With Rasta-colored signs, brownies for sale and the constant chant of "Legalize it," there wasn't any question as to what the College Libertarians were advocating for: marijuana.
However, they weren't just there to praise the drug — their booth on Davis Field next to Russell House from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. was meant to educate passerbies on the U.S. war on drugs, the economic benefits of legalization and the merits of freedom over one's body.
"We've recently come to realize that people don't understand this, the drug war, yet," Michael Rose, a third-year information science student and the vice president of the College Libertarians, said. "We've had so many people say, 'I don't know what that is.'"
Aaron Mills, a first-year political science student, participated by yelling out "Save Lives, End the Drug War."
"The drug war disproportionally effects especially minority youth and when it does that it totally screws them over for the rest of their lives," he said. "What happens is they get labeled as a federal offender and from that point on they can't vote."
Rose said they set up the booth to focus on education and activism, and to reach a broader audience.
"We want to educate all of USC, not just the kids," he said. "A lot of kids get it — older people, not so much."
According to Rose, around 10:30 a.m., two police officers showed up at Davis Field to inquire if the College Libertarians had the proper permits to be set up there. Ross Abbott, a third-year business student and president of the College Libertarians, was happy to retrieve the proper documentation for the officers.
"It wasn't about permits," Rose said. "They could have called Russell House if they really cared about it that much."
Rose believed that the officers questioned the permits as a means to investigate the contents of the brownies sold at the booth. The brownies were a focal point of the table and a reference to pot brownies, but they didn't have any marijuana in them, contrary to some confusion they had drummed up.
"They're just delicious," Rose said with a laugh. "Our special ingredient is chocolate chips."
Caitlyn Brockington, a third-year political science student, was surprised when she turned the corner to see the booth set up on Davis Field.
"My first thought was, 'Did this sign really say peace, love and weed?'" she said.
The chanting from the field and the various signs that they held made her reconsider. Especially the one that said "Legalize it."
"That lets me know that they don't want us to use marijuana illegally, but legally. So I kind of said, 'OK, that's cool,'" Brockington said.
Andrew Montana and Anthony Dove, first-year chemical engineering and political science students respectively, also took a moment to stop by the booth as they were walking by Russell House.
"I like the freedom of expression, I do like it," Montana said.
Dove was a bit more surprised to find the College Libertarians holding up signs like "No Victim, No Crime" and "You have a right to your body."
"I, myself, wouldn't eat them or anything, but I support it," he said. "It's not hurting anybody, I don't think."
By the end of the group's run on Davis Field, 50 people had signed up to receive more information about the College Libertarians at USC, and they had handed out over 100 pieces of literature to interested students.
"We're not here to promote an unhealthy lifestyle. We're here to educate and be active in activism," he said. "We believe this is important for everyone at USC to understand and talk about. It's a conversation that isn't being had."