Michael Phelps and Barack Obama have something in common

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Pretty harsh assessment of a person you have never met...

I agree..but Warp Daddy is from the pre-baby boomer generation and those people are generally unaccepting of recreational drug use..

 

[dmc]

Just to be clear, I am not looking for my kids to aspire to be a dumb jock. That said kids look to dumb jocks, dumb rappers and other people as "ways to be...".

When i was a kid.. i looked up to soldiers, firemen and policemen.. and my Dad...

 

[deadheadskier]

seriously..if it was legal like it should be this wouldn't be an issue..

Never going to happen and not because weed causes far less problems than booze in society. How many domestic violence problems, DUI's, deaths from accidents, bar fights etc does booze cause every single day in this country? Thousands upon thousands. Yet, it's legal while the stoner who keeps to himself and stimulates the pizza delivery business is made to look the villain. In country's like Amsterdam where it is legal, I have read that the amount of users is actually less than that of the US.

Unlike alcohol, weed is very easy for any average Joe to grow, thus eliminating the government's ability to regulate and tax it. Right now Uncle Sam can make far more money prosecuting people for possession etc, than they'd ever be able to make trying to become a distributor themselves.

But Phelps knows the laws and 'rules' of fame. He broke them and it will cost him a bunch of money.

 

[ccskier]

When i was a kid.. i looked up to soldiers, firemen and policemen.. and my Dad...

Well said. Sports, entertainers, etc... are not role models. Be like Mike, sure that would be cool, blowing millions gambling.

 

[bvibert]

My role model is Oscar the grouch. He may be doing drugs inside of that can of his, but at least he keeps it to himself.

 

[severine]

Unlike alcohol, weed is very easy for any average Joe to grow, thus eliminating the government's ability to regulate and tax it. Right now Uncle Sam can make far more money prosecuting people for possession etc, than they'd ever be able to make trying to become a distributor themselves.

I never thought of it that way before. I was always in favor of legalizing and taxing, but I see your point.

 

[ctenidae]

Unlike alcohol, weed is very easy for any average Joe to grow, thus eliminating the government's ability to regulate and tax it. Right now Uncle Sam can make far more money prosecuting people for possession etc, than they'd ever be able to make trying to become a distributor themselves.

But...but...but it's unconstitutional to prosecute crimes as a funding source, isn't it? They would never do something so heinous as that.

Of course, I'm quite certain housing all those career driminal dope smokers costs considerably more than the fines that get charged. Weed could still be taxed- tobacco's pretty easy to grow, too, but people don't- it's easier to hit the corner store for a pack of butts.

 

[Jisch]

The United States has the highest documented incarceration rate, and total documented prison population in the world.

John (it must be true, I saw it on John Stewart last night AND its in Wikipedia)

 

[mondeo]

But...but...but it's unconstitutional to prosecute crimes as a funding source, isn't it? They would never do something so heinous as that.

Of course, I'm quite certain housing all those career driminal dope smokers costs considerably more than the fines that get charged. Weed could still be taxed- tobacco's pretty easy to grow, too, but people don't- it's easier to hit the corner store for a pack of butts.

Of course speeding tickets aren't profitable...

Oh, and never mind that federal drug regulations are based on the commerce clause. It would be interesting to see the law actually challenged on the basis of all parts of the trade taking place within a single state.

And if people don't grow their own tobacco, why would potheads grow their own pot if they could just buy it? Growing stuff takes work. And we're talking about potheads here.

 

[Warp Daddy]

disclaimer - warp i am not directing this at you... this is more of a comment on society and what i believe and seeen as a HS coach.

parents need to stop passing the role model buck to athletes and celebs. good parents can educate and talk to their kids about all that is good and bad in this world. in the end the kid needs to take what he learns at home and make his/her own decisions... and deal with the reprecussions. let mike phelps lead his life the way he chooses. who are we to judge anyone els?

Grassi : No offense taken partner - its a good discussion and we are ALL entitled to our Opinions and Values

.I too in addition to teaching ,coached hoops and track at the college level when first starting out in my career in higher education and have handled more than my share of train wrecks. I always believed that if one expects a lot you'll get it ,especially if rewarded.Whereas if one expects less, then that what you are likely to see . Call it tuff love or high standards, but that's where i come from . Forgiveness always but responsibility is other side of that coin

My observation is that like it or not, the reality is that we are ALL judged by others based on our ACTIONS/behavior NOT our rhetoric. People/bosses /peers / friends and John /Jane Sixpack make these assessments regularly .There are consequences and you are right we all have to live with them

I hope Mr Phelps gets his act together for his own sake .

 

[Marc]

Why is everyone so up in arms about this?

The most egregious act was his drunk driving to date. That speaks far more to his character for me. Someone willing to endanger others of one's own careless volition is inexcusable in my eyes.

In other news, the kid swims faster than anyone else on Earth. Woopie. Somewhere out there, there's someone who's the best tiddly winks player in the world. Both hold about the same stock as far as I'm concerned. Wake me when he does something impressive.

