TYT: Should Phelps Face Criminal Charges For A Bong Hit?

[ihavenobias]

Run time: 04:50 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDQpqsx4Cmg   Posted on YouTube: February 04, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: February 04, 2009 By DU Member: ihavenobias Views on DU: 1115

 
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[rateyes]

1. If everyone else would be charged under the same circumstances,

then he should be charged. Personally, I think marijuana should be decriminalized...but, seeing that it isn't...Phelps should get no more consideration than any other human being. Neither should he get less.

What's good for the goose...

[CherylK]

5. But this surely wouldn't have happened if he wasn't a star!

No one would care about it if he just some random 23 year old. Seems like a waste of time and money to me.

:smoke:

[Gato Moteado]

20. because millions of others are victims of ridiculous drugs laws.....

....so should michael phelps?

the only people that should be punished are the idiots that make these crazy laws and the morons that support them (like limbaugh, etc).

[rateyes]

21. Until the law is changed, Phelps is bound as a citizen to either obey them

or pay the price for breaking them. I agree the law should be changed. But, Phelps should get no pass because he is who he is.

[Gato Moteado]

22. my feeling is that nobody should pay the price for doing something like what phelps did......

.....why would you support the enforcement of unfair, oppressive laws on anyone?

at one time slavery was legal in the US and it was illegal for an african american to try to escape from his or her "owners". if slavery were still legal and you saw a photo of an escaped slave would you use the same logic that you're using here? would you say something like "well, i agree that the law should be changed but that person is bound as a citizen to either obey the law or pay the price for breaking it. He should get no pass for who he is." ?

it's hard for me to understand your point of view here. you're saying that because other people have been punished for smoking weed, so should michael phelps....he should get no preferential treatment.

i'm saying that michael phelps should not be punished and neither should anyone else. and just because other people have been punished, that doesn't mean it's ok to punish someone that hasn't been shoved into the judicial system yet. what we need to do is stop punishing people who are doing no wrong to anyone. yes, we need to change the ridiculous laws. and in the mean time we need to stop punishing people that are not criminals, and that means michael phelps and everyone else in his situation.

[rateyes]

23. I agree that the law is unjust...

I also agree that, whether or not we think a law is unjust, citizens should obey the law. The only exception is if a citizen is participating in civil disobedience to bring attention to an unjust law. Yet, even in that case, the person breaking the law should very well be prepared to go to jail for his/her principles.


There are many who hope Phelps gets off the hook. My point is, if he gets off the hook, many of those hoping that he did will NOT do anything about the others who are rotting in jail for the same crime that Phelps committed. If Phelps is prosecuted, and winds up in jail, then perhaps more attention will be brought to the whole crowd of people.

To illustrate: I'm opposed to the death penalty. When OJ Simpson (who, IMO, viciously murdered two people) was going to trial, the prosecutors said that they would not seek the death penalty before the trial began. My feeling is that since they did not seek the death penalty in that brutal case, they have no business seeking it in any case. They made that decision, not based on the law and the brutality of the crime, but because of who he is, and the fear that if it was being sought that jurors wouldn't convict him. The jurors didn't convict him, anyway, because, IMO of who he is.

However, prosecutors in that office HAVE sought the death penalty in cases where the murder was not as brutal. There are two standards of justice in this country---one for the rich and famous, and one for everybody else. All I'm saying is that Phelps should get no special treatment for who he is. He knew the law. He chose to break the law. Now, he should pay the consequences, or fight to have the law changed. If that fight includes him being a "martyr" for his cause, then so be it.

But, if he wants to get out of the consequences for breaking the law without fighting for those who are in jail for the same violation, simply because of who he is---he gets no sympathy from me.

[Gato Moteado]

24. there's no comparison between taking a bong hit and brutally murdering your wife and her friend.....

....but, at least, i think i'm starting to understand your feelings. maybe you're right about attention being brought to the stupidity of the drug laws if phelps is convicted (though, i doubt he's going to ever have any legal problems based on a photograph of him hitting a bong).

yes, there are people rotting in jail for drug use. yes, all non-violent drug offenders need to be released. but their predicament wasn't caused by michael phelps or anyone else who smokes dope and doesn't get busted for it. we need to stop incarcerating people for what they want to do to their own bodies.

i doubt phelps wants to get out of consequences for breaking the ridiculous drug law simply because of who he is. he's just like anyone else in his situation....he feels that toking is no big deal and the law is stupid and people should be free to do what they want as long as they're not hurting anyone else or infringing on anyone else's liberties.

