A debate about Marijuana
Judging from your responses to the previous post, I see there's a wide range of opinion on Marijuana so I want to give you my thought on it.
I know a lot of you believe suspending Ricky Williams for testing positive for Marijuana is wrong. I know a lot of you think Marijuana is no more harmful, maybe less so, than alcohol. I know a lot of you think the NFL's inability to keep secret test results, well, secret is a greater misdeed than actually testing for the drug in the first place.
I'm not going to argue any of those points with you because I doubt I could change your mind. But consider this:
Marijuana is illegal. That is a cold, unavoidable, undeniable fact. It is illegal throughout the US and certainly in Florida where Ricky Williams wants to make his living. So to excuse his use of the illegal drug is simply excusing someone breaking the law. Look, running a red light isn't horrible. People do it every day. That doesn't make it right. It is illegal. Period.
Being Cuban-born, someone asked me the other day what I thought of the current immigration debate going on, guessing I would be in favor of open borders. My response was the same as a pundit I heard recently when he was asked his opinion about illegal immigration. "It's illegal," he said.
Simple as that. Illegal immigration is illegal. Marijuana is illegal. Running that red light? Illegal.
At some point in our society bogged down by relativism we really do have to draw lines over which people cannot cross. Some of you may call that intolerance. I call it order. Face it, this is not a gray issue. The law is black and white. And we have to obey that law to protect losing the order and excellence of our society. Otherwise we become a bunch of nuts doing whatever we want.
Now you may not agree with the law and that is your right. But you don't have the right to break the law. You have the right to call your local politician and try to get the law changed. But none of us have the right to run red lights, or water our lawns whenever we want during a drought, or smoke Marijuana. Those rights simply do not exist.
Beyond the fact Marijuana is ILLEGAL, the NFL includes Marijuana among its banned substances. That means the stuff is a double no-no. It is no secret to any NFL player, least of all Ricky, that if you test positive for Marijuana, you are outside the bounds of NFL rules. How much more plain can it be?
If Ricky needs Marijuana to medicate some unknown condition, I guess it's his choice to do that. But he forfeits his privilege of playing in the NFL.
A few years ago, Lester Hayes became a Pro Bowl cornerback, in part, by covering his body with a sticky substance that allowed him to catch the football. The guy was often interviewed about become a human Velcro with the substance all over his uniform and he once said it was a big reason he reached his level of success.
Well, the NFL eventually banned the substance. Hayes then had the choice of complying with the ban or, after many fines, probably being suspended. He wanted to play enough that he discarded the sticky substance. Guess what? Lester Hayes was still a fine player without the stuff.
Ricky Williams is obviously fond of Marijuana. But the NFL has banned it. So Ricky has to make his choice of complying with the ban or finding something else to do. It's a matter of choice, people. No one is FORCING Williams to stop smoking Marijuana. But he can't be smoking the stuff and play football any more than he can use brass knuckles to ward off tacklers.
It's not about whether Marijuana gets a bad rap. It's not about whether it's harmless. It's just not allowed.
And so it is not a debate.
I know a lot of you believe suspending Ricky Williams for testing positive for Marijuana is wrong. I know a lot of you think Marijuana is no more harmful, maybe less so, than alcohol. I know a lot of you think the NFL's inability to keep secret test results, well, secret is a greater misdeed than actually testing for the drug in the first place.
I'm not going to argue any of those points with you because I doubt I could change your mind. But consider this:
Marijuana is illegal. That is a cold, unavoidable, undeniable fact. It is illegal throughout the US and certainly in Florida where Ricky Williams wants to make his living. So to excuse his use of the illegal drug is simply excusing someone breaking the law. Look, running a red light isn't horrible. People do it every day. That doesn't make it right. It is illegal. Period.
Being Cuban-born, someone asked me the other day what I thought of the current immigration debate going on, guessing I would be in favor of open borders. My response was the same as a pundit I heard recently when he was asked his opinion about illegal immigration. "It's illegal," he said.
Simple as that. Illegal immigration is illegal. Marijuana is illegal. Running that red light? Illegal.
At some point in our society bogged down by relativism we really do have to draw lines over which people cannot cross. Some of you may call that intolerance. I call it order. Face it, this is not a gray issue. The law is black and white. And we have to obey that law to protect losing the order and excellence of our society. Otherwise we become a bunch of nuts doing whatever we want.
Now you may not agree with the law and that is your right. But you don't have the right to break the law. You have the right to call your local politician and try to get the law changed. But none of us have the right to run red lights, or water our lawns whenever we want during a drought, or smoke Marijuana. Those rights simply do not exist.
Beyond the fact Marijuana is ILLEGAL, the NFL includes Marijuana among its banned substances. That means the stuff is a double no-no. It is no secret to any NFL player, least of all Ricky, that if you test positive for Marijuana, you are outside the bounds of NFL rules. How much more plain can it be?
If Ricky needs Marijuana to medicate some unknown condition, I guess it's his choice to do that. But he forfeits his privilege of playing in the NFL.
A few years ago, Lester Hayes became a Pro Bowl cornerback, in part, by covering his body with a sticky substance that allowed him to catch the football. The guy was often interviewed about become a human Velcro with the substance all over his uniform and he once said it was a big reason he reached his level of success.
Well, the NFL eventually banned the substance. Hayes then had the choice of complying with the ban or, after many fines, probably being suspended. He wanted to play enough that he discarded the sticky substance. Guess what? Lester Hayes was still a fine player without the stuff.
Ricky Williams is obviously fond of Marijuana. But the NFL has banned it. So Ricky has to make his choice of complying with the ban or finding something else to do. It's a matter of choice, people. No one is FORCING Williams to stop smoking Marijuana. But he can't be smoking the stuff and play football any more than he can use brass knuckles to ward off tacklers.
It's not about whether Marijuana gets a bad rap. It's not about whether it's harmless. It's just not allowed.
And so it is not a debate.
posted by Armando Salguero at 2:03 PM
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92 Comments:
Does the NFL ban players for running red lights or getting minor tickets? No they don't...but thats illegal to isn't it. I say they start looking at pot like a minor ticket....in fact some states already do that. I ain't saying Ricky shouldn't be banned..he's an idiot for even letting himself test positive again. Drug tests are easy to defeat if you give yourself enough time...all he needed was a month of restraint. So he's a tard either way.
Ricky clearly does not want to play in the NFL more than he wants to be a stoner.... If he isnt mentally strong enough to kick the habit then he is not the kind of player that should be on the football field. He has probably smoked him self in to whatever "condition" he may have. That stuff can mess with your head (believe it or not) any way.... Armando's right....Ricky has 2 choose "WEED OR MILLION DOLLAR FOOTBALL?"
Don't compare running a red light with using marijuana. Running a red light is a simple traffic infraction not a crime. Using marijuana is a crime and involves intent to do so. Now driving with a suspended Driver's License when you know it is also a crime, so you can compare it with using marijuana. The reason the NFL bans marijuana is the message it sends to kids about the using illegal. If you want to smoke marijuana move to another country that allows it. Marijuana use contrary to popular believe leads to other crimes and the people busted with it often gave a past for other crimes. Oh yeah, weed/shake/grass smokers tend to be lazy and useless. Support your local police.
