March 26, 2013 - Uvm, Burlington, Vt Uvm.Edu/~Watertwr - Thewatertower.Tumblr.Com
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volume 13 - issue 9- tuesday, march 26, 2013 - uvm, burlington, vt uvm.edu/~watertwr - thewatertower.tumblr.com by benberrick by kittyfaraji First things fi rst: is the proposed cam- Let me preface this by saying, “this is pus tobacco ban fair? No—decidedly not. ‘MURICA!”. Now ideally, that should be Should the student body face the threat the end of my argument, but I guess for of an executive decision made regarding some this may not be enough. UVM has something that many consider bound up gone from zero to sixty with their on cam- intrinsically with individual freedom? Of pus smoking legislation, from not enforc- course it shouldn’t. But is it the right thing ing designated areas, to proposing to ban it to do anyway? Unfortunately for smokers, altogether, but let’s slow down and examine yes. You can make arguments of principle the arguments against. So let me give you and cite Jeff erson or Ole’ Hickory on the a list of things that will kill you faster than importance of man’s independence until secondhand smoke. the cows come home, but the issue is that 1. Alcohol: in America, there are an smoking is killing those who choose to do estimated 80,000 deaths per year attributed it and, at best, causing a nuisance to those to alcohol. Compare that to the estimated around them who don’t wish to inhale their 53,800 deaths attributed to second hand secondhand smoke. Of course, we live in a smoke. Obviously in a place like Burling- nation that prizes individual freedom; each ton, Vermont, where one must drink to of us expects that we will be able to main- stay warm in the colder months, alcohol is tain dominion over our own bodies and a more serious problem for the university decisions, provided that they don’t directly and secondhand smoke is not and should harm others. And, given the lack of a statis- not be the priority. It would make more tically signifi cant correlation between sec- sense for the university to spend these re- ondhand smoke and incidence of cancer, sources on stricter punishment for con- it can be argued that the choice to smoke wrong. Lincoln’s suspension of the Consti- recently, the curing of AIDS in a Missis- sumption of alcohol [not that I support any shouldn’t be penalized with pack taxes and tution’s Habeas Corpus clause was entirely sippi infant occurred only because her doc- such punishment] on campus. the slowly narrowing sphere of legal smok- unfair—dictatorial even—but was needed tor treated her, without permission, with a 2. Obesity: Obesity related illnesses are ing spots. But the central issue is not the to accelerate the end of the Civil War. Th e rigorous, adult sized dosage of medication becoming an increasingly perilous issue in direct eff ect of smoking on others, but of pardoning and divvying up of Nazi scien- entirely on a hunch, before she even knew our society. Instead of spending money, smoking’s absolutely horrible eff ect on the tists by the Allied powers aft er World War if the baby was HIV positive. Th e only time, and resources on this proposed to- body of the individuals choosing to smoke Two was arguably a miscarriage of justice, reason this doctor wasn’t fi red, or at least bacco ban, the university could make an and that the consequences to our nation’s but without it, NASA would never have tarred and feathered in the media, is be- eff ort to provide healthier choices for stu- healthcare system in the long run are co- been formed and America’s space legacy cause her hunch was correct and the treat- dents. And while Vermont maintains one lossal. would have been inconsequential. Jonas ment worked instead of killing the infant. of the lowest rates of obesity in the coun- Banning tobacco from our campus Salk, in developing the vaccination that Th ough we resist the idea that some try, the rate has risen from 13.4% to 23.5% makes a statement; our university is unwill- removed polio—a disease that previously ends justify their means, and accuse those since 1995. Th e university could make an ing to allow its students to choose a life of devastated entire communities worlwide— trying to save us of “father-knows-best” be- eff ort to encourage healthier lifestyles for illness or to drain the economy of resources from the face of the planet, did so in part havior, we have to confront the reality that students. I fi nd it comical that my closest that could be better spent elsewhere. It is by accelerating human testing and admin- this breach of our individual rights is insig- option for buying