By: Sarah Saltzman

In 1998 alone, there were 24,537,600 crimes committed in the United States according to Heritage, a public policy research institute. If you were a parent from outside of the United States and you read that statistic, would you let your child visit the U.S.?

By Michelle Norris

Editor's Note: This Fall's issue of Stand Up! is the Taboo Issue. Each article will focus on "something you wouldn't bring up over Thanksgiving dinner." Topics will include everything from poverty to masturbation, so get ready to blush on Nov 16! Until then, staffers have put together teaser pieces for the issue, including Mrs. Norris' personal column on a topic about which many Stand Up staffers have first-hand knowledge: interracial dating.

Picture this: A loving mother heads back to her hometown in Missouri to visit family, and like any loving mother would, brings her son’s prom pictures. He, his girlfriend and two of his closest friends are huddled together in the typical prom pose, all linked arm in arm, smiling intensely for the best possible impression. The mother’s family is tentatively pleased, but cannot resist asking the question.

By Stephanie Jackson

Stephanie Jackson, Stand Up's own editor in chief, wrote this as a follow up to Harper Bridgers' "NORML Behavior" from issue 4. For this article, Stephanie spoke with NORML members involved in the battle with the University Judiciary over an image on the organization's t-shirts as well as with a local law enforcement officer.

By Devin Smith

During a walk home from a family picnic in Afghanistan, a young boy spots what he thinks is a can of food. He decides to pick it up to carry home for his family. Immediately, it explodes. The “bombie” mutilates the boy and instantly kills his cousin. Other members of the boy’s family carry him to a hospital where both of his legs must be amputated. His wounds are so bad that doctors consider euthanizing the child. The child’s name is Soraj Ghulam Habib, and now, seven years after the accident, he works with the Cluster Munition Coalition convincing governments to ban the weapons that forever crippled him - cluster bombs.

An Open Letter to Michelle Obama

By Kallie Mathis

America has a new first lady, and so far, Michelle Obama seems to be rewriting the role of the president’s spouse. In November, Americans witnessed one of this nation’s most historic moments, the election of the first African-American president, Barack Obama. In the ominous shadows of economic devastation and national feelings of uncertainty, then-candidate Obama sailed to victory on his platform of change, and change and hope are what this country is desperate for right now. Homes are being foreclosed, plans for higher education are being postponed, and pink slips are being doled out by the thousands. The trust we bestow on our leaders has been severely shaken over these last eight years, and we need the new administration to help us find that trust again.

Poem by Zachary Dillard

I was confronted today with how alone I actually am in this world:

Perhaps this "I AM" should be redefined as a "WE ARE".

By Denechia Powell

Every woman dreads the clear menace. It kills dreams and crushes hopes. It is the infamous glass ceiling, a term first introduced to popular culture in a 1986 Wall Street Journal article. Today, almost any media consumer knows the glass ceiling refers to an invisible barrier that hinders women from advancement in traditionally patriarchal fields. It became a buzzword in this year’s historical presidential race, with New York Sen. Hillary Clinton’s pant suits and Gov. Sarah Palin’s alleged $150,000 wardrobe gracing our television screens on a daily basis. Athens-Clarke County’s female politicians watched closely as Clinton contended she left “18 million cracks” in the “highest, hardest glass ceiling in America” during her concession speech and Palin claimed she would shatter that same glass ceiling “once and for all” at a stump speech in Dayton, Ohio.

By Ashley Strickland

In the world of music, what’s old is new again.

The original boys of rock are still here and better than ever. The reigning kings haven’t lost their touch and continue to make innovative music.

By Josh White

The Al Huda Islamic Center sits on South Milledge Avenue, tucked between a car wash and a shopping center. The single-story building is a mosque, the house of worship for Muslims, and it’s the only one in Athens. This is the place for local Muslims to attend prayer services with their fellow worshippers, people who work, pray and live in the famed college town.

A look at the history of marijuana in the U.S. through the lens of film

By Jessica Cole

The masterminds behind the Golden Globe nominations inadvertently pleased the pot culture this year, as James Franco was announced as a nominee for his role as lovable stoner Saul Silver in the hit comedy “Pineapple Express.” The 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards were held on January 11th, and though Franco did not take home the statue for Best Actor in a Comedy or Drama, the nomination alone spoke volumes about the ever increasing popularity of the stoner movie. It is incredible to think that only 40 years ago, there was no such thing as a marijuana-based movie genre. So what happened within these few years that sparked this “reefer revolution?” The answer can only be found by looking to the past to see which films breathed life into this genre. Inhale deeply, you’ll get more out of it.