So you think comparing pot to running a read light is a bad example?? I believe Armando's point is that the severity of the infraction doesn't change the fact that a law was broken. A crime is a crime is a crime, right?? Of course, that begs the question of why the NFL chooses to ban people for hitting the pipe, while not for hitting their wives, but that's beside the point, right?
"Don't compare running a red light with using marijuana. Running a red light is a simple traffic infraction not a crime."
That depends on what state you are in. Many states now consider small amounts of Marijuana an infraction. So ya, you can compare it to running a red light.
"Marijuana use contrary to popular believe leads to other crimes and the people busted with it often gave a past for other crimes. Oh yeah, weed/shake/grass smokers tend to be lazy and useless."
hahaha. if you only knew. Doctors, lawyers, even police officers out there smoke pot. Don't blame the substance, blame the person. Pot doesn't make you lazy... but lazy people do like pot.
The bottom line here though is that if you know a general time frame in which your drug test is to take place....there is absolutely no reason to fail it.
Im an advocate of marijuana, and people who use it responsibly, but Ricky knew the rules, so I don't feel bad for him.
The thing that sucks about drug testing is that it more or less singles out pot users. All the class A substances are really difficult to detect unless the person did it within the last day or two..But thats just the way it goes I guess. So the lesson is if you wanna do drugs and you are in the NFL...stick to cocaine and prescription narcotics.
Having weed in your system is not a crime nor is it illegal to be stoned, it is only illegal to have possesion of it. But it is funny how the NFL will suspend a player for weed and not suspend a player for drunk driving or beating thier wife, which is in fact a much more heinous crime then smoking a joint in your own home. Maybe the NFL should take a long hard look at itself and start throwing players like Lenard Little who killed a woman drunk driving and was able to play in the superbowl the next year or Jamal Lewis who went to fed. prison in between season or someone like Randy McMicheal who beats his pregnant wife repeatly and the list goes on and on and on. But what do I know, I'm just stoned. peace-out
To whoever thinks that weed "leads to other crimes," I would be willing to bet that half of the guys on the Dolphins' current roster have committed far worse crimes. Ricky may be eccentric, but he is far from dangerous. He is just a man in search of some form of spiritual fulfillment. Now I don't want my children to be as insecure as Ricky, but I would be encouraged to see them be as curious about the world- even if it results in their smoking weed, because even worse to me than the "laziness" of a stoner are the insular, gun-toting, homophobic, war-loving thoughts of the greater portion of the population that thinks weed should remain illegal. Open your eyes, man- alcohol has been responsible for far more deaths, and when NFL players are busted for DUI that get off with minor fines. I find that slightly hypocritical.
I agree with your view 100%. It doesn't matter whether Marijuana is the worst drug in the world or completely harmless. The NFL rules prohibit its use.
Yes, you are so very right, mr. Cote. And that is exactly the problem. It is not a matter of health or anything else. The fact is that marihuana is illegal... and it shouldn´t be, cause there is no forsaken reason for such a situation.
I am a consumer for the last ten years... but I am also a guy who speaks three languages and is currently learning a fourth, I take pictures and have participated in several exhibitions. I have recorded a couple of records and play congas. And I assume better suited in the system we live in: I have a Bachelor in Laws, a Magister Legum (from the University of Berlin), an M.A. in Social Philosophy (from Loyola University Chicago) and am currently doing a P.h. D. in Ethics... and yes, I smoke pot.
Yes, Marihuana is illegal... such as it was to be a Jew in Germany during the Nazi years... or protect the life or dignity of any of them.
Yes, it is illegal, such as it is for women in the Middle East to show their hair or excersize their sexuallity freely.
Yes, it is illegal such as it was for a black person to have autonomy during the slavery years in the "Land of the Free".
So &%#"# off with the legality argument!
Legalize it now, such as it has been done with the rest of the legitime things that conservatism has banned just to have control over people and economy!
It was not that long ago that oral sex was illegal in Florida. How many cops, judges, politicians, preachers and NFL commisioners do you think ever said, "No thanks, honey. That's illegal."?
RICKY WILLIAMS IS A NO GOOD BUM. I AM SICK OF BELIEVING IN HIM AND BEING LET DOWN. I WAS A HUGE SUPPORTER AND THOUGHT HE WOULD BE THE ONE TO HELP TURN THSI ORGANIZATION AROUND. HE IS NOT. HE IS NOT A LEADER AND HE DOES NOT FOLLOW EITHER, HE IS JUST RICKY BEING RICKY IN RICKY'S LITTLE WORLD.
SCARY THOUGHT THIS GUY THINKS HE IS OK!!!
Harry better slow down on his consumption...it's Salguero, not Cote. I dunno Armando, but maybe we can get back to something like...football, maybe?
Oh yeah, anonymous you still suck!
viewing the law as black and white is an exercise in foolishness...by that logic...you should pack your cuban relatives back on the raft and what for an outgoing tide. Need another silly example...David Stern ruins the NBA playoffs by being 'black and white'.
Pot laws can be enforced in strict and passive ways (like how the NFL tests for steroids and HGH...passive). I'm not saying the Fins should ever let 'sticky ricky' near the stadium, but this simplistic view of law and order is bad public policy.
Armando, I love your blogs, let me first say that.
However, just because something is law that doesn't mean that its right. At one time, our Supreme Court delcared that segregation was A-OK! I could give you countless examples but you get my point.
In fact, did you know that when you are a jury member in a trial, if you believe a law is wrong you may disregard the law, meaning you judge the law before you judge the person on trial.
Enough said. Keep up the great work.
Mando, enough already with Ricky Williams. The NFL has made it clear that they wont allow people to smoke pot. Everyone knows this. Ricky doesn't care therefore why should we spend so much time talking about him? He's selfish and that's the bottom line. Good riddance. PLEASE get a conversation going about this Green trade. I was reading the K.C. Star and Chiefs fans were ALL bashing Peterson for treating Green like this. It's getting very interesting and I'm curious about any inside info you might have. Thanks man, keep up the good work. PS Darlington is a hack!
Hey Armando, I get your point, but a moving violation and a misdemeanor are definately not comparable. We shouldn't even be discussing this boring issue. Ricky should never have been given even a second chance. We can thank Saban for this whole mess, because Cameron will not put up with this crap. He should have been kicked to the curb after bailing on his team. If there is any justice, then Ricky will be banned from the NFL. Goodell is doing a fantastic job! SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT!!
breaking the law or the rules is wrong.if we did not have them we would live in total caos and what would we be teaching the kids. smoking pot or running red lights are both the same they are agaist the law and they both can kill. let ricky go we dont need that example on our team. i dont want to win that bad. send him to alabama with tricky nicky.
Armando - The issue is not legality or illegality, it's enforcement. More specifically, knowledge of what is enforced and what is ignored.
We have so many laws on the books, no one can even be aware of them all. Some laws are enforced and others are not. My guess is that everyone breaks a law every day.
In my neck of the woods, the speed limit is 70 on the interstate. It is common knowledge that the enforcers are going to give you 79 and leave you alone. BUT it is ILLEGAL. We have an approximate 12 MILLION ILLEGAL aliens in the U.S. What are we going to do? Ignore them and maybe REWARD them with the upcoming AMNESTY legislation. BUT it is ILLEGAL. You know I could go on for hours with these examples, so I will spare you.
So, one makes one's decisions (if one wishes to stay out of trouble) by KNOWING what one can get away with.
Some places smoking grass is strictly no no - others and it is tacitly no big deal. But you gotta KNOW.
Now, obviously Ricky KNEW he was being tested and would be found out. So, there is something else going on with him. What it is, we may never know, but he knew the consequences.
In my opinion, we should legalize marijuana. But with the almost universal stupidity exhibited by our elected so-called representatives in government, we'll only get legislation designed to keep them in power - nothing more, nothing less - and certainly nothing that requires forethought, difficult decisions or concern for consequences.
Running a red light is a traffic infraction and does not involve intent... I agree it is a bad comparison to use of marijuana..I also agree that the NFL should be tough on all crimes: battery,DUI, etc...But lets drop the red light comments. Have weed on you...you might beat the rap , but you won't be the ride. No one is saying Ricky is a thug, but all employers have rules that must be followed and if you choose not to follow them ...then thats on you. If your employer said you will be fired if you wear white socks, you would either abide by the rule or find work elsewhere. Its time Ricky finds another line of work. Go Dolphins and in baseball....Lets go Red Sox...Just beat the Yanks again!!!!
i was hoping your long absence from the blog meant the herald finally came to its senses and showed you the door. well, i am allowed to dream...
have you run a red light? jaywalked? life is not black and white, and unfortunately for us, you can't be fired for making a petty "illegal" act.
i know its expecting a lot, but try to open up your mind to see out your a-hole.
Dear Anonymous, you obviously have no problem seeing out YOUR a-hole to read my blog.
Words of advice: Stop sitting on your brain and you might understand the content better.
Armando brought up some great points in that illegal is illegal. You don't have to like it but if you want to play you do have to abide by it. He also stated that if you disagree with a law you can work with your legislator to try and get it changed. He did leave out one option available to all who don't like the laws.... you can always leave and go to some wonderful country like Cuba or Jamaica or some other third world hell hole where you can smoke till you drop. If you don't like our society and our rules leave it's that simple. We have real hero's not phony's like Ricky Willams dying and sacrificing everyday to protect your right to whine about how unfair the laws in this country are. If it's that unfair grab an inner tube and start paddling to a country that must be better than here because you can toke all day long. Trust me we won't miss you or Ricky!
Armando, I believe is trying to goad us all into thinking he is so simple-minded as to think it's as black and white, cut and dry and issue as he states it.
Let's be real. Steroids are as or more illegal than pot in most states yet how many players have truly been held accountable for using them? And using steroids is actually relevant because it effects how you play the sport.
And we might as well talk about alcohol as well. Some will say "alcohol is legal" which is true but the abuse of it is certainly not. In fact DUI or DWI is a felony in most states. Way worse than pot. Yet we see players abuse it every day and don't even draw a suspension or fine from their teams or the NFL.
Let's also look at a guy like Randy McMichael while we're having the discussion. He beat his wife multiple times, including once while she was pregnant. Did he get suspended or banned from the NFL after the first, second or third incident? What will it take?
What about Mike Vick? Now we find out he's been raising fighting dogs which is a felony in most states including Virginia. Will he be suspended? Fined? Disciplined at all?
If we're going to set the standard for Ricky, we need to set it across the board and treat all these illegal infractions equally.
all the infractions/illegalities you support your argument with should in fact negate it.
running a red light may be a minor offense, but you put peoples lives in danger. all these players getting dui's are putting lives in danger. players owning gun, getting in fights at clubs, are putting lives in danger. if these offenses do not merit suspension, either should marijuana. rickys is not harming a soul nor gaining a competitive advantage by smoking. i understand that the nfl prohibits smoking, however the punishment does not fit the crime. a fine should do.
The authoritarian view that order comes from following arbitrary rules undermines the ability of people to understand the difference between right and wrong. Instead of seeking a just outcome, one simply follows the dictates of rulers. No thinking required, just follow the rules. This is why authoritarianism appeals to those who find thinking for themselves so burdensome. And why anti-thinkers feel they must purge those who do think for themselves by enforcing arcane rules "to the fullest extent of the law".
Ricky seeks peace and has harmed nobody yet is castigated for his behavior. Other players are violent and destructive, yet get a free pass. Whatever happened to "no harm, no foul"?
Wow, what a mess this is. First of all the issue is simple, it's black and white, cut and dry. Every employer is allowed to make rules and enforce them. But that's not whats going on here. Every one seems to be side stepping the fact that the NFL is a UNION job. If anyone here has ever worked in a Union workplace you know that politics reign supreme, and they can set their own rules even beyond the empoyers. The reason that the NFL is so harsh on drug use is because the UNION wants it that way. If the UNION had a problem with it they would go on strike. So please direct your anger at the NFL players UNION. Drugs being illegal in this county has nothing to do with being conservative or liberal. Elected officials on both sides support the current drug laws and thats the reason they havent changed. And what does owning or toting a gun have to do with drug use. I'm tired of everyone making side political issues out of nothing. If Ricky wants to use drugs thats fine. But he cannot play in the NFL and use drugs, and he can thank his UNION for that.
harry potters right,it's all about money(economics)
pot was outlawed,not because of the high effect but because of hemp,the nonhigh version.
pot was made illegalized because of the paper& lumber industries.
hemp was making a push to replace wood in paper.
it grows fast,it grows anywhere with out stripping the much needed old growth forests.
big lobbiests for these industries fought to have hemp outlawed and succieded and used marijuana as the reason to outlaw hemp.
that doesn't change the fact that it's illegal.
armondo's right,if it's illegal ,it's illegal.
get rid of politics and the people in politics and ricky is just another football player, but that isn't the reality in this world.
It's OK to smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol, but if you smoke pot, you will be denied the right to earn a living.
Ricky is a quiet, easy-going, philisophical person that gets along well with his teammates.
And he's good at his job.
The law is WRONG, and citizens are morally bound to disobey it.
"In a Republic, Who is 'the country'?
Is it the government which is for the moment in the saddle? Why, the government is merely a temporary servant; It cannot be its prerogative to determine what is right and what is wrong, and decide who is a patriot and who isn't. Its function is to obey orders, not originate them.
Who, then, Is 'the country'?
Is it the newspaper? Is it the pulpit? Why, these are mere parts of the country, not the whole of it; They have not command, they have only their little share in the command.
In a monarchy, the king and his family are the country; In a republic it is the common voice of the people. Each of you for himself, by himself and on his own responsibility, must speak.
It is a solemn and weighty responsibility, and not lightly to be flung aside at the bullying of pulpit, press, government or the empty catchphrases of politicians.
