Every once in a while, the Daily Free Press does something that reminds me why it felt so necessary to start a second newspaper at Boston University, one that actually advocated student interests. That word “Free” looks more misplaced than ever up at the top of the page after Monday’s editorial essentially proposing a police occupation of the dorms to stamp out “the drug problem.” This is what whoever they have editing the Freep these days wants for their readers? Drug sniffing dogs and cops jumping on every kid who looks a little sleepy?
Guess what? College students always have and always will use drugs, just like the rest of the people in our country. If kids in the dorms are being so blatant about it that they are bothering other people, well, they’re going to get caught and thrown out of the dorms. If someone is using drugs to the point that it’s damaging his health, well, sorry, but that student has a medical problem, not one that the police can help him with. Otherwise, just leave people alone and worry about real problems.
The dorms belong to the school, so if BU wants to kick out anyone caught with drugs, that’s the school’s prerogative. But there’s a big difference between that and calling for police repression, which what the hawkish brownnosers at the Freep advocate. Increasing police persecution of drug users just lowers everyone’s quality of life on campus, lands students who haven’t hurt anyone in jail, and helps no one.
Dan Feder, UNI ’02 Managing Editor, The Narco News Bulletin (www.narconews.com) Editor, The Student Underground, 1999-2002
