Thumbs up / thumbs down
By Daily Bruin Staff
Feb. 11, 1998 9:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 12, 1998
Thumbs up / thumbs down
Recipe for total disaster
Thumbs down to a new Louisiana state law that permits motorists
who suspect they are being carjacked to legally kill their attacker
and have backing from the authorities. This law states that the
killing would be viewed as a justifiable homicide. What happens if
a stranger walks up to the car to ask for directions and is shot?
According to the law, the shooter is innocent and will be defended
despite his fatally wrong judgement.
Reporting hate
Thumbs up to a bill proposed by Sen. Robert Torricelli of New
Jersey that will force colleges and universities to increase their
oversight and reporting of hate crimes. This bill will require more
collection and publication of the data which is found. Current law,
under the Campus Security Act, requires only that colleges report
hate crimes that result in serious felonies such as murder, rape or
aggravated assault. This bill will give parents and students
information that will help them make educated decisions about
choosing colleges.
Higher hopes
Thumbs up to the "High Hopes for College" initiative proposed by
President Clinton that will help "steer disadvantaged students
toward college as early as sixth grade." Clinton stated, "I was in
an environment which made it very difficult for me to fail. That’s
the environment I want for every child in America." The initiative
seeks to pair children from disadvantaged families with mentors,
tutors, counseling and other support to guide them to higher
education. Clinton’s fiscal 1999 budget announced earlier this week
allots $140 million and an additional $70 million to be phased in
during 2000 and 2001 for the "High Hopes for College" program. In
light of dismantling affirmative action in universities, the "High
Hopes" initiative will help save our colleges from becoming
identically homogenous by addressing the severe imbalance of
quality education within our schools.
Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down represents a majority opinion of the Daily
Bruin Editorial Board. Please send comments or suggestions to
[email protected].