Each must for himself alone decide what is right, and what is wrong. And which course is patriotic and which isn't. You cannot shirk this and be a man.
To decide it against your convictions is to be an unqualified and inexcusable traitor, both to yourself and to your country. Let men label you as they may.
If you alone of all the nation shall decide one way, and that way be the right way according to your convictions of the right, You have done your duty by yourself and by your country. Hold up your head, you have nothing to be ashamed of." -Mark Twain
"Doesn't matter what the press says. Doesn't matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn't matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right. This nation was founded on one principle above all else. The requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences.
When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world, 'No, YOU move'." -Captain America
So just how tight is armando's a-hole?
I agree with the people who have called into question your idea of the law being black and white. Really, it's not, and if you have any dealing with the way the police and governing bodies approach enforcing laws, you'll see this. It's all grey. They let this slide, they clamp down on other behavior when people complain enough. Illegal housing. Speeding. Drinking and driving. Illegal immigrants. It's all a huge grey area. (in fact, practically half the profession of lawyers is dealing with grey areas on behalf of their clients.) I wish it was as simple as the law being black and white, as far as enforcement. But the simple fact is, it's not. The nfl really makes a big deal about drugs, and puts marijuana up there, and they probably should. But as has already been stated, McMichaels beat his wife, a way worse offense. A lawyer could easily argue to a jury that Ricky's offense--based on what effect it would have on Ricky and other people and based on how the NFL has dealt with other more serious crimes by its players--should not get him banned, and a jury would probably agree. The only thing black and white about this is the way the NFL is approaching it.
Stop turning this into a "stand up for your rights" thing. I never heard or read anything about Ricky Williams wanting to turn this into a right or wrong crusade. He is not an advocate for marijuana legalization and this is not a stand that he is taking. If it were, we would have heard that from him by now.
Armando, there have been some good counter-points to your argument about it being illegal. It is not that simple. If it were, the DUI's and wife-beaters would suffer the same fate as Ricky. Sometimes breaking the law is a good thing and should be applauded. Does anyone here think that Rosa Parks should be ashamed of what she did? BUT.... Rosa Parks did what she did to attempt to right a wrong with our society. Ricky Williams just doesn't care.
The NFL is also not being so strict and uncaring either. It is the NFL's policy to not smoke pot. Ricky has proven that he totally disregards that policy. This is his 3rd offense. I work in the medical field and I know that if I got caught testing positive (not in possesion) for marijuana, I would not only lose my job, but my license and career, so I don't smoke pot....period....plain and simple and it is probably good to remember that I need to work for quite a few years to make what Ricky Williams will make in 1 game.
The NFL's anti-drug policy is clear. It is not zero tolerance either, Ricky has had been given chances before. I teach my son (who owns a #34 jersey too) to not smoke pot or do any illegal drugs. If the NFL were not strict on this issue, what would that teach my son? These players are looked up to by our children, they are in the spot-light at all times. I totally agree that if these players want to accept their positions and their ridiculously high saleries, then they should hold themselves to a higher standard and I applaud the NFL for wanting to enforce that.
Folks what seems to be lost here is that Ricky has now tested positive 4 times for marijuana and one other we don't about! We're not talking about a guy who took a couple tokes and got bagged. We're talking about a guy who spits in the face of authority.
It may seem as though Ricky is harmless because marijuana does not usually make a person violent, but he's not being persecuted because he made one bad decision. He's being persecuted because he has no regard for the rules set forth by the league in order to be a player in it.
It's simple, if a blind eye is turned toward Ricky for marijuana then a blind eye must be turned toward every offense anyone does. Remember again, this is his 5th offense. McMicheal may have beat his wife, but he did it one time and has not done it again. The league will give a player the opportunity to correct an issue but once it becomes plain that the player is not going to change his ways, he loses his right to play.
The debate is really not about a player failing a drug test for marijuana. It's about a player repeatedly breaking the rules to the point where either the league has no choice but to defend its laws. This is truly in the best interest of the league and the players because in the long run as Armando said, it would just turn into chaotic anarchy.
Why should the NFL care if Ricky Williams smokes pot? Why should you care? And why, for heavens sake, should the US Government care?
Ricky's right, its the stupid rules that are wrong.
How many people has alcohol killed?
And pot?
Armando the reason why everybody is mad at Ricky being suspended is because other players do bad things and either a) dont get suspended or b) get a short suspension. Look at Shawn Merriman. He gets tested positive for steroids (which are illegal in the U.S. unless you have a prescription) and he only gets suspended 4 games. And then other people like Randy McMichael beat their wives and they don't get suspended at all. As for your claim that running a red light is worse than doing pot. In some cases thats true in others not so much. If you are going 60mph and run a red light you could possibly kill someone. Also, marijuana is not illegal throughout the U.S. In California medicinal marijuana is legal and in Alaska people are allowed to have a limited possesion of it (you have to keep it inside the house though).
It is understandable that the league has set forth rules about players using performance enhancing drugs, and illegal drugs as well. It is understandable that most people dont see the benefits most could gain from marijuana. It's obvious that just because its still considered illegal in several states (most its medically legal, while others still permit users to purchase stamps), people have the wrong idea about the herb itself.
Sure Ricky isnt trying to speak on behalf of those who are dependent on the herb for medical purposes, but that isnt whats at stake here.
No one here is trying to imply that Ricky is "innocent" either.
In high school football, players are required to maintain a certain gpa to continue to play.
All types of jobs set forth standards for their employee's to follow. The NFL and team owners is who signs Ricky's check, and he should abide by there rules.
But the fact remains that Ricky is only insulting those who use the herb for its benefits, and not for personal pleasure. Religion is another thing all on its own. Otherwise the greatest debate is the scientific proof of how it can help those in need of a solution where no other medication can help. Ricky isnt helping the situation, and hes in a league of his own.
There are those who abuse substances such as alcohol, marijuana, tobacco... and these people dont learn until something bad happens to them. In the mean time there are others who dont abuse these substances, and either enjoy it for social gatherings, or use it to help a medical condition.
It would be greatly appreciated if readers would understand that this isnt about making Ricky's "wrong" right.
If i had to stop smoking to earn a pay check to pay my bills... Id have to take that into consideration, and learn to suffer through my ailment thanks to florida law that prevents me to use the one treatment that is prooven to be the only thing to help with my suffering. Ofcourse those who are blessed with great health wouldnt understand.
But thats my problem isnt it.
So should people in my situation sit back and let others bash on something that is considered illegal but is actually prooven to be helpful. Or should we stand up when every oppurtunity arises to speak up and inform the misinformed of the truths that our leaders dont want you to learn.
All in all, Ricky is wrong, but this disgust and animosity towards marijuana is misguided, and is all apart of the delusions set forth by religion, and government.
People, I never said running a red light is worse than smoking pot. In fact, I believe quite the opposite. I said both are illegal and so there are consequences for doing either. Sheesh.
Also, as to the example of Shawn Merriman's punishment being softer than Ricky's, the guy tested positive for steroids and was suspended four games. It was his first positive test near as anyone knows. Ricky has tested positive five times! If Merriman tests positive five times, he'll be right there sitting next to Ricky on the inactive shelf.
Steroids is also a banned substance.
Everything is up for debate. Just because it may not change anything currently should never rule out debate.
Alcohol is also a drug and at one time was illegal in this country. So many people flouted the law it was changed.
Abusing alcohol or breaking the law under the influence will also get an NFL player put into the Drug Intervention Program.
I think even if Marijuana was legalized abuse of this or any drug will and should get NFL players, or people in general, in Drug Intervention programs.
I meant to say 'as for your claim that smoking pot is worse than running a red light' but you are right, in no way did you say that either was worse than the other. I must have read your blog the wrong way....and a good point stating that Merriman would be in the same boat as Ricky if he tested positive 5 times....I just don't agree with the rule that Ricky (and other players with drug issues) should be banned from the league because he tested positive. Suspended sure, but banned no. Like what Brett Farve said about Koren Robinson a few years ago, I think being around the team would help him and he should be able to practice/work out with them but not play on Sundays
is this football talk, or armando trying to be a ultra-right preacher pat robertson-style?????
having been a pot-smoker for most of my adult life,this is definitely an area i am familiar with although i rarely use the drug anymore!marijuana is unique amoung drugs in that traces of it can show up weeks after the last usage in drug tests!ricky at one time stated that there were concoctions that people took to beat the tests and i know for a fact that this is true,i have used them myself and they do work!i believe that ricky never really quit using pot and eventually got caught again!my point is that there are probably numerous players in the league getting away with regular pot use, and people getting screwed like ricky!
Small difference between smoking pot and consumming steorid regarding sports:
1) Pot slows you down
2) Steroids enhance your performance and makes you stronger.
If Sports deal with fair competition, steroids are equals cheating.
So, dear Armando, there's a logic in banning steorids, but not any whatsoever in prohibiting the usage of Pot.
On the other hand: crossing a red light is unethical. Smoking pot isn´t. So, contrary to what you believe, crossing a red light is worse to society than smoking weed.
To be honest your arguments seem quite answerable, and that means too already heard, to me.
He graduated WITH honors from Texas, 4.0 plus gpa i believe. So an amazing physical talent as well as a highly intellegent individual, i would go as far as to say that no NFL comissioner is qualified enough to decide how this guy spends his time, with or without grass.
If the guy says it helps him, i'll take his word for it. He put up career numbers those 2 seasons before shit hit the fan with this team.
The situation with marijuana is that it is a stigmatized matter that is virtually taboo to discuss, let alone educate people on...
Medical text states that alcohol is more dangerous and more addictive (physically and psychologically) than the active agent in marijuana, THC....How come football players can be in beer commercials if alchohol is all around more dangerous than pot?
Huh? Harry WTF were you trying to say when you uttered this: "To be honest your arguments seem quite answerable, and that means too already heard, to me."?
Where can I score some of what you've been smoking?
It would make this thread seem more interesting. OK. What about Green v Culpepper? Would Duante even have a shot (if healthy) with Green coming aboard, this being Cam's system, one Green apparently has down to a 't'? Does Mueller or Peterson blink first? Or does the whole mess fall through and Green stays in KC?
But hey, at least you're not anonymous.
Armando makes some excellent points, and some readers make some good counter points. Sadly, most of the counterpoints are simply drivel.
Here's an idea: Instead of getting "easy" on marijuana or other banned substances, legal or illegal, how about getting TOUGHER on the crimes that many people mention.
Hit your wife -- out of the league
Drive drunk -- out of the league
Kill someone while driving drunk -- out of the league
In the area of a crime and having some sort of knowledge of it -- out of the league
Arrested for about anything -- out of the league
Want to know how to put a screeching halt to this crap? Lifetime bans for one offense. That's it.
I bet anything that if a player knows he is F--KED if he is caught doing anything wrong, he will live a clean life.
You guys wanna get hiiiiiggghhh??
anonymous said:
marijuana is ilegal but it shouldnt be if you look at all the countries that weed is legal there crime rate is much lower than ours, besides, how many people die from dui (alchol related) compared to weed related weed should be your choice just like alchol we all know that Ricky was never sober, those detox drinks dont always work. ive been smoking weed since i was 13yrs and i have a good job and ive never been late, fired, only raise in salary and postion like everything else weed is only bad for you if you let it control you now lets go roll 1 up
Armando,thanks for the customary great blog concerning Smokey-Dopey's choice to break the law repeatedly.Did you ever notice the losers(stoners)always attempt to justify their failings by asserting that everyone else is doing "it"? My aim here is not to villify mariquana,however,but to support your opinions regarding the law.I am reminded of a time when I debated one of my college professors over this very issue; my platform was this,if you choose to smoke mariquana in direct disobediance of the law-then you are ,in fact,a criminal.And good people are not criminals.That point actually ended the discussion and we all went home early!
To Anonymous...
I'll quote you: "Did you ever notice the losers(stoners)always attempt to justify..."
Freud affirms that arguing using terms such as 'always2, 'never', 'all', 'nothing' is an indisputable sign of neurosis. In philosophy we simply call it fallacy of wrong ennumeration. If you read my comment, for example, I do not justify in any way whatsoever the fact that I am indeed a stoner, although I emphasize the fact that I am a very productive person in a system I do not even believe in.
Not to mention another falacy: ad hominem, by using the term 'loser'. That's no argument, it is simply a pejorative subjective judgment. But hey! let's try this: wanna compare our personal achievements in life so far?
To Jax:
I meant that the arguments Salguero is giving about the red light, the illegality, etc. are arguments used more often than 'rockers' use to listen to stairway to heaven.
At the bottom line smoking weed is a personal choice which, harmful or not, should be legally personal, such as it is drinking alcohol or cigarrettes. Hey, guys, antidepressives are far more agressive to health than pot!
Again to anonymous:
"if you choose to smoke mariquana in direct disobediance of the law-then you are ,in fact,a criminal.And good people are not criminals".
Using you exact same logic:
Nazi Germany (1939)
"If you are a Jew and choose to have a child (or continue existing) is in direct disobedience of the law, and you are, in fact, a criminal. Good people are not criminals".
See?
It is not matter of disobeying the law, it is a matter of what the law forbids and the interests behind the prohibition. To act autonomously and fight for your right to be and decide is not only moral, but an obligation. Otherwise historical events such as Slavery, the Roman Empire, Totalitarism, Racism, Sexism or (yes) USA as a Colony of GB wouls still be given.
So, please, a little niveau of arguing on your side.
You prove your an idiot everyday, armando
The overwhelmingly ignord issue here isn't so much legality it is RWs blatant sabotage of him rejoining the team. He palyed presumably drug free in the CFL and has tested negative for a year and now that it is time to try and come back he intentionally uses. He didn't need it for a year now his social anxiety disorder "forces" him to smoke because he is too anxious. I think this is a ploy to make it ok for him to do both (smoke and play) much like the Braves player who was approved to use amphetamines for his adult ADD that he discovered he had after 3 years of Hs ball, 4 years of college, 4 years in the minors, and 3 years in the show.
