Accused Of Murdering Mexican Children
An editorial in The Dallas Morning News mentions a "decline in stigma attached to marijuana use." But you'd never know it from an outburst by Rodger Jones on The Dallas Morning News Opinion blog, in which he lambastes Michael Phelps for smoking marijuana.
"My view is this: Michael Phelps validates the world opinion of Americans as self-indulgent, self-interested consumerists engaging in a perpetual national frat party. Thanks, Michael. You have a level of responsibility you failed to recognize. I'd not shed a tear if your sponsors all cancelled your contracts before you could sprint the length of the pool. As a society we should send you a potent message about consequences -- youthful indescretions or not."
Rodger Jones questions why few other newspaper editorial boards commented on Michael Phelps' choice of recreational drug. The most likely answer? Perhaps because few other editorial boards lay the blame for the deaths of drug dealers in Detroit and innocent Mexicans killed by drug cartels on a single American young man who happens to be an occasional recreational marijuana user. As reader "jackie smith" puts it:
"When you consume the drug you have blood in your hands! Stop fooling yourself claiming that your act is a private, one that only involves you!! It is not TRUE. You are contributing to the murder of policemen, judges, journalists and their innocent family members."The logic is as flawed as saying that Rodger Jones and "jackie smith" personally have blood on their own hands for supporting laws against innocuous recreational drug use. Unlike the legal production, distribution, and consumption of beer and wine, it's the illegal status of recreational drugs that gives power to the outlaw drug cartels. Rodger Jones and "jackie smith" will not reduce drug violence by making outlaws of athletes like Michael Phelps. Rodger Jones' rant against Michael Phelps emphasizes the absurdity of our drug laws and reinforces the need for reform.
2 comments:
i've gotta hand it to Phelps for being man enough to acknowledge his actions and apologize -- he's still a decent role model despite the hypocritical media storm
Thanks for the comment. What Phelps did was no big deal, but it was a mistake, potentially a huge mistake. I think he handled the press feeding frenzy well.
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