THE
S TUDENT PRINTZ
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SERVING SOUTHERN MISS SINCE 1927
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Volume 99 Issue 14
Protest ignites in the square
LOCAL
City Council students speak out against anti-abortion demonstrations adopts new policies Kathryn Miller
Executive Editor A conflict emerged among antiabortion demonstrators, women’s rights advocates and students on the Hattiesburg campus near Shoemaker Square Tuesday afternoon. A sizeable crowd of people formed by the fountain and expressed their views about pro-life, pro-choice and advocating for women’s rights. The anti-abortion demonstrators frequently visit The University of Southern Mississippi and speak about prolife to students who walk past Shoemaker Square. Brady Leatherwood, a USM graduate student in the School of Social Work, was attempting to counter the demonstration against abortion by presenting signs about women’s rights. This was Leatherwood’s first time protesting near them and the situation quickly escalated. “I’ve been outraged over these (demonstrators) for the past few semesters and just like many other students, I have not done anything because I have felt like I have not had the time,” Leatherwood said. She said the demonstrators always come during students’ lunch break and students usually walk past them because they are hungry or have something else to do rather than to stop and listen.
See PROTEST, 3
Nan Buti
Printz Reporter
Photo by Kate Dearman Brady Leatherwood protests with the women’s rights advocates in Shoemaker Square Wednesday afternoon. Students gather around in between classes to watch the anti-abortion activists who frequent the Southern Miss campus.
STATE
Group pushes for legalization of marijuana Mary Sergeant
Printz Reporter & Photographer The debate over the legalization of marijuana is affecting many states across the U.S., including Mississippi. Recently, a group banded together to create a ballot initiative that, if passed, will both legalize and decriminalize marijuana in
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the state of Mississippi. For legalization, the group wants adults 21 and older to be able to use marijuana as freely as they can alcohol and tobacco products. While many students on campus are in favor of legalization, many students are not. Jacob Fitzgerald, a junior healthcare marketing
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major at Southern Miss, said Mississippi could use its resources for a direct initiative toward legislation that holds more importance. He said many other issues need to be taken care of first. As for how legalization could affect students, Fitzgerald said, “I feel like it will all be up to personal responsibility. Some people can use mind-
FEATURE HPR courses Consider recreation classes in advisement.
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altering substances in a responsible way, whether that be marijuana or alcohol, and some cannot.” Junior biochemistry major David Sliman is also against the initiative. He said this legalization could hurt Mississippi, making it more dependent on other states.
See MARIJUANA, 3
OPINION ‘Voluntourism’ Exploring the issues with foreign missions.
Hattiesburg City Council members met Tuesday to discuss, approve or deny proposed action plans for the City of Hattiesburg. Council member Mary Dryden began the meeting with defending the routine agenda item to approve specifications and authorize publication of advertisement for recycling containers. After displaying multiple pieces of non-recyclable garbage she found on the street the previous morning, Dryden said, “If we had a sustainability officer, things would be going a lot better. If we included all the schools in Hattiesburg, we’d get a lot more in the recycling program.” Dryden called for schools’ involvement in the proposed recycling program since nearly 70 percent of Hattiesburg’s schools and neighborhoods are not contributing to recycling. Major policies discussed included the adoption of a resolution establishing petty cash funds and approval of issuance of a manual check to each custodian and to approve specifications and authorize publication of advertisement for recycling containers, which was not approved. Councilwoman Deborah Delgado was against the proposal to take from the table a task order related to the design and construction of a new wastewater treatment facility to replace the existing South Lagoon Wastewater Treatment Plant. The policy was forwarded and will be reviewed.
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SPORTS Men’s golf Eagles fare poorly at LSU tournament.