Posted on 09/05/2002 9:02:55 AM PDT by mhking
SANTA ANA, Calif. - The 20-year-old former high school basketball star told the judge he smoked pot because it made him a better player. So the 42-year-old jurist challenged him to a game of one-on-one on a different court.
"I thought maybe he was kidding," said defendant Alvaro Alvarez, who accepted the challenge after he was charged with marijuana possession.
Superior Court Judge Marc Kelly sentenced Alvarez to attend drug abuse classes for the misdemeanor, then told him to return to court ready for a game.
On Tuesday, Alvarez proved he attended class. Then the judge stripped off his judicial robe and laced up his sneakers.
"You better not let him beat you," Alvarez's friends said.
Alvarez, who said he's been smoking pot since he was 10, added he wouldn't need the relaxing qualities he said marijuana provides to take on a player more than twice his age. After all, he was the defensive player of the year as a sophomore at Santa Ana Valley High School.
As he faced off against the judge outside the Orange County courthouse, Judge Steven L. Perk stepped up to referee and half dozen court employees made up the cheering section.
Although both players stood about 5-foot-10 and appeared physically fit, it was no contest.
In a game to see who could score the first 10 baskets, the judge slam-dunked the former high school star 10-3.
"Defensive player of the year, Alvarez? Come on," Kelly trash-talked at one point, then drove for two consecutive lay-ups. "The marijuana's getting to you, Alvarez. You're exhausted, aren't you?"
After the game, the two embraced.
"You surprise me," a winded Alvarez told the judge. "You are quicker than most of the guys I play with."
Perhaps that's because Kelly had played some ball himself, on a Notre Dame team that included future NBA players Orlando Woolridge and Bill Laimbeer.
"Lay off the marijuana," he admonished Alvarez.
"I might have to, because it's getting me tired," Alvarez replied.
So? Good. Giving this kid a fine or whatever wouldn't make half the impression on him that showing him up in front of his buddies did. We need more "creative sentencing", not less.
Notice I gave no value judgement on what this judge was doing? I simply explained it. If you want an argument go bark up some other tree. You bore me.
Who's a Libertarian? He didn't say anything about re-legalization, did he?
AFAIK, about 50% of pot smokers are GOP-ers, about 50% D*mmies, and about 0.5% Libertarians. All the advocates of re-legalization, however, appear to be GOP or LP.
You have any *actual information* on the subject?
I've challenged you-all Woddies before, name a few prominent D*ms who are for re-legalization. (Not the same as changing the crack vs. powder coke sentences, or being in favor of medical mj).
What's chnged since 1937, when the GOP was arguing that the MJ tax act was unconstitutional? Has the GOP become more conservative since then?
Uh Barney Frank for one, although you will no doubt say that he hides behind the specious arguement of "medical marijuana".
Look the evidence is there right before your blood shot eye face that marijuana is a leftist issue.
Numero uno of the drug legalization scene is Hillary friend and numero uno socialist George Soros, who is the sugar daddy for, IMHO, one of your favorite "charities", the Lindesmith Center, which is on par with the Sierra Club of spilling leftist bile.
Yeah, yeah you will mention Bill Buckley and George Schultz as being for drug legalization, but they do not put their money where their mouth as Hillary's bestest buddy George Soros does.
You owe me an apology.
For what dude? That the pot head 60's hippies spat on the returning veterans.
IMHO, you owe me an apology for spouting Jane Fonda(i.e BS)
That is a big issue with his gay constituency. He's never come out for re-legalization.
You know what I'm afraid of? That the left will do a 180 and actually, openly support re-legalization (after they've come up with some boondoggle, like airport security, so they won't have to lay off any narcs.) Do you think they just *might* win with re-legalization on the platform?
Yeah, yeah you will mention Bill Buckley and George Schultz
Well, you did
but they do not put their money where their mouth as Hillary's bestest buddy George Soros does.
If it were such a losing proposition, you'd think National Review would have folded a long time ago...
This is weak, even for you. The closest to a 'prominent D' who favors re-legalization that you could come up with is Soros, whom you try to malign by association with H*ll*ry. She's no re-legalizer. No more than B*rn*y Fr*nk or T*d K*nn*dy are. They just demagogue the sentencing disparity, or how it hurts people with AIDS.
But there are lots of GOP re-legalizers. There were Republican congressmen calling it unconstitutional in 1937. There still are.
For what dude? That the pot head 60's hippies spat on the returning veterans.
For implying that I did anything but show respect for veterans, that's what for.
So you are denying that the 60's hippy demonstrators, who the majority spat on Nam vets returning home, IMHO, never used marijuana or used marijuana as a symbol for their "rebellion" against the establishment(i.e. old fogies who never "understood" the 60's).
Oh yeah there is the Governor of NM, who is paving the way for Monica hot potato handler, Bill Richardson.
His name escapes me, but you all(pot is benign and never hurt a soul people) have left him out of the debate since he almost drowned by himself going whitewater rafting a while back.
Gary Johnson.
and the ones you named, Buckley and Schultz. And Milton Friedman. And so on and so forth
but you all(pot is benign and never hurt a soul people) have left him out of the debate since he almost drowned by himself going whitewater rafting a while back.
Was he stoned at the time? Is he even a toker? I was under the impression he was a *former* user, but I may be mistaken about that.
Where's the apology? You implied I was dissing returning VietNam veterans. That's both a lie and an insult.
No apology forthcoming, especially when the one who demands an "apology" acts like a leftist who dismisses history and who denies that pot was a major ingriedient of the "counter culture"(you know the people who spat on returning vets during the 60's, Hillary being their "finest" product).
Like, wow man, he dunked on me again! Got any nachos?
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