[rateyes]

25. Cool.

:hi:

[glinda]

2. All stars and wealthy have a target on them for drug dealers. He should wise up!

[glinda]

3. oh... and press charges on the "source" of the drugs, not just Phelps.

[Donnachaidh]

4. personally, I think that Sheriff should be fired for wasting taxpayer's time

And he should be BILLED for the hours he wasted.

I don't see how this is even an issue -- for f*ck's sake - show me HOW this redneck douchebag is going to PROVE it was marijuana in the bong in the first place?

The levels of stupid in this country are astounding!

[Jackpine Radical]

6. NOBODY should face criminal charges for a bong hit.

[pleah]

7. NO

[Longhorn Liberal]

8. I would like to know

how much of an uproar there would be if Phelps had been photographed downing a shot of vodka.

[jhrobbins]

17. Exactly!! And I don't mean to sound like Carrie Nations here, but

alcohol has done way more harm in it's history than marijuana can even think about. Alcohol related motor deaths, families torn apart by alcoholism, physical and mental abuse from one partner to another, fights, riots, etc., etc.
Now, I use neither(I'm no Pollyanna - I have done both in my day), so I have no agenda here.
It is a travesty that marijuana is treated the way it is while alcohol is perfectly acceptable, lauded in fact at times. Not to mention the VAST sums of money our government has spent in 'fighting' this 'war'.

[SacredCow]

9. I haven't paid much attention to the bong hit....

Has it been disclosed where he was when he took the puff? Perhaps he was in Amsterdam, or somewhere else where it might have been legal?

[Longhorn Liberal]

10. South Carolina

Specifically, on or near the University of South Carolina. Columbia, SC. Richland County.

[SacredCow]

11. Oh.... Well, that blows that outta the water...

So, yeah- he should be taken out and shot at dawn. :sarcasm:

[LaPera]

12. This Sheriff is a fucking clown looking for publicity, threatening to prosecute someone on video

for taking a hit off a bong...not a fucking chance, how they going to prove what was in the bong, can they smell it through a video, who gives a fuck if someone takes a hit off a bong, and why would anyone?

How are they going to prove anything and how much will it cost to try and prosecute for this non crime, is this so fucking important, no real criminals in the whole county doing anything worst?

So go after some guy simply because he took a hit off a bong? This Sheriff is an absolute asshole as is anyone else who thinks this is such a big deal.

Get a fucking life of your own and have a fucking hit!!

[LiberalLovinLug]

13. Its a photograph

Is it that easy to prosecute a drug crime in SC? So anyone could send in a photo of anyone else smoking a bong with their name and address printed on back to the local police, and that's it? Could even be a photoshoped picture.

Does not compute.

Unless SC really is a backwater hillbilly lawless corner of America some say it is. Scary if thats the case

[The Wizard]

18. doesn't have to be a bong

A photo of someone smoking a cigarette of any substance would be grounds for prosecution.
They open the door for a tidal wave of bullshit if they want to pursue this deranged course.

[Crowman1979]

14. Their arresting the wrong Phelps!

It should have been that old bastard Fred Phelps! LOL

[Politicalboi]

15. No, there's no proof it was pot

Bongs can be used for other smoking. And here in Ca we had another 5 medical Marijuana suppliers busted today. This shit needs to stop now. An eyewitness on the radio said a lot of people go there and they don't "look" sick. How can they go by what people think as to what is really happening. I was hoping by now that we would have heard something from President Obama by now since he has been in charge since all these busts have happened. It's just a fucking plant. Good thing there wasn't any Comet or Ajax on the table near him it might be Cocaine.LOL! Reminds of Up in Smoke when that woman snorted all that Ajax. Bunga Bunga Bunga LOL! Good shit it's turning Blue.

[azmesa207]

16. Michael Phelps

after winning all those medals in the Olympic they should make it legal and a requirement for all athletes during training

[OhioChick]

19. K&R

:kick: