How much will that Bong Hit Photo hurt Michael Phelps Career ?

[Martin]

Originally posted by: palehorse

Originally posted by: Martin

Originally posted by: Corn

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: palehorse
Right or wrong, weed is still illegal. If it was legal, I'd probably smoke it from time to time myself. But it's not. It's illegal. Like Phelps, I too would lose my entire livelihood if I ever smoked it. So I don't smoke it. End of story.

Phelps acted the f'n fool.

Sad that...

So you just do whatever you're told then?

One of the most ridiculous comments in quite some time. Let me guess, you stop at red lights. What does that say about you?

Vic's point is that social change isn't brought about by saying things like "I don't like it, but that's the rules", it's brought about by people ignoring and flaunting the rules en masse until it becomes obvious that the laws are outdated.

Prohibition was not ended by people silently writing letters, but by going to speakeasys and drinking as much as before prohibition (if not more)

The civil rights movement didn't generally involve black people silently riding in their section of the bus.

Obscenity laws in the 60s 70s were changed years after pornography was widely available.

This doesn't mean that you personally have to go out and smoke in the street, but it does mean supporting people who do break the rules and not supporting the status quo. So remember, saying something like "I don't like it and its not right, but that's the law" really means you're saying "I'm OK with it and support the status quo".

Oh, I get it. You believe that Phelps was practicing civil disobedience in some grandiose effort to effect changes in our legal system.

Yeah, that must be it...

If he took to the streets in loud and angry protest of our current drug laws, then you might have had a valid point. Instead, the idiot simply got caught taking a rip at some local college keg party.

One does not need to actually break a law to effectively protest said law.

Yeah, let's just ignore the fact breaking the laws you feel are illegitimate is precisely how it has always happened, and instead pretend we live in some make-believe world...

Perhaps you watch too many movies? Real people are not some noble creatures that always think of their daily actions in terms of historical significance or societal impact. People in the 60s and 70s did were not making a statement about the puritanical conservatism of society, they just wanted to watch some fucking porn. Rosa Parks wasn't trying to make some grand gesture or statement - she just didn't get up because she didn't want to get up from her seat. Phelps took a hit because he just wanted to get high.

But when the vultures come out and start going after people like this and you come out with a "he shouldn't have broken the rules", then you are very clearly on one side of the debate.


Coincidentally, I *have* been to a MJ-related protest and what we do is we get together behind the legislature and light up.

 

[kylebisme]

Originally posted by: palehorse
Oh, I get it. You believe that Phelps was practicing civil disobedience in some grandiose effort to effect changes in our legal system.

He was practicing civil disobedience simply because he knows our legal system is flawed, much like Rosa Parks and others refused to abide by the bigoted legislation which denied their rights.

 

[palehorse]

Originally posted by: TheSnowman

Originally posted by: palehorse
Oh, I get it. You believe that Phelps was practicing civil disobedience in some grandiose effort to effect changes in our legal system.

He was practicing civil disobedience simply because he knows our legal system is flawed, much like Rosa Parks and others refused to abide by the bigoted legislation which denied their rights.

Bullshit... he was getting fucking high. Period.

He had no other goal than that.

Comparing him to Rosa Parks is absolutely ridiculous and insulting to Ms. Parks.

The man has a job that requires him to stay off drugs. If he doesn't like the rule, then, like everyone else, he's free to find another line of work.

Just for the record, I too believe that MJ is practically harmless and should be legalized. But it's not. So, like Phelps, I have sworn to live drug-free in order to keep my job. If I felt more strongly about the issue, perhaps I'd find another line of work. But I'm cool with living within the law. I'm perfectly content to stay away from the MJ to keep my job. It's a sacrifice that I'm willing to make.

It appears that Phelps isn't willing to make that sacrifice... which is just plain sad.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: Corn

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: palehorse
Right or wrong, weed is still illegal. If it was legal, I'd probably smoke it from time to time myself. But it's not. It's illegal. Like Phelps, I too would lose my entire livelihood if I ever smoked it. So I don't smoke it. End of story.

