textfiles/magazines/TFJ/fj25.txt

The Free Journal/ASCII Edition
Volume II, Issue 5
Copyright 1992 The Free Journal (Individual articles copyright by author)
Editor-in-Chief: Sameer Parekh
(zane@ddsw1.mcs.com)

	This is the Free Journal.  Submissions are welcome.  Some
characters have the high bit set.  Distribute at will; cite authors.
(Or editors if no author is given.)
	This is not meant to be an electronic newsletter. This is
meant to be an example of on-paper underground newspapers to educate
the masses about freedom and similar issues.
_______________________________________________________________________________

-- Alcohol and Stuff --

	.Ê.Ê.one drug which will lower your BAC and your drunkenness
rapidly is an enzyme called, (surprise!) Alcohol Dehydrogenase.
Unfortunately, this will not help with a hangover, since it is the
product of this enzyme, acetaldehyde, which causes many of the effects
of a hangover. however, something called BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene)
is very effective at detoxifying acetaldehyde.
	Here's an interesting experiment, which i have tried: Take
about 3 grams of BHT before drinking, then drink just a couple of
drinks. (Do NOT drink what you are used to being able to handle) The
BHT will occupy the liver, thus slowing down your normal rate of
alcohol dehydrogenation by a factor of about 4. Thus you get drunker on
less, and the effects last about 4 times as long. In addition, the BHT
assists in detoxifying the alcohol, so you feel utterly fine the next
morning. There are some other effects too, involved with the fact that
BHT is itself psychoactive (If I take too much BHT by itself (10 grams
or so) I feel a bit nauseated, a bit paranoid, and dizzy.) 

BHT is available from
Vitamin Research Products
2044 Old Middlefield Way
Mountain View, CA
1-800-877-2447

	Interesting speculation: if BHT were added to alcoholic drinks
in general, then alcohol consumption would not be a factor in health
problems normally related to alcohol, i.e. it would be relatively safe
to drink (but not to drive). Alcohol is involved in such nasty events
(in young as well as old) as sudden respiratory collapse, due mostly to
the effects of acetaldehyde, a serious poison.
				--bard@nntp-server.caltech.edu

[Editor's Note: As always, no illegal activity is advocated.  Remember
that use of BHT does not improve driving ability, no driving should be
attempted after using alcohol, and because BHT increases the time it
takes to remove the alcohol from your system, it will take longer for
someone to be able to drive.  (Of course, if the drinking age were
abolished there would be less incentive for the underage to drive
drunk.Ê.Ê.) --SP]

