Pubdate: Wed, 19 Sep 2012
Source: News Record, The (U of Cincinnati, OH Edu)
Copyright: 2012 The News Record
Contact:  http://www.newsrecord.org/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3955
Author: Tyler Bell

BERNS PROMOTES PARTY'S PLATFORM

The Libertarian candidate for Ohio's first congressional district 
hosted a rally promoting his platform Monday.

"We got a lot of issues on our platform," said Jim Berns, the 
Libertarian candidate. "But [gay marriage and legalization of 
marijuana] are two very important ones, because students at the 
University of Cincinnati can relate to these two."

Berns has run for public office 13 times as the Libertarian candidate 
and won two primaries, he said. The UC College of Design, Art, 
Architecture and Planning laboratory manager's beliefs on gay 
marriage and the legalization of marijuana will help him garner the 
support of young voters, he said.

"Marijuana's not the worst thing that [people] could do, but like 
anything, too much is a bad thing," said Benjamin Truax, a third-year 
philosophy and English student. "I believe medical marijuana has its 
benefits, especially if [people] need it."

Truax said he also supports gay marriage and that based on what he's 
seen he would vote for Berns in the upcoming election.

Kathryn Laughlin, a second-year journalism and political science 
student, said she disagreed with Berns' position.

Laughlin, a college Republican, said she had her own candidates in 
mind for this election and doesn't support gay marriage or legalized marijuana.

"It's just been my upbringing that I don't support that," Laughlin 
said. "I'm not a user of marijuana, I'm not a homosexual myself."

Berns said he knows he has to put in the extra effort to gain equal 
support from the major parties.

"When I ran for congress two years ago I got about 3,000 votes," 
Berns said, compared to winner Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) who won with 
roughly 100,000 votes.

Berns said he received nationwide press coverage in 2010 when he 
picketed former Rep. Steve Driehaus' (D-Ohio) front lawn.

"I tend to have a little more nerve," Berns said. "If you're a 
liberal or Republican you've got to worry about what you say if you 
want to be elected, and I just speak from the heart about what I 
really believe in. You're not going to see Steve Chabot out here 
waving at traffic with a sign that says 'Gay is OK.' "
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom