2
March 18, 1999
Opinions
'Vtewpomt
Spring break is one day away. What ever preparations you needjo
make had better be done. Your plane tickets should be in your hand and
your money should be in your pocket. Stop and think* Have you forgotten
anything? Passport, credit card, condoms, funnel? Have you packed
everything? Well I know that there is one thing that you have all forgot
to pack. You forgot to pack your good kung-fu.
‘1 don’t know any kung-fu,” you cry in indignation. "‘My mother
only took me to one month of karate. How can I have any good kung-*fu?"
That’s not true. Everyone has the power within them to have good
kung-fu. All you have to do is reach inside yourself, summon up your Chi
force and strike a Tiger stance.
Now I know what you’re thinking. Where does this gwai-lo get off
saying everybody can do kung-fu? When I say kung-fu, I only partially
mean flying death kicks and back flips. Tm mostly talking about a state
of mind. It’s a way of looking at the world.
Look at every kung-fu movie and you will see whatl mean, and Fm
not talking about this “Rumble in the Bronx” or “Blackbelt Jones” stuff.
You need to watch the good, old kung-fu movies like ^‘The Drunken
Master,” *36 Chambers of Shaolin” or ^The Big Boss/’
Those movies are all the perfect metaphor fw life. True* we all
don^t get chased down by Triads with a vendetta, twt it worics.
For the most part» all the movies are pretty much the same. The
same plots* the same lines> the same motives. Tbat^s just toall of us,
W^'re all the same* ju^ uyingto itthrough tbklife«$,b0$t
holding m&ry moment and trying to get ^e most put our “scenes;”
The only thing thatseperates the movies; mi iait is kung-
fu, it*s true, every movie has if s own of ktmg-fii. Be it
Bruce Lee'sXeetKunel^ or Jackie Qian^smoi^ey style^eyeiybody
flieirbwn special raovei^# their own special of
Our kung-fu h ow indtvidu^^. ICs what $fts u$ the
crowd. Everyone has their own style and technique. If s our sen^ of
tnimor. our love and the way we live qui* life, lfwe |o$ei^iig^tofi?^o we
areandourstyle of kung-fu then we aienihi»gju$t^€5cel^^^tm«b.
Keep your kung*fii sharp and your indviduaBjy in^. Make &e
most out of your life, make sure thiU you stanil out for who are.
May you all have good kuag^iu. ^
Ckuck ^"Wong fm Bmg*^ BmWy Fociis|ljlft>r
Go ahead and puff the cake
>w«>x->vv vxte;.vvx
Informing the Elon College Community
Editor in Chief
Carrie Lancos
Managing Editor
Sarah Voss
News Editor
Alan Medeiros
Opinions Editor
Cnris Rash
Focus Editors
Chuck Buckley
Tammy Tripp
A & E EUlitor
Lisa McChristian
Sports Editor
Troy Adams
Photo Editor
Emily MacDonnell
Business Manager
Jena Denton
Advertising Manager
Katie Sullivan
Office Manager
Carolyn Lampila
Online Editor
Jeff Sanders
Asst. Online Ekiitor
Bill Monken
Reporters
Lauren Bigge
Marie Blackett
Katie Bonebrake
Ashley Brown
Zac Busby
Patrick Collins
Josh Cotter
Stefanie Fox
Suzanne George
Johannah Lawrence
Letitia Lee
Bree Myers
Natalie Ordine
Josh Phoebus
Jessica Vitak
Photographers
Megan Anderson
Jen McCort
Crystal Pape
Knsty Wolffi
gang
Columnists
Brie Bittenbender
Rich Blomquist
Chris Knight
Ethan Pell
Anna Thysell
Copy Editor
Eric Ramos
Adviser
Byung Lee
The purpose of The
Pendulum shall be to inform
and entertain the Elon College
community. The Pendulum
shall be a forum where all
members of the college
community are able to express
their ideas and opinions.
