Word: bans
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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Besides the extreme nature of the menorah ban, it also seems somewhat hypocritical in light of other University policies. Students are currently permitted to light fires in their dorm room fireplaces, as long as the necessary precautions are taken. Many dorms permit smoking, an activity with great potential for starting fires, as was made evident in Dunster House before spring break. Further, each house and every new apartment on DeWolfe Street is equipped with a full kitchen, including appliances with definite fire potential...
These potentials should not be removed, but tolerated. A move to ban all elements of fire in student dorm rooms would rightly be considered authoritarian. We deal with many dangers each day because they allow for a better end. For example, despite the high rate of automobile accidents, many of us choose to drive cars for their speed and convenience. On the other hand, one could argue that we don't permit absolute freedom. For instance, we require automobile drivers to obey speed limits. We control for excess danger to society while permitting the maximum freedom to the individual...
...seems that Lewis has allowed his justifiable concern for fire safety precaution to outweigh First Amendment freedoms with the new menorah ban. Precautions must certainly be taken as intermediate steps between an outright ban and absolute laissez faire. But the current policy is hypocritical with respect to the legal use of other potential fire starters in the dorm rooms. The College is wrong to dictate the terms on which Jewish students may light their menorahs. It's time for the College to treat us as adults. Lewis should reverse the ban...
...staff is right in opposing Lewis' ban--but they oppose it for the wrong reasons...
...ban simply won't work. Hot pots and coffee makers and all non-religious candles are already banned in dorm rooms, to almost no effect. The safety precautions proposed in the editorial should be implemented instead. They will be at least as effective as simply prohibiting menorahs...