Ricky should go back to yoga and we should go back to football on this blog.
Armando, great take.
You're alright, Harry, now if we can issue numbers or something to 'anonymous' users so we can tell them apart. To anonymous #1: you still suck. You know, like that.
Tell KC to keep Green, we'll stand pat with the hand we've been dealt.
to ban a player because he smokes weed is freakin stupid. basicly the nfl is saying you can beat your wife you can get drunk and crash but you cant smoke. its not like it makes you perform better. im a lawyer and i smoke weed. everyone does it. FREE THE TREES!
Armando, running a red light can be extremely dangerous to you and the other driver you will eventually t-bone resulting in injury or death. At least with smoking pot the only risk is damage to yourself and there has been no proof that it causes any ill effects over the long term except for the possibility of short term memory loss.In fact it has been shown that THC slows the growth of some types of cancer cells. What was I talking about?
Yeah, Marijuana never hurt anyone. No one has ever drove a car under the influence of Marijuana. People have never exposed their innocent kids to marijuana. People have never become bored with marijuana and moved on to other illegal narcotics and this is were you pothead losers will offer up a invalid debate. However, as a local cop several crackheads have advised me that their troubles have started with that innocent herb you guys call weed, grass, shake, pot, etc.. So, who cares if they do crack, you will when they rob you by gunpoint....And yes booze is even a worse cause of trouble, but mainly because it is legal and those who abide by the law and the fact you can get alcohol at the local shop and rob is the reason for that. Yes, most people want to abide by the law, so alcohol is a bigger problem for people that don't know when to stop. Lets not pick on Armando at least he is not like the loser writer that happens to have local radio show in the afternoon..that guy is likely holding hands with Ricky as they smoke some weed on South Beach.
I agree with your general premise that, since it is illegal, choosing to smoke it forfiets his right to participate in the NFL. My issue is that you state it is his choice. Additiction is not a choice and such a suggestion to the contrary may explain why most of our homeless have mental health diagnosis with no place to go ever since Reagan closed all our mental hospitals. Anyway, perhaps by choice, you may have meant that someone with a personality disorder can be counted on to make poor decisions and therefore until we can cure such disorders, people like Williams do not fit into the NFL world. I'd buy that.
to the cop - the only reason weed may lead to other drugs is if when you smoke it you figure hey weed aint that bad, crack cant be that bad either, if weed were legal it would not be a gateway drug cause it would not be in the same category!!! i smoke everyday, have a great job and screw a beautiful girl everynight so i cant say weed has ever had a bad influence on my life, wish i could say the same bout my experiences with cops- u guys are the addicts on this power trip go suck ya motha
someone smokes a plant so they can't play a game. pretty funny.
to the past poster:
You are mistaken. Running a red light could easily kill someone. Smoking pot relaxes the smoker. Big difference.
And since we live in a democracy, I would say if you want to smoke here, vote for candidates who will decriminalize it, NOT move to another country.
Yo Burner, be nice to the cops they protect us on a daily basis and you probably call on them when you and that beautiful girl have a dispute. Anyhow, the cop was right...I bet Le Batard and Ricky are making out and talking about world peace..How can they give that guy a radio show...Joe Rose is only good host left on that station anyway...560 WQAM kicks their butt...Go Dolphins, good move to lose "The Ticket."
Yes running a red light can be deadly, but 90% of the time there is no intent to run a red light which makes it an infraction. Have marijuana on you (fs 893.13) and you intentionally break the law. If your employer said you had to wear a purple wig or you would lose you job...What would you do? Ricky's employer says he can't smoke marijuana, so he had the choice. Go Dolphins!!!
I completely agree that one must be responsible for one's own actions.
If you take risks you must be prepared for the consequences, otherwise you're just stupid.
I don't know much about Ricky, but maybe he did this on purpuse to bring attention to the law.
"Armando, have you ever heard of defiance? Like thousands smoking openly in front of the FDA building on 4th of July. Sometimes you protest something out of defiance. We all know that the freakin' conservative christian right have created a facist state curbing your rights under the banner of morality. Just because I don't like the way they have twisted our country back into the 19th century does not mean I should leave and go somewhere else. If you love something you try to change it, but we don't have that option here. When out president does not win the majority but still wins, you can throw the concept of democracy out the window. In addition, those trully free countries I would like to live in, would not have me for to become a European citizen is much harder than becoming an american one. Holland is the land of the free. They are progressive and sustain a society with a much lower crime rate (partly because they don't treat addicts as criminals like the US and NFL do). Armando, if we just did what was "right" or "legal" we would never have any progress. Remember it was a law at one time to have segregated bathrooms and water fountains. Are you suggesting blacks should never have broken that law out of defiance. Please, things are NOT black and white. Open your mind and step out of the cave. Your argument is pure sophistry."
Right on the nose
If you want to talk about leagal and black and white, Armando, you must realize that the founding fathers, the guys who tried very hard to avoid the type of privacy invading government we have now, especially since Reagan and even more so since 911, grew hemp and smoked it! In addition they wrote into the constitution the right to privacy.
So, what is the most egregious error, to break a archiac "law" pushed through by the moral right after they failed at prohibition of alcohol, or to break a constitutional right to privacy? I would say the latter. So maybe the intolerant Nazi commish should ban himself from football.
On top of all this, I think this guy is getting away with murder for what he is doing to Pac Man Jones. Listen, we don't have to like Pac Man, most of use don't like his attitude, but it is a free country isn't it? When did it become a crime to throw money in the air in a strip club? And no, this is not inciting a riot. Just because someone got shot does not make it Pac Man's fault. The guy has not even been charged with a crime and he is banned for a year?
Why is there so much apathy in this country now? No one cries out for justice unless it affects them directly. This new commsioner sucks.
Lastly, let me say that the prohibition of marijuana was aimed to prosecute and "control" the "unsavory" black culture, especially the Jazz musicians, which the moral right felt was corrupting their children. It all goes full circle when it is used to persecute a black liberal spirit who seems to be "corrupting" football.
The fact is, Ricky is probably one of the smartest, most in touch and still searching soul in the NFL. The quest he is on, that of figuring yourself out, most do not undertake, and for that they find him weird and laugh at him. There have been many great men in our history who were termed criminals, weird, and laughed at, who were persecuted, prosecuted, and sometimes executed. Some of us even pray to some of those people.
Keep an open mind, we don't know all the answers, especially if we are are not well read on the subject, as Armando, certainly is not.
IF we all held things as black and white there would be no autonomy, and no progress.
to the last anonymous poster: please do not obfuscate this discussion with a malinformed defense of Pac Man. He grabbed a stripper by the hair and slammed her head face first into the stage. That's assault, that's a violent crime.
To Armando: I have defended you for the last time on these blogs.
The argument you postulate makes it painfully clear that you have twisted morality. The show stopper is you saying it's black and white; illegal vs. legal;
then go onto to point out that running a read light is also against the law, but follow that with an actual post saying breaking this law is somehow less "bad" then smoking marijuana.
What is your criteria here? Legality? If so, multiple traffic offenders, speeders, those failing to wear seatbelts, red-light runners, drunk-drivers and Jay-walkers should suffer the same fate as multiple time drug users.
