2008 Woodie Awards
Predicting question 2 to go up in smoke
Scott Harris, Collegian Columnist
Issue date: 10/7/08 Section: Editorial / Opinion
On this campus, the legal status of marijuana is apparently a hot-button issue. I have been solicited by hippies when I enter the Worcester Dining Commons virtually every night for the past two weeks seeking to persuade me that Question 2 - a ballot question which decriminalizes the possession and usage of small amounts of marijuana - should have my "yes" vote.
I wish I owned a shirt that said "I am not registered to vote in Massachusetts," and I try to look at the ground so they leave me alone, but you cannot avoid them. They are like chicken pox.
To be honest, I had never really known marijuana to be an issue that stokes people's fury. After all, if you think marijuana should be legal and you have a right to smoke it, chances are you are already doing so regardless of what "the man" has to say about it. It also occurs to me that Question 2 is going to fail and fail miserably. Those people who annoy me when I am trying to eat might just be the reason why.
In 2008 alone, more than 700,000 jobs have been lost around the country. The number of people who are employed earn less than what the government considers to be in poverty has jumped from 11.2 percent in 2001 to 14.5 percent in 2007 primarily because the cost of food and gas have skyrocketed over the past couple of years. There are 51 million Americans without healthcare. 14 million of which are children. While all of this is going on, our country is 10.4 trillion dollars in debt and just gifted 700 billion more dollars that our national treasury does not have to the richest people in the country.
Don't forget we're fighting two wars. Education, energy, foreign affairs, taxes, immigration, marijuana - which one of these things does not belong?
In this election, the youth vote can prove absolutely pivotal in helping to elect either Barack Obama or John McCain. If you are a young voter, chances are you skew favorably toward Obama. If you get to the polls, you'll help him win. If you stay home, you help McCain win. While the pitiful young mantra of "my vote doesn't count" or "my vote won't change the result" still reigns supreme with the anti-Man.
I wish I owned a shirt that said "I am not registered to vote in Massachusetts," and I try to look at the ground so they leave me alone, but you cannot avoid them. They are like chicken pox.
To be honest, I had never really known marijuana to be an issue that stokes people's fury. After all, if you think marijuana should be legal and you have a right to smoke it, chances are you are already doing so regardless of what "the man" has to say about it. It also occurs to me that Question 2 is going to fail and fail miserably. Those people who annoy me when I am trying to eat might just be the reason why.
In 2008 alone, more than 700,000 jobs have been lost around the country. The number of people who are employed earn less than what the government considers to be in poverty has jumped from 11.2 percent in 2001 to 14.5 percent in 2007 primarily because the cost of food and gas have skyrocketed over the past couple of years. There are 51 million Americans without healthcare. 14 million of which are children. While all of this is going on, our country is 10.4 trillion dollars in debt and just gifted 700 billion more dollars that our national treasury does not have to the richest people in the country.
Don't forget we're fighting two wars. Education, energy, foreign affairs, taxes, immigration, marijuana - which one of these things does not belong?
In this election, the youth vote can prove absolutely pivotal in helping to elect either Barack Obama or John McCain. If you are a young voter, chances are you skew favorably toward Obama. If you get to the polls, you'll help him win. If you stay home, you help McCain win. While the pitiful young mantra of "my vote doesn't count" or "my vote won't change the result" still reigns supreme with the anti-Man.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 27
L33to
posted 10/07/08 @ 1:42 AM EST
Methinks this incisive piece from Tleilaxu Master Harris will generate quite a high amount of responses. Nevertheless, from Bud Green to Mary Jane, we must all make a joint effort to blunt the chronic smoking of doobie. (Continued…)
one student
posted 10/07/08 @ 7:29 AM EST
Why do people constantly assume that people who are pro-vote yes on #2 are hippies? This is being quite close minded and are missing a great deal of people who are in favor of this passing who are not hippies. (Continued…)
Andrew Devpe
posted 10/07/08 @ 11:08 AM EST
Thank you for stereotyping every marijuana user as a hippy
charliec
posted 10/07/08 @ 12:13 PM EST
It's unfortunately not just harmless hippies but people whose lives suck who turn to pot and other drugs. By making it virtually legal ($100 fine - less than a speeding ticket) you are all but opening the floodgates to sell and use this drug with minimal punishment in communities where people aren't concerned about what grade they are getting but how they are going to get thru the day. (Continued…)
Devin
posted 10/07/08 @ 1:13 PM EST
Scott Harris is an ignorant, uninformed, joke-of-a-writer who clearly does not have any idea about the issue at hand or the positive effects its ratification could bring. (Continued…)
Lindsay
posted 10/07/08 @ 1:24 PM EST
Scott Harris, your ignorance was quite evident in this article. You need to research your issues better before writing a published article. (not to mention proofread) The state spends an incredibly large amount of money on prosecuting people with marijuana possession charges. (Continued…)
A Fellow Writer
posted 10/07/08 @ 1:40 PM EST
Just because his opinions are different than yours does not mean he is an uninformed writer. This is in the Ed/Op section. He is stating his opinion and the facts he has that lead him to his opinion. (Continued…)
Mike
posted 10/07/08 @ 1:53 PM EST
Though it is true there are other issues in this country that far more important than the issue of decriminalization of marijuana. It is on the ballot for a vote in Massachusetts therefore it is a relevant topic of discussion. (Continued…)
Kyle D
posted 10/07/08 @ 4:28 PM EST
First off, Mr. Harris, here's what you're right about. "it's about freedom man" is not the best way to persuade voters. that's it. now for how terribly wrong you were in writing this article. (Continued…)
L33to
posted 10/07/08 @ 4:48 PM EST
Kyle seems to TAKE after the FRANK MILLER school of CAPITALIZING every other WORD to MAKE his POINT.
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