Fuck the Constitution

      Americans are brought up in a sea of democratic ideals of free speech, due process, checks and balances, and other civil liberties. We are required to study the constitution and we Americans believe that the government is outlined by it. In fact the US government is based on the basic outline drawn by the US constitution. The gradual perversion of our Constitution however, is disgusting. It is our constitution, the model for most modern democratic governments that so clearly defines our nation. It is depressing then, to affirm that the most fundamental constitutional guarantees are being revoked. This very newspaper is designed to uphold the first amendment, which is increasingly being refuted. We are supposed to live under a government that not only allows, but also promotes freedom of speech and press. Why is it then that the press cannot say negative comments on a private individual even if the statement has merit behind it? Most libel laws are an atrocity to the constitution. Limiting untruthful slander about individuals is one thing, but the supreme courts have ruled that even factual negative publicity towards an individual can be grounds for a lawsuit. The government says we have freedom of the press, but if the press is limited to what it can and cannot say, then how can we call that freedom of the press?       

       Even more disturbing is the recent Patriot Act. This legislation is a COMPLETE violation of the Bill of Rights. It revokes basic civil rights and liberties secured by the people of this nation centuries ago. Under the current administration, more than ever, we are reverting to the past. Not to be too dramatic, but in many ways the current executive branch of government, which is slowly usurping influence and offsetting the balance of power so central to our system, resembles a fascist society. By denying basic human rights and creating constant conflicts and paranoia, president Bush is gaining more and more power. Yes we still vote for our representatives, but are they always representing the public good? The Patriot Act, passed by congress 45 days after the September 11^th attacks, allows authorities such as the FBI to search private records and personal belongings without a warrant or probable cause. Furthermore, the FBI doesn’t even have to notify the individual of their actions. This is a direct violation of the 4^th Amendment. The recent piece of legislation also enables the government to tap phones and monitor computer activity without probable cause. Perhaps the most frightening part of the recent legislation is the government’s ability to arrest and detain individuals for an indefinite amount of time without a trial or so much as notifying the detainee’s family. This “Patriot” act goes against everything early American patriots gave their lives for.  Now congress is pushing for the Patriot Act part II. As the days go by, more and more civil liberties are being abolished. Today’s society has a striking resemblance to Germany’s Third Reich under Adolf Hitler. Civil liberties are being abandoned as the president gains more and more power. Furthermore, the US government is draining the September 11^th attacks for all they are worth. The constant warnings, the color-code system, and various other tactics make the US citizens afraid giving the president and congress the perfect chance to take away individuals’ civil liberties in the hope for protection. Something must be done to stop the undemocratic tide of our nation. In our fight against terrorism we are merely giving in to the terrorist desires. That is, we are going from a democratic government, to one that resembles the early days of a fascist government. Key players in the government such as the president are saying, “Fuck the Constitution,” by slowly but surly discrediting the Bill of Rights and the very values that this country stands for.

- Jim Moore 

Beverly Doesn't Allow "Bad" Students to Excel 

      After almost 2 and a half years of attending Beverly Hills High School, it became increasingly difficult to brush aside a severe anti-educational trend that is being followed by the administration. That trend is classifying students and using this information to determine their futures. Sounds scary right? Imagine having the school decide that just because you did not do well at one point in your educational career, you will fare poorly in another. Many students who have constantly kept up their grades may feel that this is just another excuse for laziness by kids who feel that they have more important things to do. Students, however, may have had more important things to do. Many students have family or other issues throughout their lifetimes. What the school does is look at your previous work to determine your later work. Take for example a student, John. John didn't
do that well in middle school but really turned it around in freshman year. The protocol taken up by the administration doesn't allow for this type of improvement. John will still be treated as if he is a bad student. His good grades will have little effect in determining whether he will be allowed to take accelerated classes or even be treated with the same respect as other students. Teachers will make it a point to make sure that John is never allowed to think in the same "free mind frame" as are students who take more advanced classes, despite the fact that he could easily take these classes and excel in them. John, throughout his entire time in high school, will be bound to the perpetual drudgery of "showing work" and "raising your hand to speak". Is John a bad student? He may have been at one point, but that is certainly no longer the case. When a good student like John is treated like a bad one, he loses interest. This is only natural. Imagine taking classes an hour a day on addition and subtraction. Continual interest is a main pillar of good grades. Because these students like John succumb to natural loss of interest, their grades quickly slip and they find other things to do. The school, at that point will look at John, and see his lack of interest and use this to justify their actions. Talk about missing the big picture! The loss of interest is not John's fault, quite the opposite: it's the schools! John is a smart kid. Because of his situation he can no longer depend on school. He needs to find someplace or something that does not feel threatened by him or thinks that he is a smart-ass: this can be a lot of things, both good and bad. So there you have it. The administration, in their 1950's black-and-white, good-and-bad manner of thinking doesn't make any room for improvement and with this, quickly alienates students like John.

- Lithium