The
Clackamas Print
DeLay hits bottom
Tom DeLay announces
he will not run for
reelection, to the joy
of many
David Stark
i The Clackamas Print
Tom DeLay’s decision to drop
out of the electoral race is truly
unsurprising due to his stunningly
fast fall from grace.
past, I’ve got to say, that worries of the First Amendment to the
me a little.
Constitution of the United States
But I have digressed, where was of America says, quite concisely,
I? Ah yes, coward runs away.
-“no.” And to change that, we’d need
When asked what he planned an amendment. Now where in the
to do in the future, DeLay vowed government can we find a religious
to pursue aggressive speaking and fanatic with no idea what’s good
organizing campaigns aimed at for the country? Correct me if I’m
promoting foster care, Republican wrong, but wasn’t one of those
candidates and a closer connection elected to the presidency?
between religion and government.
With a future rife with problems
Hmmm, a closer connection and a political history we all hope is
between religion and the govern truly over, I have only this to say to
ment. My recollection is telling DeLay, don’t let the door hit you on
me that the Establishment Clause the way out.
His announcement to leave was
full of confusing statements that
seemed tonotonly contradict each
other, but also certain portioris of
the constitution.
When asked if he had ever
«one anything illegal or unethi
cal while in office, DeLay curtly
replied “no.” But when asked if
h’d done anything immoral he
&id that “we’re all sinners.” Now,
in my book, immoral and unethical
pretty much mean the same thing.
So I’m forced to wonder which
among his rather long lists of sins
Recommitted.
I Of course, given the fact that
two of his aides have plead guilty
to committing crimes while being
members of his staff, one need not
wonder too hard. Can anyone else
lay “aiding and abetting?”
I When the celebrations of his
departure were over, the press
¡finally asked why we got some
¡interesting answers. ,
ITm a realist. I’ve been around
while. I can evaluate political situ
ions,” DeLay said. “I feel that I
ould have won the race. I just felt
ke I didn’t want to risk the seat and
lat I can do more on the outside
f the House (of Representatives)
lan I caiyontljeinside jight now.”
Comingfrom £
with his
Commentary 3
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
A few facts about?
marijuana
According to the Canadian Medical Association Journal
and Dr. Peter Fried, marijuana does not contribute to a
decreased IQ.
The Center for Medical Cannabis Research at UC San
Diego School of Medicine says long term and daily use does
not cause permanent brain damage.
An Israeli study suggests cannabandids help humans
recover from physical brain injuries.
“The therapeutic potential of cannabis” raises the pos
sibility that many, schizophrenics may be using marijuana
to self-medicate because recent evidence suggests that
cannabanoids help regulate dopamine according to Lancet
Neurology.
The American Nurses Association has adopted a reso
lution calling for safe access to medicinal marijuana for
patients under appropriate supervision.
A German study published in Nature suggests that canna
binoids may be usefiil in extinguishing traumatic memories.
Studies at the Center for Medical Cannabis Research,
University of California (San Diego), found that long-term
and daily use of marijuana does not cause permanent brain
damage.
Compiled by Sam Krause,
The Clackamas Print
Schools sue state
over fundinQ blues
The Oregon Legislature
is being sued by six school
districts and three families
for failing to adequately
fund Oregon schools.
Well, it’s about bloody
time1
As I have stated before in
this paper, the massive bud
get shortfalls routinely faced
by our schools are squarely
the fault of the Legislature.
When Multnomah County
passed the I-Tax back in
2002, we were promised
that it was just to tide
schools over while the
Legislature worked out the
school funding problem.
Three years later the tax
ran out as planned, and the
Legislature hadn’t done a
single damn thing, leav
ing Oregon schools in even
worse straights than they’d
been in before.
Now, it appears that our
incompetent Legislature is
getting its just desserts.
The lawsuit, filed in
Multnomah County Circuit
Court in mid-March, hinges
on the passage of Measure
1 back in 2000. Measure 1
was a constitutional amend
ment requiring legislators to
adequately fund a sweeping
program aimed at improv
ing education.
Known as the Quality
Education Model, it pro
jected a cost of $7.1 billion
over a two-year period to
pay for the smaller class
es, better technology and
extra training for teachers
that .the State wanted. That
is $1.86 billion less than
the Legislature slated for
schools for 2005-2007.
It would appear that our
dear, Republican-controlled
Legislature has forgotten
that they are bound by the
Oregon Constitution just
like the rest of us.
As
they will now be learning
in court, they cannot pick
and choose which amend
ments to obey and which to
ignore.
