Finny,
I agree with you 100% here. Conservatism can get a bit contradictory on a few issues, and this is one. Personally, I have both tried and sworn off marijuana. Haven’t touched the stuff in ten years. Personally, I cannot stand the typical marijuana ‘culture’ - whether the gangsta, fratboy, damn dirty hippie or the yuppie variant.
That said, I do believe alcohol to be far more dangerous a drug and the statistics and comparitive effects back me up there. The decision to outlaw marijuana and at times impose jail sentences to citizens simply exercising their right to mildly inebriate themselves (as many of us occasionally do with alcohol) is a little overboard. I hate being on the same side as your average dreadlocked liberal douche on this one, but intellectual and logical consistency sometimes hurts.
As for Phelps, he rightly will lose a lot of endorsement money now. As it stands marijuana is illegal and this culture does demand that athletes and those in the public eye (excepting Democrat politicians, of course) be role models. The fairness of that is debatable, but it is reality. He clearly is an occasional pot smoker at the least, evidenced by his familiarity with a bong. That he dominated the Olympics anyway does make a point that occasional use of marijuana (like alcohol) is nowhere near as damaging as hard drugs like heroin or methamphetamine.
I don’t like pot. I generally don’t like pot smokers. But I also don’t like the government regulating and criminalizing personal choices that are nonviolent and private. I find it hard to proclaim that the government should stay the hell out of my business and allow me to say what I please, arm myself how I please and allow me to have a damn Marlboro with my bourbon at my local bar, then turn around and advocate arrest for some idiot with a bong. Make sense?
Phelps was always a typical college guy with typical college guy vices. Remember he got a DUI a while back. He’s doing what most young guys would do if you suddenly gave them status and cash. Party up. Except now all the haters in the media are watching his every move. That’s the price of fame.
One hundred percent agreed.
He clearly is an occasional pot smoker at the least, evidenced by his familiarity with a bong. That he dominated the Olympics anyway does make a point that occasional use of marijuana (like alcohol) is nowhere near as damaging as hard drugs like heroin or methamphetamine. Yep.