Phelps acted the f'n fool.

Sad that...

So you just do whatever you're told then?

One of the most ridiculous comments in quite some time. Let me guess, you stop at red lights. What does that say about you?

That I believe stopping at red lights is a good law.

 

[BoberFett]

The Democrats have complete control. They could remove marijuana from the controlled substances list.

What do you think the chances are of that happening?

 

[kylebisme]

Originally posted by: palehorse
Bullshit

That sums your post up.

 

[kylebisme]

Originally posted by: BoberFett
The Democrats have complete control. They could remove marijuana from the controlled substances list.

What do you think the chances are of that happening?

Next to none, why do you ask?

 

[her209]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57DdviStOFo

 

[Martin]

Originally posted by: palehorse

Originally posted by: TheSnowman

Originally posted by: palehorse
Oh, I get it. You believe that Phelps was practicing civil disobedience in some grandiose effort to effect changes in our legal system.

He was practicing civil disobedience simply because he knows our legal system is flawed, much like Rosa Parks and others refused to abide by the bigoted legislation which denied their rights.

Bullshit... he was getting fucking high. Period.

He had no other goal than that.

Comparing him to Rosa Parks is absolutely ridiculous and insulting to Ms. Parks.

The man has a job that requires him to stay off drugs. If he doesn't like the rule, then, like everyone else, he's free to find another line of work.

Just for the record, I too believe that MJ is practically harmless and should be legalized. But it's not. So, like Phelps, I have sworn to live drug-free in order to keep my job. If I felt more strongly about the issue, perhaps I'd find another line of work. But I'm cool with living within the law. I'm perfectly content to stay away from the MJ to keep my job. It's a sacrifice that I'm willing to make.

It appears that Phelps isn't willing to make that sacrifice... which is just plain sad.

Its shit like this that makes me wonder if you ever go outside and have contact with real people.

Like I said, real people don't go around in their daily lives thinking about what kind of historical significant their actions have, they just do what they feel is right. So let's see what Rosa Parks has to say for herself:

Two policemen got on the bus in a couple of minutes. The driver told the police that I would not stand up. The policeman walked down and asked me why I didn't stand up, and I said I didn't think I should stand up. "Why do you push us around?" I asked him. And he said, "I don't know. But the law is the law and you are under arrest." As soon as he said that I stood up, the three of us left the bus together.


Were you scared to do such a brave thing?
... I was thinking mostly about how inconvenienced I was ? stopping me from going home nd doing my work ? something I had not expected.

http://teacher.scholastic.com/ROSA/interview.htm


She did not get up because she felt inconvenienced and that it was not right to ask her to get up, despite the fact that it was against the rules. Nowhere will you ever see her claim she did it as some grand gesture or statement about freedom - it was a very practical and everyday matter.

Similarly, does the bolded part not bother you, in that it is exactly what you would say? You've assimilated the social progress of the last generation, but you are now proudly trying to stop the progress of the current generation. If this were 1955 and not 2009, it is precisely people like you and Corn (the "rules are rules" crowd) that would have been telling blacks to get back in their section.

 

[BoberFett]

Originally posted by: TheSnowman

Originally posted by: BoberFett
The Democrats have complete control. They could remove marijuana from the controlled substances list.

What do you think the chances are of that happening?

Next to none, why do you ask?

Just curious which party is obstructing progress.

 

[marincounty]

Originally posted by: BoberFett

Originally posted by: TheSnowman

Originally posted by: BoberFett
The Democrats have complete control. They could remove marijuana from the controlled substances list.

What do you think the chances are of that happening?

Next to none, why do you ask?

Just curious which party is obstructing progress.

Let me know when Republicans propose lessening penalties for drug use.

 

[Harvey]

Phelps acknowledges the pic is real and apolgizes for regrettable behavior and bad judgment.

Phelps acknowledges photo using pot pipe

By PAUL NEWBERRY, AP National Writer

Olympic great Michael Phelps acknowledged ?regrettable? behavior and ?bad judgment? after a photo in a British newspaper Sunday showed him inhaling from a marijuana pipe.

In a statement to The Associated Press, the swimmer who won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Games did not dispute the authenticity of the exclusive picture published Sunday by the tabloid News of the World.

?I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment,? Phelps said in the statement released by one of his agents. ?I?m 23 years old and despite the successes I?ve had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again.?

The good news is, he didn't start any wars or run the economy into the ground while he was doing it. Maybe some politicians would benefit from a few tokes.

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: alchemize
Big deal. Our president was a pot smoker.

Yeah, really. It's not like he's an alcoholic cocaine abusing, multiple DUI incurring, draft dodging dissolute asshole trustfundian douchebag like our previous President, Bush was.

 

[yllus]

Poor guy. Even when he's not in training he can't have any fun.

 

[Socio]

With all the partying and pot smoking he is just hurting himself I bet he will never be the same swimmer again.

 

[kylebisme]

Originally posted by: Socio
With all the partying and pot smoking he is just hurting himself I bet he will never be the same swimmer again.

I bet he could wip your ass in the pool after taking bong rips all day long.

 

[BoberFett]

Originally posted by: marincounty

Originally posted by: BoberFett

Originally posted by: TheSnowman

Originally posted by: BoberFett
The Democrats have complete control. They could remove marijuana from the controlled substances list.

What do you think the chances are of that happening?

Next to none, why do you ask?

Just curious which party is obstructing progress.

Let me know when Republicans propose lessening penalties for drug use.

The Republicans aren't in power. Welcome to 2009 idiot.

 

[kylebisme]

Republicans have had plenty of chances when they were in power, so one can't rightly push the blame on Democrats unless pretending to be born yesterday. Of course only an idiot would do that.

 

[manowar821]

This goes to show you that a little MJ never hurt anybody. But leave it to the moral majority, they'll fuck it all up, like usual.

 

[Harvey]

Originally posted by: BoberFett

The Republicans aren't in power. Welcome to 2009 idiot.

I'll toke to that! :thumbsup:

 

[BoberFett]

Originally posted by: Harvey

Originally posted by: BoberFett

The Republicans aren't in power. Welcome to 2009 idiot.

I'll toke to that! :thumbsup:

Too bad your Traitor in Chief won't push for legalization.

 

[First]

Legalization of marijuana, just about the most unimportant topic in history. Leave it to reject Libertopians to complain about such a non-issue.

 

[kylebisme]

Originally posted by: BoberFett
Too bad your Traitor in Chief won't push for legalization.

And too bad Republicans don't try to get some bipartisan effort going by supporting the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2008 to change these stupid laws.

Originally posted by: Evan
Legalization of marijuana, just about the most unimportant topic in history. Leave it to reject Libertopians to complain about such a non-issue.

Leave it to the mindless robot masses to keep laws against such a non-issue when a rational congress could simply vote for reasonable legislation and be done with it.

 

[rchiu]

Originally posted by: yllus
Poor guy. Even when he's not in training he can't have any fun.

He can have fun all he wants, smoke pot, have orgy, get drunk and run around naked. He isn't going to jail; he will just lose hundreds of millions in endorsement. This is a free world, he can do whatever he want and corporate sponsors can do whatever they want, including not having people with image problem on their payroll. And US Olympic committee is the same; they have the right not to pick people with bad image to represent the country.

People here need to understand the world doesn't revolve around them and personal choices have consequences to others. You can do whatever, fine, but it doesn't mean that others have to tolerate it and live with the consequences you created.

 

[manowar821]

Originally posted by: Evan
Legalization of marijuana, just about the most unimportant topic in history. Leave it to reject Libertopians to complain about such a non-issue.

No.