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About The print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1977-1989 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 10, 1985)
Opinion Legalize marijuana; shrink black market By Thad Kreisher Entertainment Editor Once again the O.M.I. (Oregon Marijuana Initiative) people have managed to get the marijuana initiative on the ballot for 1986. Bad news for O.M.I., as every time the in itiative makes it onto the ballot,. record numbers of voters turn out to defeat it. The politicians should be pleased, however, as they finally have voter participa tion. It seems strange to me that people who normally don’t .are about the outcome of most things political all of a sudden become active upon hearing an utterance of the word “marijuana.” Many of these voters don’t even have the slightest idea as to just what the exact provisions of the initiative are. The only thing of importance to them is that the “ultimate evil,” can nabis, is about to become legal. Time to grab the swords and shields and once again champion the causes of truth, justice, and the American way. Not so fast, guys. There’s much more to this issue than meets the eye. Many of the op ponents of the initiative have said that legalizing marijuana would only serve to increase drug trade throughout the state, especially to minors. After looking at the provisions of the initiative, most people would agree that these reasons are groundless. The marijuana initiative would allow private individuals of age to grow, and possess a small amount of marijuana for personal use. The sale of marajuana, and Vietnam veterans deserve more public support By Loretta Carter Staff Writer The plane is slowly descen ding from the heavens, wheels bouncing as they hit the run way of the airport, and smoke seeps from the tires as the brakes are locked-on for the landing. “Home at last,” says a young war veteran. “No more guns, no more bombs, and no more death”. This thought ran through all the Viet-Nam veterans as they came back to civilization in the US. These young men and women had no idea of what they were to face once they step off the civilian plane. The airport is crowed with people coming and going from one place to another. A veteran dressed in his class A uniform has just reached the terminal. On his way home, he is greeted by thrown tomatoes, followed by abusive language. A wetness spattered the once neatly pressed uniform. “Baby killer, crazy, why did you ever have to come back no one wants your kind here,” says the hippy with the long hair. These words nearly tore the heart out of the young veteran as he stood before his judge and jury. The soldier walks on as in a state of shock and disbelief. This was the scene that the returning Viet-Nam veteran received from all over the United States as he returned home - home to their country that they fought and many died for: a country of arm chair warriors. I feel this is a poor way to show our appreciation for so- Page 2 meone who went to war for my life here, fight to make a place for myself in my own you and me. A young boy of nineteen’s country.” Still another said, life was snatched from him “I thought all the fighting and just when his life should have hurting was gone when I left really begun. He Was taught to Viet-Nam.” The Viet-Nam War will kill, to destroy, and changed from a young boy To a man in always be with these soldiers. just a few short months. These > They will relive it over and boys are to go into a world of j over everyday of their lives. hurt and death, watching as They will never be able to wipe their comrades are tortured, the death and horror from their friends murdered, and their minds. I feel that the government watching ones brother or closest buddy beg for death has done a grave disservice to while laying in his arms with a these veterans who should bullet in his head or gut. These have had the standard six- same young men and women month reorientation period are supposed to come back in usually required by th*e Armed to the civilized world and act Forces before a discharge is granted. Instead, many of as if nothing ever happened. Instead of a marching band them were thrust out into to welcome them home they society to fend for themselves. got just the opposite: a night Maybe if they hadn’t had the mare. These men and women right to reorientation stripped should be welcomed with open from them these veterans ‘7 wish I had died over there. At least there were people there who cared. ” arms and with “thank you’”s for fighting for us. Society has no idea of what they have done to our Viet-Nam veterans. They have condemn ed these soldiers to a life of liv ing hell by their abusive and unfair actions. I talked to a Viet-Nam veteran who said, “I wish I had died over there. At least there were people there who cared.” Another said, “I didn’t realize that when I got home I would have to fight for would have been able to cope better to civilian life. These veterans need our help and support. They want to forget, but we can make it more tolerable for them as they try to learn to live with their pain and put things into perspective. The only way this will ever happen is with the public’s support and help. These soldiers deserve much better thn ridicule for what had to be done in the name of war. use of marijuana by minors would still be illegal. The in itiative would only serve to keep thousands of respectable citizens from going to jail, and to add an estimated five- hundred million dollars to the Oregon economy. Alaska already has such an initiative, and according to re cent ex-Organizational Chair for the Democratic Party of Oregon, Richard Weiss, it has been found, that the number of juvenile court cases involving marijuana have in fact, gone down, as has the overall underground trade of can nabis. Furthermore, it has reduced the total number of drug related court cases by 70. The United States is now facing the same problem that Holland did. The number of people currently using mari juana makes it impossible to adequately police all users. We do not possess the resources or a court system adequate enough to handle the massive amount of cases. The Federal Government has tried to stomp it out by only requiring that an officer have “suspi cion” to search for drugs. Sounds suspiciously like the open search warrants of police states. Take away the illegality of the product, and much of the corruption attested to drugs can be eliminated, as well as causing the dealers themselves a great loss of power. After all, isn’t it useless to bribe so meone for the right to sell unhindered, something that the people can grow and use cheaper themselves? What it all comes down to is freedom of choice. We are free to choose whether or not we drink alcohol, and whether or not we smoke tobacco, so why should we not be free to choose for or against mara juana, a drug almost as widely used as alcohol. Those who oppose mari juana use would still have the right to abstain. It is their right to choose not to if they wish, but is it also their right to choose for others? I feel that it is high time for Americans to be allowed the right to make this decision for themselves. Correction The letter to the editor titled “Year’s plans detailed” did not carry its authors name, ASG President Daniel Hilts. Letters to the Editor The Print gladly accepts any letters to the editor. All letters are subject to editing, and should not be libelous, obscence or false. Letters must be typed and double spaced. It must be signed by author, and accompanied by an address and phone number. Drop them by trailer B. Z----------------------------------------------------------\ THE PRINT aims to be a fair and impartial journalistic medium covering the campus community as thoroughly as possible. Opinions expressed in THE PRINT do not necessarily reflect those of the College administra tion, faculty, Associated Student Government or other members of THE PRINT staff. THE PRINT is a weekly publication distributed each Wednesday except for finals week. Clackamas Community College, 19600 S. Molalla Ave., Oregon City, Oregon 97045. Office: Trailer B; telephone 657-8400, ext. 309 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Fritz Wenzel ARTS EDITOR: Thad Kreisher SPORTS EDITOR: Julie Miller PHOTO EDITOR: Dan Wheeler COPY EDITOR^David Holmes ADVERTISING MANAGER: Kelley Stuart REPORTERS: Amy Doane, Jeff Schoessler, Darlene Durisch, Toni Madsen, Loretta Carter, Erik Conrad, Mark Empey, David Holmes Kathy Jones PHOTOGRAPHERS: Juan Callahan, George Waller, Keith Moore TYPESETTER: Jacque de Waal . ADVISOR: Dana Spielmann Clackamas Community College .