-- NHS Induction --
	This is my retelling of my experiences on Wednesday, April
15th, 1992 (Tax day!).  First I will present what happened, and then my
feelings on the matter.  Please pardon any dryness in the first
section; I can't write lively prose and try to be impartial at the same
time.
	I had decided that I would wear a certain t-shirt to the
National Honor Society induction, and so I made myself a t-shirt which,
on the front, contained the words ÒSTOP THE WAR ON (some) DRUGSÓ and a
peace sign.  On the day of the induction, while I was waiting in the
foyer of the auditorium, Principal Hornberger mentioned to me that the
attire was inappropriate.  He said that it was more than a request and
that it was a demand.  A few minutes later, Assistant Principal Carson
called me into the boysÕ lavatory near the auditorium.  Mr. Carson said
that the dress was inappropriate, and claimed that I was  Òfeeling my
oats.Ó  He then asked me to see if my parents had arrived at the school
yet, and I went and looked for them.  Once I had found them, my
parents, Mr. Carson, and I met in the conference room by the auditorium
foyer.  Mr. Carson was saying how this was not the place for such a
statement, and asked my parents to convince me to change into my
father's sport jacket and tie, or I would not be allowed in the
ceremony.  My parents tried to convince me, and while my father's
arguments were thoughtful and mentioned that I could not live without
the society, my mother was merely saying ÒGo along, everyone else is
doing it.Ó
	However, they did not convince me.  Then Mrs. Sugarman, head of
the NHS selections committee, walked in.  She was understandably
infuriated, and was saying that I did not deserve to be in National
Honor Society, and that she felt disappointed that she let me slip
through the selections process and be selected.  Although Mr. Carson
had implied that not attending the ceremony would not preclude
induction, Mrs. Sugarman was implying that I did not deserve to be
inducted anyhow.  Then, as I decided that I would not change, we
decided that we would then go home.  I then went upstairs to go to the
auditorium booth were I was to pick up my books and then go back down
to leave.
	This, unfortunately, did not happen.  This is only a dry
narrative, so I will not mention motives until the second part of this
article.  Once in the booth, I decided that I would take my seat in the
induction ceremony.  I went outside to see if the door to the area
underneath the stage was partially open, as it sometimes is.  It was. 
I then entered, and although my seat was taken, I took another seat. 
While the inductees were walking up to the stage, Mr. Carson spoke to
me and mentioned that my parents were worried and that I was not to go
up on stage.  I agreed not to go on stage with the inductees as my row
went up to the stage.  This was not much of a choice, however, because
Mrs. Sugarman was standing about 6 inches to my left.
	As the ceremony ended, Mr. Carson spoke with me and asked that
I come with him to his office to see my parents.  As I was leaving the
auditorium, Mrs. Sugarman again found the opportunity to take out some
of her anger on me.  Also in Mr. CarsonÕs office was Dr. Perry.  My
parents mentioned how they were very worried.  Dr. Perry mentioned that
if I had gone up onto the stage I would have been arrested.  I do not
remember whether it was Mr. Carson or Dr. Perry who mentioned that they
have a number of lawyers on retainer.  The reason for arrest would be
Òdisorderly conduct.Ó  Mr. Carson then showed my parents a few issues
of The Free JournalÊwhere he consistently stated that I was Òpro-drug.Ó
 My father said that I was more concerned about Òfree speechÓ issues.
	Mr. Carson and Dr. Perry mentioned that they suspected that
there was a deeper issue here.  They suggested that I get professional
counseling.
	That night, I called Carl Kadie, a friend at the University of
Illinois.  He has done research into the realm of free expression
because he is the moderator for the Computers and Academic Freedom
mailing list, and he helps me with some legal questions at times.  He
mentioned that he thought that based on TinkerÊthe school had no right
to restrict me based on the fact that I wore a political shirt.  He
mentioned that they could get me on the issue of returning to the
auditorium, because they had backed me into a corner, which was similar
to the Steven Brack case at Ohio State University.
	The next morning in my discussion with Mr. Carson, he said that
there would be a meeting on whether or not to allow my induction into
NHS.  He told me that his suggestion would be that I not be allowed in.
 I was not invited to this meeting.  At press-time [xerox
machine-time?] I do not know what the result of the meeting was.  Later
that day, my parents, my counselor Mr. McCabe, and I were in our
Òcollege-planningÓ meeting, and my parents decided to meet with Mr.
Carson about the issue of his belief that I was pro-drug.  Mr. McCabe
expressed that he understands my position, and after the
Òcollege-planningÓ meeting, Mr. McCabe and my parents were to meet with
Mr. Carson and discuss the issue.
	Now I will get to the ÒeditorialÓ section of the article.  (I
apologize if any bias is evident in the first section of the article. 
I have tried as much as possible to remove as much bias as possible.)
	After the first meeting with Mr. Carson and my parents before I
went up to the auditorium booth to pick up my stuff, my mind was flying
wildly and confusedly.  Mrs. Sugarman was extremely abusive in her
comments, and the mixed signals regarding the induction confused me
greatly.  Thus, when I went upstairs, I felt that I was in a corner,
and I made my mistake.  I lashed out and gave them an excuse.  (For
example, if a certain group of corrupt policemen donÕt like a certain
person, they can harass him into retaliation, and if the retaliation is
violent, they will have an excuse to kill him, or if it is nonviolent,
and excuse to arrest him.  IÕm using the word ÒhimÓ in the neuter sense
of the word--IÕm not saying this canÕt happen to women.)  Thus, I
lashed out and went to take my seat in the auditorium, which was a
mistake, because it gave them an excuse to say, ÒWe arenÕt disallowing
him because of the shirt, but because he was insubordinate.Ó  (Even
though the insubordination was under the extreme stress which was
placed on me.)  I regret that I caused worry to my parents.  (IÕm not
too good at expressing emotions with words, so donÕt assume that
because the words donÕt express strong emotion that there is no strong
emotion.)
	Mr. Carson was also making the point that there was a time and
place for making such a statement.  This I agree with.  I think that if
he provided me with the same access to the students as he provided the
prohibition speaker John Crudele I would not have needed to resort to
such tactics. The Supreme Court has ruled that there is the obligation
to allow the other side of the issue to be heard if one side is
presented.
	Regarding Mr. CarsonÕs comments about professional help, I do
think that I am emotionally unstable and may require professional
counseling to remedy this, but I question the motives of Mr. Carson in
recommending professional help.  To me it seems like he thinks the fact
that I question authority is a mental disorder of sorts, and that must
be remedied so that I may be a Òproductive member of society who uses
his gifts to do service to the community.Ó (Unlike Thomas Jefferson and
Benjamin Franklin)  This reminds me of the anti-Soviet propaganda I saw
on television when I was in grade school in Connecticut where they said
that the Soviets sent dissidents away to Òmental hospitals.Ó
Fortunately, my parents talked to Mr. McCabe regarding the issue, and
they knew that the problem was not my political beliefs but the
emotional instability itself, and asked for a recommendation which
would ignore political beliefs.
	I feel that although my parents did not fully understand my
opinions politically, Mr. McCabe had a good understanding of the
situation and clarified the issue for my parents.  During our
conference, Mr. McCabe mentioned that he understood that I wasnÕt
pro-drug but rather anti-prohibition.  (A case in point about
legalization not meaning advocation--in Holland after marijuana use was
decriminalized, heroin use went down thirty percent.)
	I think that a school is supposed to be a place of learning.
Maybe this belief is incorrect, but it is my belief.  A school which
wins the ÒExcellence in EducationÓ award should be a good example of a
place of learning.  (IÕm not going to delve into a conspiracy theory
here--I think of the quote, ÒDonÕt attribute to conspiracy what can be
easily attributed to stupidity.Ó)  But a school which punished a
student for wearing a certain t-shirt is not really an open place of
learning.  A school which advocates some of the most blatant untruths
that the American people have ever believed is not an open place of
learning.  I do not deny that this school may be better for its
students than an inner-city Chicago high school, but a school which
would arrest a student for merely walking on the stage during an awards
presentation is not a place where one can learn about the freedom and
individualism which makes this country great.
						-- Sameer Parekh

