Pubdate: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 Source: Daily Camera (CO) Copyright: 2005 The Daily Camera. Contact: http://www.thedailycamera.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/103 Author: Dan Enfield Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm (Opinion) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) POT PARTY Wait Till Next Year To Get Stoned, Kids In yet another link of an unending chain of controversy at the University of Colorado, students are now threatening a riot over rumors of the university attempting to end their annual April 20 festivities in which they congregate on Farrand Field to smoke an illegal drug (marijuana) for all the world to see. I've heard many students who advocate pot usage state that it's a peaceful thing, not like alcohol, which often causes violent acts, so I must ask how rioting symbolizes the peaceful effect of pot. Now as a CU student myself, I often feel the university is unreasonable when it comes to alcohol and drug policy, but something tells me a photograph of 500 stoned college kids is not the best way for us as students to shake off our party-school image. When will students realize that we need to at least lie low for a bit to let the media find their next example for out-of-control college campuses? Like it or not, it's important that we have at least a somewhat decent image in the country. Applications are down for next year; the CU Greek system is still feeling the after-effects of a freshman pledge's death earlier in the year; not to mention Ward Churchill and the ongoing football scandals. With all that is going on, the absolute last thing we as students need is another riot similar to the one on Halloween when students were shot up with rubber bullets and tear-gassed. Students should realize this and perhaps wait till next year to get stoned out of their minds to sit on the field strumming their guitars and hugging their trees. DAN ENFIELD, CU Freshman, Boulder - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom