Students call for the legalization of marijuana

Students rallied for the legalization of marijuana alongside ACLU members and a congressional candidate at the University of Illinois last week in honor of “Hash Wednesday.”

Carl Estabrook, a candidate for the 15th District congressional seat, supported the events of the fifth annual event which included speeches from various civil rights groups.

University police defended the enforcement of drug laws by saying that if they were not monitored, everyone would violate them, causing severe health problems in drug users.

Tempers flare over Israel Independence Day

Clashes between Palestinian and Israeli supporters erupted into screaming and near violence at New York and Columbia universities last week on Israel’s Independence Day.

At Columbia, the protestors occupied opposite sides of the same street until a screaming match broke out and the student mobs clashed in the middle. It was a similar scene at New York University, where a humvee decorated with American and Israeli flags pulled alongside the Palestinian supporters, and its occupants began to shout disparaging remarks at the group, which consisted mostly of students. No violence was reported.

Free speech policy is called unconstitutional

Two major civil rights groups joined West Virginia University students in the fight to change the school’s free speech policy last week, prompting increased resistance from administration officials.

Under the current policy, protests that involve more than 50 students must be held in one of seven designated “protest areas,” which students claim is often nowhere close to the organization that they wish to protest.

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education and the Rutherford Institute claimed that if students do not have access to the location of the person or group that they are protesting, their legal right to freedom of speech is violated.

University officials denied the claims, stating their belief that the policy was merely enacted to maintain order and safety on the campus.

Abercrombie and Fitch recall racist T-shirts

T-shirts containing what thousands of college students around the country are calling “racist” slogans were pulled from the 300-plus Abercrombie and Fitch clothing stores last week after several student-led protests.

At the University of California, Berkeley, student groups including the Asian Pacific Counsel demonstrated in front of the store until the shirts, which contained phrases like, “Wong Brothers Laundry Service – Two Wongs Can Make it White,” and “Wok-N-Bowl, Let the Good Times Roll – Chinese Food and Bowling,” were removed from the shelves and the store’s Web site.

A spokesman for the store apologized, saying that the clothes were meant to be humorous and were not intended to offend anyone.