"Bong Hits 4 Jesus."

Have you heard about this one? What a pisser! I called Seth to tell him about it, assuming he already knew the story since it took place in Alaska. He hadn’t though; I had fun filling him in. An excerpt from the New York Times:

Free-Speech Case Divides Bush and Religious Right

By LINDA GREENHOUSE
Published: March 18, 2007

On the surface, Joseph Frederick’s dispute with his principal, Deborah Morse, at the Juneau-Douglas High School in Alaska five years ago appeared to have little if anything to do with religion — or perhaps with much of anything beyond a bored senior’s attitude and a harried administrator’s impatience.

As the Olympic torch was carried through the streets of Juneau on its way to the 2002 winter games in Salt Lake City, students were allowed to leave the school grounds to watch. The school band and cheerleaders performed. With television cameras focused on the scene, Mr. Frederick and some friends unfurled a 14-foot-long banner with the inscription: “Bong Hits 4 Jesus.”

Mr. Frederick later testified that he designed the banner, using a slogan he had seen on a snowboard, “to be meaningless and funny, in order to get on television.” Ms. Morse found no humor but plenty of meaning in the sign, recognizing “bong hits” as a slang reference to using marijuana. She demanded that he take the banner down. When he refused, she tore it down, ordered him to her office, and gave him a 10-day suspension.

Now, I’m not a proponent of smoking marijuana; in general, it’s bad for you. But, I’m so with the kid on this one. Number one, the First Amendment. Number two, marijuana should be legal already! Those people who want to permanently kill their brain cells with bong hits should be able to do so without fearing a life in prison if they get caught inhaling. Prohibition hasn’t worked in the past and it isn’t working now, people!!! It’s time we took a clue from the Netherlands. Sheesh.