
marijuana use is associated with depression, anxiety and
personality disturbances. It also disrupts attention, memory and
learning.
Research shows that marijuana has just as many, if not far more,
negative side effects on the brain and mind than tobacco.
Kevin Williams Graduate student, microbiology,
immunology and molecular genetics
Voter project made a big impact
In Saul Wyner’s criticism of USAC’s voter project
(“USAC’s voter project costly, lacks planning,”
Nov. 9), he forgets that the 1,500 Polaroid pictures we took were
accompanied by 1,500 conversations with potential voters.
USAC also distributed 2,000 non-partisan voter guides in order
to educate voters before Tuesday’s elections. The project not
only produced a fantastic visual display of student voter power,
but also provided us with the opportunity to give students the
information they needed before the election.
Furthermore, the display was paid for by funds already allocated
to Get Out The Vote projects and did not take an additional dime
from student money. The money spent was a fraction of the cost of a
concert and educated and reached out to thousands of students.
Let’s not discount the hard work of USAC and the Student
Activist Project, who put in countless hours of their time to make
sure that students were well-informed, well-educated and encouraged
to vote.
Samer Araabi Third-year, political science and business
and economics, USAC General Representative