The Federal Appeals Court ruled on Monday that Virginia's alcohol regulatory board can ban alcohol advertisements in college newspapers, as noted in yesterday's article ("Court upholds ban on alcohol," April 13). This is a breach of the first amendment rights of these newspapers, such as The Cavalier Daily, as well as alcohol companies and local bars. If beer and other alcohol commercials can air freely during television events, where the audience includes ages much lower than the ages of the average college newspaper reader, then these newspapers should also have the right to advertise. There is also the issue of revenues earned from these alcohol ads. This decision takes away revenues from these newspapers, which is fundamentally wrong. The freedom of the press is an important part of our society, and in the world of television and internet, newspapers are struggling to get funds and customers. This is an example of adding fuel to the fire, as now newspapers are restricted to receive funds that some of them desperately need. As for the alcohol companies and local bars, their target audiences are the 21-year-olds who are still in college and can legally drink alcohol, and this decision takes away a source for promoting their product. With those students under 21 years of age, they are still not allowed to drink alcohol, and ultimately these ads will have no effect on them as long as enforcement remains the same. This is a huge mistake by the courts, as they are just punishing the newspapers and preventing alcohol companies and local bars from promoting their product.
Max Figueroa\nCLAS I
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