Google Video has suppressed a recording of Robert Spencer's "Islamofascism" talk at Dartmouth, according to Spencer's blog jihadwatch.org. An explanation on Google's website said that the company may refuse to host content that is hateful or may incite violence. Spencer countered Google on his blog, writing that the video "just caught the attention of someone who did not agree with it politically, and rather than engage in reasoned discussion or debate, or mount a rebuttal, he or she made sure that I would not be heard." Harrison Sonntag '08, the student responsible for organizing "Islamofascism Week" at Dartmouth, has made a video of the complete speech available at guba.com.
Three Columbia students and two Barnard students went on a hunger strike yesterday to demand more support for the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race at Columbia and a stronger response by the administration to racial bias incidents on campus. They are also opposing alterations to a proposed expansion project. Seventy more students have joined in to show their support. Barnard's president, Judith Shapiro, told the Columbia Spectator that while hunger strikes may be an effective tool for political prisoners in totalitarian societies, they may not always be the best strategy. A sixth student began striking, but dropped out last night because he -- yes -- got hungry.
A new study found that young Vermonters are smoking pot and binge drinking less, according to the Associated Press. The study focused on high school students and found that 21 percent of those surveyed reported smoking marijuana and 39 percent reported drinking. Although the incidence of marijuana use has declined, Vermont still exceeds the national average. According to an earlier federal study, all six New England states, along with Oregon and Montana, lead the nation in marijuana use among youth. The study was conducted by the Vermont Departments of Health and Education.