The problem here is your distillation of this argument down to legal vs. illegal. This is clearly a right vs. wrong discussion. As such, you can not make a compelling argument that "right vs. wrong" can be operationally defined as "legal vs. illegal" without agreeing that all laws are right. As has been stated on this blog on multiple occasions, all laws are not right. If you argue that all laws are right, you have to admit that they had it right in the days of slavery and segregation. That's where your morality twists.
Wow! You're a disgusting fascist Armando.
It was once illegal for Japanese Americans to live outside of internment camps. It was illegal for them to live anywhere, but what were basically concentration camps. Do you support that Armando? Because from the logic you used, it seems you do.
Our government system, like the NFL, is run by rich people who keep others oppressed. I'd appreciate it if you would stop perpetuating this cycle Armando.
Smoking pot is a form of protesting the laws against it, and a way to try to bring about change. If Ricky is suspended for good, becoming a martyr, I hope he will make this clear.
You guys apparently can't tell the difference between something that is illegal and immoral.
Let me help you: Slavery is immoral. Holding innocents in concentration camps is immoral. Both at one time were the law in our country, but they were wrong and those wrongs have been changed, for lack of saying they were righted.
Legalizing marijuana is not the moral thing to do, as was freeing blacks and other innocents. There is no parallel between the two, stoners.
Armando (I would be thankful if you read it completely, THAT would be moral, since I took the time to write it. Thanks),
I read your last post. Ok. let me tell you the following: I am a lawyer who is doing a P.h. D in ethics. I have dedicated the last seven years of my life precisely to distinguish what is moral and what isn't. It concerns me. So, please believe me: I can distinguish the difference between immoral and illegal. I'll tell you my method. It is quite simple:
Immanuel Kant said that any maxime (or normative claim) shall fulfill two conditions for the possibility:
1) Act only in such a way that you accept your maxime as becoming a universal law of nature.
2) Always act in such a way that you understand any other rational being as an end in themself and not only as a mean.
You have to ask the precise question, of course: in the most abstract of the levels. Therefore, if you claim that smoking pot would never be moral cause it wouldn't fulfill the first condition, nothing would actually ever be moral, cause they are speciphic cases that deal with decisions that will never be universilizible either in a positive sense or in a negative one: In other words, you cannot claim that drinking coffe is immoral, because it couldn't become a senseful universal law (the same as pot). It is a personal decision whose direct effects fall exclusively onto you. It is neither moral nor immoral, it is ammoral, outside the realm of any normativity entitled to claim itself as valid. Simply explained: Freedom is moral. The acts through which you express your freedom are ammoral.
However in matters of lying, killing, raping, enslaving, exploiting (like in capitalism), the most abstract level of action is: DETERMINIG OTHER PEOPLE'S FATE AGAINST THEIR WILL. You could never answer 'yes' to such a question, cause it would implicate your accordance to freedom of killing, freedom of raping, etc. In simple words, you would be saying 'yes' to freedom of annihilating freedom, which is contradictive. That means, laws that prohibit oppression are moral, those which oppress are immoral.
1) Who do I oppress if I smoke dope?
2) Are they oppressing me for making me a criminal if I smoke a herb that makes me feel nice?
Finally, please try not to feel dispice towards me, avoid calling me a stoner, unless you are meaning it in no pejorative way whatsoever. Looking down at people is immoral, although legal.
Greetings.
So running a red-light is less of a big deal than smoking pot? Totally bogus logic. Yes I am so outraged at this thought I dropped a "bogus" on ya. What someone chooses to do to themselves and their bodies, legally or illegaly, is there buisness. Running red-lights and operating a vehicle under the influence are both examples of behavior that not only puts the user at risk, but endangers others as well.
Mando,Mando, Mando. You just got schooled by a PHD to be in ethics. You are making some pretty flimsy arguments. How can you say that smoking pot is immoral? Try selling that to some Rastafarians. Are you telling them that their sacrament is immoral? How about the semi-cannablalistic rituals of the catholics, are those immoral? Please, stop trying to make objective claims about subjective matters. How can alcohol be more moral than marijuana? Can you overdose on Marijuana? When is the last time someone killed somebody else because they were stoned? I can tell you why marijuana is illegal while alcohol is not, there is no big business interest behind pot.
I don't see how you cannot conceed that you may be wrong on this issue other than being stubborn and hard-headed.
Lastly, name calling is the refuge of a weak mind. Please don't perpetuate the stigma you are earning with these ridiculous assertions, by engaging in name calling.
By the way, I have a degree in philosophy. It was the third one I earned, so don't think you are dealing with idiots here, even though we may give that impression by reading your blog.
Mando,Mando, Mando. You just got schooled by a PHD to be in ethics. You are making some pretty flimsy arguments. How can you say that smoking pot is immoral? Try selling that to some Rastafarians. Are you telling them that their sacrament is immoral? How about the semi-cannablalistic rituals of the catholics, are those immoral? Please, stop trying to make objective claims about subjective matters. How can alcohol be more moral than marijuana? Can you overdose on Marijuana? When is the last time someone killed somebody else because they were stoned? I can tell you why marijuana is illegal while alcohol is not, there is no big business interest behind pot.
I don't see how you cannot conceed that you may be wrong on this issue other than being stubborn and hard-headed.
Lastly, name calling is the refuge of a weak mind. Please don't perpetuate the stigma you are earning with these ridiculous assertions, by engaging in name calling.
By the way, I have a degree in philosophy. It was the third one I earned, so don't think you are dealing with idiots here, even though we may give that impression by reading your blog.
Marijuana is not illegal in California, where Ricky has been living for much of the last few years. It is an often-prescribed medicinal-treatment alternative to several afflictions, at least three which Ricky has been reported to have, and is readily available at hundreds of state-approved dispensatories.
Your brevity in stating that marijuana is illegal is dramatically effective but patently inaccurate. Ricky may or may not have used pot legally in the state where he lives and works (because the League will not allow him employment in Florida...). All this does not excuse him from breaking league rules. But you may want to reconsider sweeping the arguments about the issue that you admittedly ignore off the table such weak logic and propaganda. Use of marijuana is not such a black and white issue and you, as a journalist covering the issues affecting the team and players your readers are concerned with may want to consider all relevant facts and, at least in this instance, discuss the issues honestly rather than applying sweeping and inaccurate generalities of legality. Its a cop-out and you should be ashamed.
Pot is for losers trying to escape reality.
An experimental choice is somewhat normal but clinging to it as an adult is just pathetic.
I think the problem with Americans is the fact that we just sit back and let authorities dictate what's good for us and what's bad.
Leonard Little, defensive end for the St. Louis Rams, has been charged twice for driving while intoxicated, the 2nd time in which he killed a man. How is he still playing in the NFL? Why hasn't he gotten more attention from the media for "killing someone" while Ricky hasn't even come close to harming anyone. Should we just write Leonard Little off cause he was abusing a "legal" substance?