I wonder how the vari
ous legislators coming up
for re-election this year will
spin this lawsuit in their
campaign ads? After all
their talk about supporting
schools the last time we
voted the bums in, it is
now painfully clear that it
was nothing more than that:
talk. Perhaps this lawsuit
will force them to get off
their lazy butts and do more
than just talk.
You hear that, Oregon
legislators?
That’s the
sound of responsibility
stepping up and slapping
you in the face.
P roduction A ssistants : Tayö
Stalnaker, Adam J. Manley, Kim
Maier, Elizabeth Hitz, Chris
Anderson, Scott Risvold
P hotographers : Adam J. Manley,
Lara Hedbor, Elizabeth Hitz,
Matt Olson, N. P. Delzell
D epartment A dvisor : Linda Vogt
D epartment A ssistant : Chris Hennel
G oals : The C lackamas Print aims
to report the news in an honest,
unbiased, professional manner.
The opinions expressed do not
necessarily reflect those of the stu
dent body, college administration,
its faculty or The Print. E-mail
comments to chiefed@dackamas.
edu.
Blame for school
budget problems
finally falls to the
. responsible party,
Photo illustration by Jeff Sorensen Clackamas Print
• Laura Cameron
11 Commentary Editor
Canadian bill would limit speech
Elizabeth Hitz
The Clackamas Print
I Hate speech: the new hot
ppic. There is an ongoing
attle between zealous reli-
ious groups and the far left in
Canada over whether or not a
ew amendment to the Canadian
toman Rights Act impedes the
ree speech of those who are
nti-homosexual.
On one hand the bill basi-
ally states that no one can be
reated differently due to age,
ex, minority, sexual orienta-
ion, etc. No problem. The U.S.
¡as similar laws, as do many
¡ountries with human rights
ills.
However/ -the Canadian bill
Iso states that, “It is „a discrimi-
latory practice to publi^tyor dis-
ilay before the public or to cause?
o be published or displayed
lefore the public any notice,
Ign, symbol, emblem or other
presentation that (a) expresses
|r implies discrimination or an
itention to discriminate, or (b)
icites or is calculated to incite
'tas to discriminate.”
Clackamas Print
19600 S. Molalla Ave.
Oregon City OR 97045
(503) 657-6958 ex. 2309
The C lackamas Print is a weekly
student publication and is
distributed every Wednesday except
finals week.
This statement seems so
completely general that it could
be applied to almost anything.
Where is the line drawn if you
put that kind of broad limitation
on speech?
I’m not saying Canada is
headed for “1984,” but the lack
of boundaries scream ‘abuse’
just waiting to happen.
Nevertheless, the idea has
merit. No more mobs picket
ing in the streets, no more class
room drama due to “religious
persecution.”
The U.S. Constitution has no
limitations when it comes to
hate speech. All speech in gen
eral is labeled free speech.
So which is better: total free
dom of speech, with free rein
abuse of the liberty, or limita
tions with the chance of sup
pressing the religious views erf
some minorities?.,
As an American; I have« been
raised with the idea of free
speech as an American tradition
and the concept that all men are
equal and therefore have the
right to free speech, no matter
their religious or moral views. I
believe I can back that concept
with a reasonable idea of why
free speech is not an outdated
thread in the weave of society’s
fiber.
Somehow the concept of
free speech seems more realis
tic (sorry left-wing Canadians).
Free speech is more realistic
because it better reflects the
nature of humanity, which is
this: no one sees things the same
way.
That diversity, for better or
worse, is the foundation of civi
lization - a series of checks
and balances. Extremes balance
each other out. In politics, lib
erals balance or cancel out the
conservatives when it comes to
the issues of either side.
The same idea could be
applied to society. Those who
are anti-homosexual balance or
cancel the effect that homosexu
als as a ihinbrity have the poten-
tial to wield.
I do not personally condone
hate speech, but I do feel it is
a necessary evil. However dis
tasteful one side may find the
other, they both serve a higher
purpose in our society - that of
checks and balances.
E ditor - in -C hief : Ben Maras
C opy EprtoRs: Katie Weinberg, E. E.
West
N ews E ditor : Katie Wilson
C ommentary E ditor : Laura Cameron
F eature E ditor : C.J. Ciaramella
S ports E ditor : Mike Guidice
A&E E ditor : Tayo Stalnaker
P hoto E ditor : Jeff Sorensen
A d M anager : Sam Krause
A d A ssistant : Helen Conley
S taff W riters : Alexander Case,
Derek Erickson, Justin Goe,
Elizabeth Hitz, Frank Jordan, Mike
Kimberling, Megan Koler, Adam
J. Manley Matthew Olson, Kim
Schiewe, Kyle Steele, David Stark,
N. P. Delzell, Helen Conley