Address all
correspondence to:
The Pendulum
7012 Campus Box
Elon College, N.C.
27244.
Phone: (336) 584-2331
Fax: (336) 584-2467
E-mail:
pendulum@elon.edu
Web page:
http://www.elon.edu/
pendulum
Everybody ready? This is
going to be a real shocker. I’m talk
ing major, “HOLY LORD!” time
here. Are you sitting down? Okay,
Ready, One,„Two„.Three...
I smoke pot. Surprise! Betcha
didn’t see that one coming from a
mile away.
Let me just clarify here. I am
a social smoker. I have never spe
cifically gone out with the intention
of getting high (well maybe once or
twice), nor have I ever purchased
any marijuana (but I have thrown
in). The only time I’ve ever smoked
up is when I’m over at a friend’s
house and the enevitable cry of
“Bong hits!” is heard.
Even then, there have been
many occasions where I say, “No,
thank you,” and continue my life in
a merry, cheerful, not stoned sort of
way.
I am writing this column in
response to last week’s Focus sec
tion which asked the question,
“Should marijuana be legalized?”
For this particular argument I
think it would be best if I let my
darker half out of my subconcious
and host a debate between Conser
vative Chuck and Liberal Chuck.
/ think that marijuana should
be legalized. There are many uses
for the substance, both industrial
and medical. I think that if a person
is of a certain age, they should have
the right to enjoy smoking pot with
out fear of incarceration ora crimi
nal record.
Marijuana is a narcotic. It
is mind altering substance. If we
legalize pot the government is con
doning the use of drugs and medi
cines for recreational reasons. If
we accept that then we are only
steps away from allowing
the use of harder drugs
like LSD, cocaine and
Chuck Buckley
The Pendulum
bucka5c0@elon.edu
heroin.
Firstofallmarijuana
is nothing like LSD, co
caine and heroin. They will
affect you permanantly, pot will not.
Another thing, tobacco and alcohol
are just as or more dangerous than
weed.
I think that a positive step
forward for marijuana would be for
the government to sell it in ABC
style stores. It would fall under the
jurisdition oftheATF(M)and would
be treated just like hard liquor, you
could only get it in certain places.
You could only have so much, you
can only use it in designated areas
and you have to be 2 L
Maryuana is nothing like
alcohol and tobacco! Marijuana
is an addictive drug. It’s a gate
way drug! It will ruin your mind.
I’ve seen people addicted to
i'
marijuana. People who just have
to have another hit of “kynd”
bud.
Oh! So you ’re saying that we
can’t legalize weed because it’s
addictive? So alcohol and tobacco
are little petty addictions? AA and
Nicotrol are just a fad?
Making
something illegal
doesn’t mean you
destroy it. Making
something illegal
means it goes un
derground. It
means that it gets
less safe and costs
more. It means or-
I ganized crime steps
in to regulate things because the
government is too scared.
Imagine what would happen
if we made cupcakes illegal. There
would be blackmarket cupcake
sales. Unsanitaritry illegal baker
ies that are worked by immigrants
and '‘cake”heads. It would be a
diabetic nightmare.
Well making it legal won’t
solve the problem.
Then you have a better idea?
Something that will make everyone
happy.
....uh....
No, huh? Back in your box.
Conservative Chuck! Pot needs to
be legalized. It makes sense for so
many reasons. It’s only right.
Spring Break
What are your plans for Spring Break 1999?
Sean Maroney, sopho
more: I’m going down to Ft. Lau
derdale with a bunch of my friends
to wreak havoc.
Jason Snyder, freshman:
Going home. I have to play in a
golf tournament.
Steve Held, freshman: I’m
going to go home and work. I need
to earn some money.
Amanda Ford, senior: Go
ing home. I need to finish making
summer wedding plans
Steven Ryan, sophomore:
Panama City.
Shalorene Hairston, fresh
man: Going home to relax, and
get some sleep. Maybe play some
basketball.