Pubdate: Wed, 25 Apr 2012
Source: Daily Camera (Boulder, CO)
Copyright: 2012 Merilee Eggleston
Contact:  http://www.dailycamera.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/103
Author: Merilee Eggleston

4/20 AND THE RIGHT TO PEACEFULLY ASSEMBLE

Let me start by saying I think there are any number of better things
to do with your time and consciousness than smoke cannabis.

That said, as a U.S. citizen, I am still alarmed at the way the 4/20
affair at CU was handled. Last time I checked, the First Amendment was
still in force and we were still a nation of laws and principles. What
possible legal rationale could there be for a Boulder District judge
to override the right of U.S. citizens to assemble peacefully, or for
law enforcement to threaten citizens with trespassing for setting foot
on public property?

Because we are a nation of laws, two things are true in this case: we
do have the right to assemble peacefully, especially on public
property, and possession of marijuana is illegal. So the right course
of action would have been to use all that extra police presence to
circulate among the peaceful smokers determining who had a medical
marijuana permit and who didn't and ticket the latter.

My sympathies to the engineering students whose families were
prevented from attending their presentations and to everyone else who
was unnecessarily, and possibly unlawfully, denied access to the
campus that day.

Just speculation, but I'm guessing many of the people who approved
this action are among those who revere the U.S. Constitution and wish
to see it followed to the letter. In light of that, the 4/20 events
are beyond ironic. Bill of Rights, anyone?

MERILEE EGGLESTON

Boulder
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D