page 2
"Epidemic Proportions"
In a recent report issued by the governor's council on
Drug and Alcohol Abuse entitled" Marijuana: A Discussion
Paper," a majority of Pennsylvanians polled by the Council
favored stricter laws governing the use of marijuana.
On 1,200 persons polled, 57 percent favored stronger
criminal measures against marijuana useage and of these
57 percent, more than half were "not at all familiar" with
the present laws regarding marijuana.
Contrasting this opinion the majority of people who were
aware of the implications of the current laws felt that
marijuana penalties should remain the same or become
more lenient.
Describing the report as "the first in-depth account of this
problem in the Commonwealth," Dr. Richard E. Norman
outlandishly protrubulates his bias against the marijuana
scene in Pennsylvania. This so called "problem" will be the
focal point for public hearings this Spring. Wow, do these
people need some insight as to what's happening in this
"problem".
Bill Pennewill, in a PATRIOT NEWS article stated that"
the report, while highlighting factors critical to the use of
marijuana, excludes recommendations and alternatives."
It also explores the attitudes of the Pennsylvania public
towards marijuana, the impact of current laws, the health
research controversy and law enforcement.
Horman listed six significant highlights of the report:
--A significant percentage of people in Pennsylvania are
using marijuana and breaking the law.
-- A significant number of people are costing the tax
payers a significant amount of money in enforcement costs.
--It is clear there is not uniform implementation of Act 64
(Controlled Substance, Drug, device and Cosmetic Act) but
there is not uniform implementation of many laws of the
commonwealth.
--Medically, the use of marijuana can result in
psychological dependence, but so does the use of cigarettes
and chewing gum, so it's not confined to drugs.
--A poll indicates that 57 percent of the people in the state
want stricter laws and that is a highly emotional issue.
--There are many options available in dealing with the
user of marijuana, ranging from stricter laws to
decriminalization.
This so-called problem of marijuana use reaching
"epidemic proportions," according to the Governor's
Council on Drug and Alcohol Abuse needs some serious
looking into. If all those "pot-heads" are functioning within
our society, then the stuff can't be all that bad.
"marijuana is
grounc-up
television parts"
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Message Lenny Bruce
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Thirdly, the Governor's
budget provides no recognition
of the mandated payment to
the State of the $4.6 million
increase in retirement benefits
alone or for adequate provision
for increased inflationary
Jim Bollinger Costs.
....Fred Prouser
Phyllis Schaeffer
Steve Nonn
Gary Macchioni
Bob Pobiak
..Gene T. Eddy
Mark Feldman
Dave Nicholas
Diane Cressler and P.R.J.
Dr. Betty Thorne-
C.C. Reader
From
The
Pres
OS WAL D
I am deeply concerned at the
harsh implications for Penn
State of the budget recom
mendations presented in the
Governor's budget message
for 1975-76.
I thorougly understand the
status of the economy and the
strained estimates of revenues
in the Commonwealth; and
Penn State, of course, expects
to carry its appropriate share
of adjustments to live with the
economic realities.
However, the Governor's
budget allocations for Penn
State of $123.6 million for 15
months is actually less than
$lOO million on a 12-month
basis whereas $114.5 million
was requested as absolutely
essential for the coming 12-
month period. A realistic and
stern analysis of the Gover
nor's proposal contains four
most serious implications for
Penn State.
First, the State's research
support to the University is cut
by 20 per cent, a slash which
will require reductions in the
research programs in food,
energy, coal, oil, tran
sportation and other areas at a
time when society's needs in
these areas are most
demanding. A 20 per cent cut in
funds for research, from $l7
million during the current year
to $13.6 million on a 12-month
basis or $l7 million for 15
months, is an extreme
deprivation which will greatly
and regrettably affect many of
our capabilities for service to
the people of the Com
monwealth for many years to
come.
Secondly, the budget
proposes a 14.5 per cent
reduction in support of medical
education. This comes at a
time when our most modern
medical center in the Com
monwealth is coming into
maturity and achieving
national recognition, and at a
time when it is beginning to
fulfill the critical health care
needs of rural Pennsylvania.
Since the same amount for
medical programs is allocated
both for a 15-month fiscal
period next year as for the 12-
month period this year, the
Governor's budget seems to
assume there could be three
months of operation without
expenditures, which, of course,
is not the case.
Finally, it will not be possible
to make salary increases of a
desired level unless additional
State funds are secured.
Furthermore, implementation
will have to be related to the
fiscal year change.
Overriding all of these
specific concerns is the
paradoxical effect of the
Governor's proposal of a
The Jewish
American Prince
Does His Thing
Lenny Bruce espoused the philosophy that there is only
what IS. The trouble with that particular notion during the
Sixties was that in fact reality wasn't pleasant. Viet Nam,
Civil rights and a myraid of other problems faced the
nation. They were unpleasant and Lenny Bruce rubbed the
Nation's nose in these problems. In the liner notes from
Bruce's Berkely concert, Ralph Gleason summarizes the
essentiality of Lenny Bruce: "Lenny Bruce was the
prisoner of truth and no society will tolerate the voice which
tells it the truth about itself because to face that truth is to
admit it and be forced to change".
Bruce's Berkeley concert was the first concert per
formance issued in its unexpurgated form. It is an ex
pression of one man's mind flowing effortlessly to a very
receptive audience of lawyers, authors, poets and
professors. This is not to say that Bruce aimed his rambling
discourses to an esoteric few, but he felt comfortable with
those who had an understanding of the basic concepts from
which much of his humor and commentary was derived.
As an example, at the outset he tackles the dichtomy of
the law and law enforcement. People want to beat authority
but the two can not be separated. He muses that,
"Everybody's ass is up for grabs- a groovy system". He
views the legal system from an intimate vantage point. He
has learned that, "you can't apply common sense to law".
The whole question surrounding his obscenity busts is in
tent. He states, "Intent is. the essence of the system". Art
can be for arts sake, but when it gets a guy horny, how do
you determine the artist's intent? Bruce is very legalistic
when it comes down to these basic issues. Perhaps his fatal
flaw was that he truly believed in the law, and to a larger
extent, the American system. This is the one aspect of
Bruce's life that is puzzling. He was an advocate of the
American way, but his method of delivery- a stream of
consciousness style interspersed with personal ex
periences, peppered with language that had heretofore been
used only in small intimate circles. This approach shocked
the mass of people who associated night club humor with
the quick witted comedian who touched all bases but kept it
on the up and up and CLEAN. That is one area where Bruce
didn't follow the status quo at that time. His subject matter
in the Berkeley concert ranged from religion to obscenity,
drugs, marijuana, communists, LBJ, Jack Ruby, and the
Jewish dream, midgets, Negroes, the Post Office, Mark
Eden bust developers, Male-Female relationships, are
there any real tits left?, divorce, Alaska, and the moral
conception of the popular consensus.. A broad range of
material has been represented above and Lenny Bruce
made each bit an insight as to where his head was at, at that
particular time.
It was funny. Why? Perhaps Bruce's humor derives its
thrust by presenting the truth in a way in which it is not
exactly sugar coated, but with enough gloss that we swallow
it at the time, with its greater message and true meaning
coming to us when we go over the material in an attempt to
deliver it (in our minds) as Bruce did. That's when the shit
starts to fly in our minds and we realize that, "you know, he
really knew what he was talking about... why all the hassle
over a couple of words that are common parlance today?"
Bruce's insistence on testing the constitutional limits of
many laws, specifically free speech, was a valid contention.
After being busted in San Francisco for uttering
"cocksuckers", Bruce asked the arresting officer if he had
ever used the word. That's chutzpah! It could be surmised
perhaps that had he not fought for the right of the performer
to have full freedom in terms of subject matter, humor
today such as The National Lampoon, Firesign Theatre and
the many satirists-comedians, such as Klein, Carlin,
Cheech and Chong, Frye, and Little would not be able to do
the biting incisive humor that characterizes today's modern
scene.
O M O II O N O M O N 1411101 O 011401 •ROINOM•111011101101001IONOMION•e
transitional 15-month budget It is vital that the citizens of
which works to the fiscal ad- Pennsylvania and the many
vantage of the State and to the members and friends of the
fiscal disadvantage of Penn University community
State. The critical factor at the throughout the Commonwealth
University is the inclusion in understand clearly the
the 15 months of two Summer potential impact of the
Terms, which charac- proposed appropriation.
teristically produce sub- With this shortfall of ap
stantially less tuition and fees proximately $l4 million in
income than are needed for State funds, it becomes obvious
operational costs during those we cannot avoid a tuition in
summer periods
0000
by Fred prouser
crease
April 3, 1975