Michael Phelps on hot seat for controversial photo

When the law is wrong, it is our duty to break it. I think Henry David Thoreau would agree.

I think Martin Luther King Jr. would have agreed as well.

"An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law." ~Martin Luther King Jr.
 
About 40% of americans support legalizing it. Most of these people presumably either won't care, or will actually like him more because of it. Of the 60% who don't think it should be legal, over 70% say that the punishment should be a fine, not jail time - again, presumably these people won't be too outraged.

The percentage of people who are upset enough about pot to think that it should result in prison time is apparently about 18% - probably not enough to make the sponsors worried about him tarnishing their brands much. Especially when you consider that among young people (the target audience for most of the stuff he endorses) the percentage who would be upset about this is probably much lower than in the general population. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the over-all effect was positive.
 
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Pot is practically legal where I live even if the police catch you with it they just take it away and say don't do that anymore. Is it really that big of a deal? When I heard about Phelps' picture I didn't even care enough to have an opinion on it. Why is a dangerous drug like alcohol legal, but marijuana not? just curious.
 
mike, breaking the law is not really the issue here and i dont think anyone would be investigated for that type of photo either.
Thanks for reiterating what I've been saying all thread. Maybe you should tell Orly that, not me. :shrug:

that is a big deal though.
Not compared to going to jail/losing your freedom. Not that it would happen to Phelps but I've seen stranger shit happen.
 
Holy Crap! I would never be ok with my grade schooler smoking weed.

As much as I love pot, I agree. I wouldn't even be ok with my high schooler smoking weed.
Of course my stance would be (to the kid): Do not let me find any in the house, do not let me catch you smoking it in the house, and do not call me from jail saying you have been arrested for anything to do with it.
Although when my children were old enough to know what pot was, I would tell them that I had smoked pot in the past.
 
being stoned on pot has zero effect on your swimming ability.

No kidding.

Kenny and I will smoke a big fat bowl, then go outside and jump off stuff on our mountain bikes. It relaxes us and keeps us focused on what we're doing. There is no way I'd go out and jump mountain bikes drunk though.
 
Thanks for reiterating what I've been saying all thread. Maybe you should tell Orly that, not me. :shrug:...

I never said he needed to be investigated, jailed, or lose his sponsorships. All I said is that he did break the law. Calm down Nancy.
 
When I heard about Phelps' picture I didn't even care enough to have an opinion on it. Why is a dangerous drug like alcohol legal, but marijuana not? just curious.



Funny in the "gotcha" photo there is a Bud Light on the table.... not word one about that .... oh the hypocrisy of it all :m:
 
No he's over 21... I read that SC is going to try and charge him for paraphernalia

There is no sweeter sound than the crumbling of one's fellow man.

G. Marx
 
I never said he needed to be investigated, jailed, or lose his sponsorships. All I said is that he did break the law. Calm down Nancy.
No no. He was directing the 'breaking the law' comment at me, when you were the one that was arguing that point.
I was just saying to address you on that since you were the one making that point.
(I wasn't trying to be condescending with that post, just making sure john addressed the right person with his statement).
 
Pot is practically legal where I live even if the police catch you with it they just take it away and say don't do that anymore. Is it really that big of a deal? When I heard about Phelps' picture I didn't even care enough to have an opinion on it. Why is a dangerous drug like alcohol legal, but marijuana not? just curious.
Same here. The police will arrest you if they catch you with it, but I believe the normal punishment if you're caught with less than 10 oz. is for the judge to give you a suspended sentence with automatic dismissal of the charges if you aren't arrested again for one year. Even the judges seem to agree that it's a waste of everyone's time...
 
Same here. The police will arrest you if they catch you with it, but I believe the normal punishment if you're caught with less than 10 oz. is for the judge to give you a suspended sentence with automatic dismissal of the charges if you aren't arrested again for one year. Even the judges seem to agree that it's a waste of everyone's time...

what if you have 4 2oz baggies?
(I have no idea how its sold and in what weight) But its a total of 8 oz, but would they nail you for selling it? I mean, who carries it like that unless they are gonna sell it.
 
what if you have 4 2oz baggies?
(I have no idea how its sold and in what weight) But its a total of 8 oz, but would they nail you for selling it? I mean, who carries it like that unless they are gonna sell it.
If you have a bunch of baggies with pot in them (regardless of how much is in each bag), they can charge you with disribution. And that's where the sentencing can get real harsh.
 
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