fresh local farm fruits an inherently unfair, ends-justifying-the- istering mass dosages to orphans and the nifi cant and necessary for the well being of and veggies is in the Marché. Let’s instead means decision, but we have to accept that mentally ill. Th is dramatically decreased our entire community. It’s time to grow up: spend that tuition money on putting fresh, such a choice isn’t necessarily intrinsically the time it took to develop the vaccination, we need to do the right thing for everyone. local foods in each dining hall on campus. but did so at enormous moral cost. More g ... read the rest on page 5 curing HIV parent stories obsessive fashion earl sweatshirt by patrickmurphy by wts t a ff by sarahperda by dylanmccarthy news ticker: Musharraf has returned to Pakistan, so that’s a pretty big deal +++ Seleka rebels overrun presidential palace, take control of Central African Republic +++ China and Russia, bffs 4evah g by dansuder Senator Dick Morgan (R-NV) an- nounced on Thursday that he now sup- ports reforms allowing undocumented im- migrants to become United States citizens. He made the announcements three days with jamiebeckett after learning that his son is an undocu- Chemical Weapons – Tuesday in Syria, a chemical strike occurred killing 25 and wounding over mented immigrant. a hundred. Currently, no agreement as to who actually unleashed the weapon with both sides “He said to me, ‘Dad… we need to please write talk,’” Morgan said at a press conference blaming the other. The UN has begun investigating the incident, but obviously—anytime the chemical warfare starts—shit has gotten too real. Cue the Dead Kennedys. announcing his change of heart. “And I said, ‘Son, I’ll always love you.’” to me; SGA Elections – Connor Daley is running unopposed and the Vice President position seems Immigration reform is a key issue in the US political landscape, with differences hotly contested. But why the fuck do I care again? Does the SGA actually accomplish anything? by jamesaglio To that I have no answer. Yet, I beg you to lend your ears when a candidate approaches even if they of opinion largely falling on party lines. are spewing nonsense about them representing you. Conservatives in the legislature argue, not I’m lonely unconvincingly that “America is for white Efrain Rios Montt, the former military people – that’s how God wants it to be.” In ruler of Guatemala, is currently standing Cigarettes – Tobacco is one of the last controlled substances still allowed on campus. Everyone trial on a charge of genocide. Specifically he should know how unhealthy cigarettes are; I mean, who hasn’t seen a commercial with a woman breaking from his previously held opposi- tion to the reforms, Morgan is also signal- is charged with the slaying of some 1,700 with a hole in her neck from smoking for forty years? And yet, when I’m downtown and someone indigenous people. This, the first time a puts a cigarette in my hand, it is one of the most deliciously sobering things ever. Let’s just let ing a shift from the partisan politics the US has seen in recent years. former head of state has been indicted on everyone make their own choices and, smokers, would you please be sure to properly dispose of charges of genocide, is arguably the most your butts? Nobody likes a litter bug. The son of an oil magnate and an ac- tress, Morgan graduated from Yale in 1971. important judicial event of the past fifty years. Although the casualties are not as with the rebel factions. After 17 months, necessarily imply genocide. Frankly, it is Super Smash Bros N64 – Goddamn, I love this game but that love has quickly manifested into a That, he says, is where he first learned to Rios Montt was overthrown and the civil fairly difficult to prove the systematic in- hate those who were different. While avoid- large as some of those that are regularly large problem, I don’t want to do anything else. Why should I? This game’s a classic and never gets reported, it is important that we, desensi- war continued. tent to destroy that is critical to genocide. old, plus it’s a thousand times more fun than studying for this week’s ORGO test. When I fail my ing the draft, he thought a lot about how Finally, after thirty years, Rios Montt is As a result, it is more pragmatic to focus white people were prettier and smelled bet- tized, do not idly pass the significance of midterm on Wednesday, I know exactly who to blame: Pikachu. g this event. Depending on how this trial being officially held accountable for the ac- the prosecution on more provable charges. ter, and about how his ‘Vette needed a new tions of his government.