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Phelps apologizes for 'bad judgment' after marijuana photo

I disagree. I have respect for people who are who they appear to be, not people who pretend to be someone they're not. That's not a role model, IMO.

I understand what you are saying. All people put up a facade IMO. Maybe not all the time, but people don't share their weakest, darkist sides all the time. I don't blame him for selling his image though.

I think role models are just people I don't know enough about. We all have our demons.
 
No one goes to jail for possessing weed in moderate amounts, famous or not.

Come to Livingston County, Illinois. You would be wrong.
 
Phelps appears to be the most dominant athlete in the history of the olympics and he actually is. He appears to be a good ambassador of the sport and our country and he actually is. The fact that he smoked weed does nothing to change that. I think of all the teachers, professors, friends, parents, siblings, professional relations and acquantances in my life who have smoked weed and I am reminded of the fact that it is no one's goddamn business.

Of course it's nobody's business. Which is exactly why he shouldn't have apologized. He did nothing wrong and it is pathetic, IMO, for him to PRETEND he's sorry for something that isn't wrong to begin with and that harmed no one.
 
Of course it's nobody's business. Which is exactly why he shouldn't have apologized. He did nothing wrong and it is pathetic, IMO, for him to PRETEND he's sorry for something that isn't wrong to begin with and that harmed no one.

So you feel when someone breaks the law they don't owe an apology for it?
 
Not if it's an unjust law, no. That is silly.

And who decides if it is an unjust law, you?

I think the anti-gay marriage law is unjust, but it is still a law and it still prevents gays from getting married, so why is it you get to decide it is ok for an Olympic swimmer to be in possession of weed?
 
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So you feel when someone breaks the law they don't owe an apology for it?

**** no, they don't. A law doesn't make something right or wrong. Breaking the law doesn't mean anyone was hurt. I wouldn't apologize for any of the laws I have broken, and continue to break.
 
**** no, they don't. A law doesn't make something right or wrong. Breaking the law doesn't mean anyone was hurt. I wouldn't apologize for any of the laws I have broken, and continue to break.

So, if a law doesn't make something right or wrong what does?

It's not that I don't agree with you in part, but I am curious your answer.
 
And who decides if it is an unjust law, you?

I suppose it's a combination of things, really. I'm not claiming to be an authority on what is unjust or just. I'm merely claiming that if I feel a law is unjust I will not apologize for breaking said law. It's a subjective valuation one makes, whether or not that subjective valuation garners objective validation is another matter entirely.

I think the anti-gay marriage law is unjust, but it is still a law and it still prevents gays from getting married, so why is it you get to decide it is ok for an Olympic swimmer to be in possession of weed?

I never claimed I get to decide what is appropriate, although I can certainly make a good case as to why smoking marijuana is appropriate. What I'm saying is that Michael Phelps - assuming he feels the law is unjust - should not apologize for it. Why should he? In his mind he hasn't done anything wrong, whether you agree with him or not is immaterial. It's not like there is a law that one must apologize for breaking the law.
 
No one goes to jail for possessing weed in moderate amounts, famous or not.

Yes, they do. It depends on the county they're in.
It can also depend on their age, and how many priors they have.
 
I'm merely claiming that if I feel a law is unjust I will not apologize for breaking said law.

This comment is fine, you are stating an opinion, I have no problem with that. It is an opinion I happen to agree with.

To me it is just funny to see such support for Phelps in this, yet many others couldn't give two shakes of a piss for some common Joe serving in Prison.

To me it's the old, "You're famous and win gold medals so you are above the law" type thing.

I hate the celebrity bull**** with a pasion. In America there are two courts essentially, those for the regular people and those for the famous.

I just hate seeing support from people for Phelps and not the common Joe. I am not accusing you of this but many people do hold different standards.
 
This comment is fine, you are stating an opinion, I have no problem with that. It is an opinion I happen to agree with.