 

[RootDKJ]

The most egregious act was his under age drunk driving to date.

fixed it for you 8)

 

[mondeo]

In other news, the kid swims faster than anyone else on Earth. Woopie. Somewhere out there, there's someone who's the best tiddly winks player in the world. Both hold about the same stock as far as I'm concerned. Wake me when he does something impressive.

I dunno. Excellence to that level in any field I think deserves some amount of respect. Yes, he's naturally gifted, but there are plenty of people who are naturally talented who don't accomplish anywhere near what he has. To excel at that level takes tons of hard work and dedication. I think that counts for something.

 

[Marc]

I dunno. Excellence to that level in any field I think deserves some amount of respect. Yes, he's naturally gifted, but there are plenty of people who are naturally talented who don't accomplish anywhere near what he has. To excel at that level takes tons of hard work and dedication. I think that counts for something.

Depends on who is doing the counting, doesn't it. Like I said, it's swimming, and for me that puts it in perspective. There's something novel about it perhaps, but like I said, about the same as being the world's greatest tiddly winks player.

I know plenty of people who work just as hard as he does, it just so happens they don't work at doing the same task over and over again.

 

[jjmcgo]

Change the law now

The fact that the best swimmer in history is a pothead kind of undermines the "aimless" argument, doesn't it? The best player on the New York Jets recently tested positive for pot too.

With our economy in the tank and the government printing money it doesn't have, I don't think we can justify the $7.7 billion annual enforcement expense, just to keep excess cops, prosecutors, judges and corrections officers working. Legalize and tax it and make it a government source of revenue.

There is nothing about the impact marijuana has on users that justifies this expenditure. Minor, minor sedative, at the most.

And, unlike a lot of the legal pharmaceutical ads we see on TV, it doesn't cause lymphoma, gall-bladder disease, heart attacks or cancer.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I hope more famous and admired celebritys get caught smoking pot..bunch of waste of space hippies with no motivation for anything sitting on the couch all day eating Doritos and drinking Kool-Aid watching SpongeBob SquarePants...ok that was like 3 of my roommates from college..

 

[Warp Daddy]

The fact that the best swimmer in history is a pothead kind of undermines the "aimless" argument, doesn't it? The best player on the New York Jets recently tested positive for pot too.

With our economy in the tank and the government printing money it doesn't have, I don't think we can justify the $7.7 billion annual enforcement expense, just to keep excess cops, prosecutors, judges and corrections officers working. Legalize and tax it and make it a government source of revenue.

There is nothing about the impact marijuana has on users that justifies this expenditure. Minor, minor sedative, at the most.

And, unlike a lot of the legal pharmaceutical ads we see on TV, it doesn't cause lymphoma, gall-bladder disease, heart attacks or cancer.[/QU

IMO couple or several high profile potheads getting outed will; have little or no influence on legalization anytime soon .

 

[riverc0il]

disclaimer - warp i am not directing this at you... this is more of a comment on society and what i believe and seeen as a HS coach.

parents need to stop passing the role model buck to athletes and celebs. good parents can educate and talk to their kids about all that is good and bad in this world. in the end the kid needs to take what he learns at home and make his/her own decisions... and deal with the reprecussions. let mike phelps lead his life the way he chooses. who are we to judge anyone els?

Wonderfully said! I would imagine there are relatively few "role models" in this world that have not smoked pot or done other illegal drugs in their 20s. As someone who has never smoked pot or done any illegal drugs (did drink under age though!), I find it an incredible contradiction that people who once smoked then turn around and say its bad and kids shouldn't do it. Also as someone who has never smoked, I am a huge proponent of legalizing this stuff because it is FAR FAR FAR less dangerous than legal substances (cigs and booze).

Phelps is a bad role model because he did something and then made a statement expressing regret for a "bad decision" and I can't believe he actually believes that. Maybe the reality is his "bad decision" was the people he partied with or allowing himself to be photographed and he was honest with his words if not in his explanation. But Phelps would be a HUGE role model if he came out and said "I made a decision to do something and I judged its morality to be acceptable, and the USA needs to change its definition of this being immoral." But then the media would have had a field day and his sponsorships would have REALLY been in jeopardy.

I feel for those of you with kids, I honestly have no idea what that must be like trying to raise a kid to make the right decisions. To be able to have some fun but not cross the line. Role Modeling athletes is not the way I would approach things though.

Words can not describe my discomfort with the hypocrisy of so many people in this country when this type of thing happens. Seems like a fine opportunity to educate youth rather than just say "drugs are bad, pot is bad, phelps is bad, etc.". Bill Hicks would have had a field day with this story had he been here today. And I will take my moral relativism and step aside now

 

[riverc0il]

I hope Mr Phelps gets his act together for his own sake .

Would it be safe to extrapolate this to mean that your view is smoking pot means someone does not have their act together?

I think the real moral to this story is "it's only wrong if you get caught..."

 

[riverc0il]

The most egregious act was his drunk driving to date. That speaks far more to his character for me. Someone willing to endanger others of one's own careless volition is inexcusable in my eyes.

Well put.