Armando's mentality can be dangerous. To accept what the government tells us is safe or unsafe isn't always what's best for the people. It steers us closer to a society like "1984."
"Why use up the forests which were centuries in the making and the mines which required ages to lay down, if we can get the equivalent of forest and mineral products in the annual growth of the hemp fields?"
Henry Ford
"Congress should definitely consider decriminalizing possession of marijuana... We should concentrate on prosecuting the rapists and burglars who are a menace to society."
-Dan Quayle U.S. Representative and Vice president
"Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves."
-Ronald Reagan, U.S. President
***Make the most of the Indian hemp seed, and sow it everywhere!
George Washington in a note to his gardener at Mount Vernon (1794), The Writings of George Washington, Volume 33, page 270 (Library of Congress)
Washington also recorded his concern that the male and female plants be seperated:
May 12-13 1765: Sowed Hemp at Muddy hole by Swamp.
August 7, 1765: —began to seperate (sic) the Male from the Female Hemp at Do —rather too late.
Some assert his interest in separating the male and female plants is an indication that he may have used Indian hemp medicinally to treat his chronic tooth aches. Others note that fiber of the male and female hemp plants have a different optimum harvest times. ***
"Penalties against possession of a drug should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself; and where they are, they should be changed. Nowhere is this more clear than in the laws against possession of marihuana in private for personal use... Therefore, I support legislation amending Federal law to eliminate all Federal criminal penalties for the possession of up to one ounce of marihuana."
-Jimmy Carter, U.S. President in a message to the U.S. Congress
armando can suck it... i think ricky should call up Norml and make a national case of this. Im personally tired of hiding my use despite the fact that it helps me.
Rise
We've got no time to lose
Your news is old news
Hate this, hate me, hate this
Right approach for the wrong
It's time to spread the word
Let the voice be heard
All of us, one of us, all of us
Dominate and take the motherfucking world
Mass prediction, unification
Breathing life into our lungs
EVERY creed and EVERY kind
To give us depth for strength
Taught when we're young to hate one another
It's time to have a new reign of power
Make pot universal so no one can resist
Turn our backs on those who oppose
Then when confronted we ask them the question
What's wrong with their mind?
What's wrong with your mind?
It's time to RISE
We've lived with past mistakes
And we've lived with our own
Forgive, forget forgive
Be a man, not a child
There are no tears for peace
Of the common sympathies
Educate, reinstate, educate
A thing of past
The trouble in the states
It's time to rise
To this last anonimous:
Can you give an argument now? As far as I can see you only uttered a subjective judgment that claims something without further prove or argument. It is a fallacy called ad hominem.
If you could claim the validity of your statement deriving only from the statement itself I the only thing I had to do, using your same logic and therefore with the same validity, claim exactly the opposite. For example:
"Pot is for triumphant people, who have been able to liberate themselves from social determinations and exercise their right to chose and autonomy."
I a sentence is valid only because it was uttered, which has to be taken for granted in case you could have the slightest chance to be right, then my statement has to have the same value as yours... although it says something completely oppossed.
However, above I explained the reasons for my statement's validity claim. You didn't argue a thing. So I guess I could say: People who are convinced they are right just because they think what they think are dumm and intolerant. You, late anonimous, are convinced you are right just because you think what you think. Therefore...
The rest falls by itself.
I meant the one before the last anonimous, of course...
Let's see if I understand this game:
Commit felonious dogfighting and cruelty to animals = slap on wrist or nothing.
Beat your pregnant wife = slap on wrist or nothing.
Take steroids and cheat at baseball = Go to Hall of Fame.
Hint honestly about past use of steroids = nasty letter from MLB office and possible voiding of multi-million dollar contract.
Take a couple of tokes of weed because you have a social anxiety disorder = suspension and possible permanent ban from football.
Oh, that makes total sense to me...
People who smoke Marijuana should be gutted and their entrails used to string tennis racquets for orphan children.
Interesting to me that most of the arguments being offered in support of Armando are close to post above this, while most of the arguments in opposition are steeped with reason; much like that of the PhD to be.
One groups leans on pejoratives and kneejerk reactions while the other leans on rationality.
I'll have to think long and hard about which of these arguments is more compelling (sarcasm detectors set to on please).
Marijuana being illegal is just another one of America's dumb laws. It is illegal to carry an ice cream cone in your pocket on the streets of New York city. It is only illegal because the government hasn't figured out a way to make it legal and get all the profit. This is because it is so easy to grow. Anyone remember prohibition?? I heard someone say it leads to other crimes...well it leads to other crimes because it is illegal. Certain aspects should be illegal, like driving under the influence..just like alcohol. As for running a red light, to me that's worse. You could take out a family of 4 by running a redlight. As for Ricky, he seems like an everyday person to me. Lawrence Taylor, Mike Irvin, even Dan Marino had strong cocaine ties in the NFL, now they are Hall of Famers...ponder that when you get on Ricky for Potsmoking
legality as an argument is absurdity.
Slavery was legal. Questioning the legality is importance, and that is what the Williams stuff does.
First off the argument that running a red light has no indication of intent while smoking pot does is just inaccurate. How do you know weather or not the driver had intent or not? You dont!
Ricky entered into a contract with the NFL that says we have the right to test you and if you test positive for any of our banned substances you will be punished. It`s all spelled out pretty clearly.
Where i have a problems with this issue is: players are public figures and test results should be a matter of public record
test results should be released right away. The NFL seems to feel it`s ok to tell someone they failed a test months after they took it and there is no chance to contest it or do a retest. Thats unfair to me.
Lastly thier tests are inaccurate and often convict people from false positives. Use a reliable test or dont test. How would like to lose your career because you innocently wanted to cure balding and didnt know it would create a positive test result.
So to me Ricky knew the rules and the consiquences and is getting what he wants OUT OF THE NFL. Should pot be illagle or banned by the nfl noway. If the NFL wants to test people then use an accurate testing procedure and release the results.
Drugs are bad, m'kay? So don't do drugs, cause if you do drugs you're bad, mmmkay?
Armando,
Just to clear something up: Marijuana is legal for use in treating Social Anxiety Disorder in twelve states. Connecticut the home of ESPN will become #13 this month and Rhode Island #14 is right behind.
The federal government grows marijuana and distributes it to patients in Florida.
It is illegal to use marijuana for fun but it is not illegal to use it to stay alive.
You should know the facts before making them up.
We live in a democratic society where rules change, it is our duty as Americans to obey all just laws as it is our duty as Americans to reject unjust laws.
To use your example. I am not Hispanic, however I believe we should not only have open borders with the United States of Mexico, but also should be working towards merging our countries (we complement each other well in abilities and resources) so as to start competing again economically with the European Union and to try to stay ahead of India and China's progression towards economic cooperation.
You are in a highly visible position in the Hispanic community, you may want to not squander your success and that of those who helped open the doors for the career you now enjoy and show some solidarity for such a worthy, necessary and inevitable cause.
laws like these don't get changed unless large numbers of people break the law
i.e. prohibition, illegal immigration
p.s. each of these laws added to our current crime rate and caused more pain, hardship, money, and lives that now were lost for nothing
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