To me it is just funny to see such support for Phelps in this, yet many others couldn't give two shakes of a piss for some common Joe serving in Prison.

To me it's the old, "You're famous and win gold medals so you are above the law" type thing.

I hate the celebrity bull**** with a pasion. In America there are two courts essentially, those for the regular people and those for the famous.

I just hate seeing support from people for Phelps and not the common Joe. I am not accusing you of this but many people do hold different standards.

Absolutely. Even more reason why he should not apologize. He should make a stand on behalf of all those unjustly imprisoned and arrested. Now, obviously, I don't expect him to do that and I guess I can't really fault him for it since he has a career to think about, but it would have been the right thing to do. I don't think Muhummad Ali would have apologized...he would have stood tall and proud and proclaimed, "I am STILL the greatest!"
 
Come to Livingston County, Illinois. You would be wrong.

According to this, in IL, if you have under 2.5g, it's probation on your first conviction, and up to 30 days with subsequent convictions.

Illinois - NORML

Yes, they do. It depends on the county they're in.
It can also depend on their age, and how many priors they have.

According to this, in TX, conviction of possession of less than a pound is probation and drug treatment unless you've been convicted of a felony.

Texas - NORML

I could be wrong, and there could be local laws that are more restrictive than each of these. However, even with these particular maximums, I very much doubt that many people in any counties are spending time in jail for possession of small amounts just because it's such a low priority for most prosecutors. I prosecuted kids for possession of **** like heroin and crack, and despite the fact that they had multiple priors, they were getting sentenced to treatment and probation. We rarely even bothered to follow through on the weed cases unless it was the 3rd or 4th time a kid had gotten busted.
 
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According to this, in IL, if you have under 2.5g, it's probation on your first conviction, and up to 30 days with subsequent convictions.

Illinois - NORML



According to this, in TX, conviction of possession of less than a pound is probation and drug treatment unless you've been convicted of a felony.

Texas - NORML

I could be wrong, and there could be local laws that are more restrictive than each of these. However, even with these particular maximums, I very much doubt that many people in any counties are spending time in jail for possession of small amounts just because it's such a low priority for most prosecutors. I prosecuted kids for possession of **** like heroin and crack, and despite the fact that they had multiple priors, they were getting sentenced to treatment and probation. We rarely even bothered to follow through on the weed cases unless it was the 3rd or 4th time a kid had gotten busted.

In Livingston county they just spent millions on a new jail. They are looking to fill it. They also are big on punishing before they move on to actual narcotics. There is crime, but not enough to ignore the "gateway" drug. And while you may get probation on a first offense, you will still have to bond out of jail or wait to see the judge for a PR bond when they arrest you. They don't write tickets for under 2.5 grams. Some cops will confiscate it for personal use though which is always nice. :mrgreen:
 
Marijuana laws in the US are hilariously hypocritical. Bill Hicks has some damn funny quotes about them
 
Marijuana laws in the US are hilariously hypocritical. Bill Hicks has some damn funny quotes about them

In the country where Rush Limbaugh can get pounds of **** he wasn't prescribed and the Olsen twins can openly confess to using cocaine. I'm not too worried about smoking weed while tattooing pig skins with Run DMC playing on my iPod. **** the police.
 
I can't believe he ****ing apologized for that. People that apologize for no goddamn reason when they've done nothing wrong really lose my respect.

I thought the exact same thing! But.. Guess he did it because he is suppose to be a role model to the young kids:roll:
 
"They lie about marijuana. Tell you pot-smoking makes you unmotivated. Lie! When you're high, you can do everything you normally do, just as well. You just realize that it's not worth the ****ing effort. There is a difference."
 
In the country where Rush Limbaugh can get pounds of **** he wasn't prescribed and the Olsen twins can openly confess to using cocaine. I'm not too worried about smoking weed while tattooing pig skins with Run DMC playing on my iPod. **** the police.

Tatooing pig skins?
 
So what about Phelps?
 
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