boulderweekly.com/icumi
It’s about fricking time
Hard to believe that in the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave it was impossible for gays and lesbians to have their partners with them during medical treatment in some hospitals, even when they lay on their deathbeds. But until President Obama ordered hospitals to allow patients to have whomever they choose at their bedside, this was the case for too many gay and lesbian couples.
Why would any hospital deny gay men and lesbian women the right to have their same-sex partners beside them at a critical and frightening time? Bigotry. That’s the only answer. Certainly, there’s no medical reason to deny gay and lesbian lovers access to one another during time of illness. To deprive someone who is sick and perhaps dying of the support of those they most love is an arbitrary act of cruelty.
Of course, Obama would have gotten a fight if he had mentioned gays and lesbians in his directive. He sidestepped the issue by simply tying federal funds to hospitals’ willingness to let patients determine who gets to visit them. So while the rules have changed — it will be interesting to see which hospitals decide to forgo Medicaid/Medicare funds — the bigotry sadly remains.
Won word
We’re pretty sure you missed this one, if you’re not a print journalism geek.
For years, publications have struggled with whether to use the term “website” or “Web site.” The latter is unwieldy, awkward and just plain ugly, but it’s what the Associated Press Stylebook has dictated.
Until now. Last week, the AP announced that it would cave into the growing pressure from frustrated and repressed reporters and change the term to “website” in the Stylebook.
An audible gasp of relief could be heard in newsrooms everywhere when that Tweet came over the pipes.
And vindication for us B-Dubbers, who have been using the lowercase, one-word version for years, in bold, outright defiance of the AP’s wishes.
We’re such rebels. Either that or anal journalism dorks for even bringing this up.
Common sense, finally
Hooray for the state lawmakers supporting House Bill 1352, a bipartisan effort to reform criminal-sentencing laws around crimes involving controlled substances.
The House recently approved the bill on a 58-5 vote.
The legislation would lower penalties for use of a controlled substance in certain circumstances and it would also create a distinction in the law between possession of a controlled substance and manufacturing/distribution. The bill even directs the legislature to use a portion of the savings generated by the bill to fund community-based substance-abuse treatment programs.
Now that’s a much better use of our tax dollars, not to mention law enforcement’s time.
There’s even a Colorado Springs Republican sponsoring it! Rep. Mark Waller, says the intent of the bill is to shift the focus to “getting nonviolent drug offenders the help that they need so that they can become productive members of society.”
The bill is scheduled to be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee on April 26.
Party patrol pilot
Here’s a novel approach by CU and the city to reduce the prevalence of flaming couches on lawns:
Encourage students to register their wild-ass weekend parties, and in exchange, when someone complains about the noise, the students get a phone call and a 20-minute period in which to break up their party, without consequence.
Second complaints and emergencies are another matter, of course.
When students register, they get “educational materials that make them aware of their responsibilities and neighborhood concerns.”
This pilot program runs through May 8, and if you are interested, you can register your shindig at the offcampus student services office in the University Memorial Center, Room 313, Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon.
Wonder how many takers they’re going to get.
Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com