-- Hot New Drug of Abuse (Oxygen) --
	Oxygen is a very toxic gas and an extreme fire hazard.  It is
fatal in concentrations of as little as 0.000001 p.p.m..  Humans
exposed to these oxygen concentrations die within a few minutes.
Symptoms resemble very much those of cyanide poisoning (blue face,
etc.).  In higher concentrations, e.g. 20%, the toxic effect is
somewhat delayed and it takes about 2.5 billion inhalations before
death takes place.  The reason for the delay is the difference in the
mechanism of the toxic effect of oxygen in 20% concentration.  It
apparently contributes to a complex process called aging, of which very
little is known, except that it is always fatal.
	However, the main disadvantage of the 20% oxygen concentration
is in the fact it is habit forming.  The first inhalation (occurring at
birth) is sufficient to make oxygen addiction permanent.  After that,
any considerable decrease in the daily oxygen doses results in death
with symptoms resembling those of cyanide poisoning.
	Oxygen is an extreme fire hazard.  All of the fires that were
reported in the continental U.S. for the period of the past 25 years
were found to be due to the presence of this gas in the atmosphere
surrounding the buildings in question.
	Oxygen is especially dangerous because it is odorless,
colorless and tasteless, so that its presence can not be readily
detected until it is too late.

			 --Chemical & Engineering News February 6, 1956
Driving and Intoxication
	The following is taken from Marijuana Myths, a pamphlet written
by Paul Hager of the Hoosier Cannabis Relegalization Coalition.

6. Legal marijuana would cause carnage on the highways

	Although marijuana, when used to intoxication, does impair
performance in a manner similar to alcohol, actual studies of the
effect of marijuana on the automobile accident rate suggest that it
poses LESS of a hazard than alcohol.  When a random sample of fatal
accident victims was studied, it was initially found that marijuana was
associated with RELATIVELY as many accidents as alcohol.  In other
words, the number of accident victims intoxicated on marijuana relative
to the number of marijuana users in society gave a ratio similar to
that for accident victims intoxicated on alcohol relative to the total
number of alcohol users.  However, a closer examination of the victims
revealed that around 85% of the people intoxicated on marijuana WERE
ALSO INTOXICATED ON ALCOHOL.  For people only intoxicated on marijuana,
the rate was much lower than for alcohol alone.  This would suggest
that legal marijuana would not pose as serious a hazard as legal
alcohol.

NOTE: We of the HCRC believe that DUI laws pertaining to driving under
the influence of alcohol should apply to driving under the influence of
marijuana.  We believe in the RESPONSIBLE USE of marijuana, NOT
IRRESPONSIBLE ABUSE.

-- General Stuff! --

	The Partnership for a Free America meeting on Sunday was a
success. We discussed plans for future actions, and also discussed some
of the issues involved.  It provided for an interesting meeting.  If
you were unable to attend the meeting but would still like to be a
member, please contact Drew Kinard or Sameer Parekh and give him your
name and phone number so that you may be contacted for future meetings.
 If you would like to help with door-to-door canvassing, please contact
the Partnership.  Door-to-door canvassing may not be a very glamorous
part of activism, but it is one of the most essential (At least spring
is coming).  If you think the school or other authorities have treated
you wrongly, again, please contact the Partnership so that we may
decide if there is anything that we can do to remedy the situation or
to simply provide moral support.
	Assistant Principal Carson has been bothering Sameer Parekh
with regulations about distribution and content of The Free Journal.
Unfortunately for him, in addition to being extremely vague about
content regulations, they are mostly unconstitutional, and thus he has
no power to enforce them without breaking the law as set by the highest
court in the country.  (See The Free Journal Volume I Issue 1,
available in back issues from Sameer Parekh, for more information on
the Supreme Court cases Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community
School DistrictÊand Hazelwood School District v. Kuhmeire.)
	Stay tuned for an article from Stuart Reges....
	Stay free, and may peace and love be with you always..

ÒProhibition goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to
control a man's appetite by legislation and makes crimes out of things
that are not crimes. A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very
principles upon which our government was founded.Ó --Abraham Lincoln