There is no bigger fan of racial double-standards than yours truly. But those of you looking for one inside Michael Phelps' bong are misguided, stuck in the 1960s and worship at the Church of Al Sharp-tongue.
Don't send me any more e-mails complaining that if Phelps were black, he'd be dropped by his sponsors, locked in a cell next to O.J. Simpson and banned from all international competition.
If Phelps had dark skin and answered to "Jerome Washington," he'd be headed to Disney World, toting the Super Bowl MVP trophy he stole from James Harrison and Big Ben Roethlisberger.
Yeah, America gives its marketable, talented and wealthy weed-smokers the Santonio Holmes treatment. We forgive and quickly forget.
Oh, I know there's a pattern of misbehavior with Michael Phelps. The cops busted him driving under the influence four years ago.
Well, the cops pinched Holmes twice in 2006, busting him for disorderly conduct and domestic violence -- the charges were eventually dropped after smooth lawyering -- and nabbed him ridin' dirty (three blunts) last October.
Mickey Mouse doesn't care, and neither do you.
America's war on drugs is a scam to lock up poor people, a prop to advance political careers and an easy way for corrupt police and politicians to funnel millions of untraceable dollars into their own pockets.
And you really want to play the if-so-and-so-was-black game over a dorky white swimmer pulling on a bong? Are you really that simple-minded?
The black president smoked weed. Rush Limbaugh was a junkie. Brett Favre had a fling with prescriptions. In college, I was Saddam Hussein and Crown and Chronic were my weapons of mass destruction.
I'm not going to be a hypocrite and blast this kid for blowing trees. And I'm not going to rip his sponsors for remaining loyal.
Michael Phelps knows how to play the game. He's quick with the contrite, toke(n) apology and he maintains a boy-next-door image.
Someone e-mailed me saying the media would be tougher on an NBA player captured on Kodak with his lips locked on a three-foot bong.
Depends on the player. Shane Battier? We'd forget before tipoff, and we'd forgive without an apology. Now, if it's one of Human Tattoo Billboards or Lil Wayne Wannabes, we'd demand a Senate investigation and expect David Stern to punish him to the full extent of the law.
Image is everything whether you're black or white.
Read my full column here at FOXSports.com.
The fact remains that In the shadows and in public courtrooms minorities are treated differently and too often far more harshly than the majority. This is still a fact in America. To ignore this reality simply to make a point, appease and to continue to brand yourself as "the Black Iconoclast(without a cause)"is frankly ashame.
Sports is the toy department of life. It is clear that Mr Whitlock(A sports journalist) and his cadre of 'YES' men and women intentionally fail to view the real world from the vantage point of their play pens.
Ralph Wiley would be ashamed of you Mr Whitlock.
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Personally, I believe informed adults should make their own choices and that legalization would combat the same social problems that the ending of Prohibition helped to alleviate, in the short term, until the Drug War brought them back full power.
Present: Father, mother, 11 year old, 12, year old, 15 year old.
Discussion: Illegal Drug use
11 year old: Dad I saw Michael Phelps smoking what looked to be an illegal substance in a crack pipe. He is on our cereal box.
Father: Since Michael can swim fast son, it's ok for him to smoke that type pipe.
12 year old: Dad, I play soccer . Is it ok for me to smoke the herb in a pipe?
Father: What do you know about the herb? And no you aren't good enough at soccer yet. And no, not in a pipe.
15 year old: Dad I made the All Star team this year and you said I was good. Is it ok for me to do the drug of my choice?
Father: Ah......No son . You should not do the drug of your choice. And further more we are not buying these doggone cereals again until the government is enlightened and make Marijuana legal .
11 year old: But dad, does that mean you will have to cook breakfast on the weekends?
Mother: You see what you have started....
Music........fade.....Tune in next week for the conclusion.
Father: Since Michael can swim fast son, it's ok for him to smoke that type pipe.
12 year old: Dad, I play soccer . Is it ok for me to smoke the herb in a pipe?
Father: Hells no, you're just a kid. Ask me again when you're an adult.
Up until now Phelps had a DUI, was photographed with strippers and drinking alcohol with two hands but that wasn't enough to make him "unsuitable".
One bong hit changed that?
Two-faced, hypocrite corporations who care about nothing but money.
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"Just let them sit a day of two and 95% of them will resolve. Then you can attend to the rest"
Too, too, many of us are in the instant response mode. A day later this young man was
dropped from Kelloggs.
Someone else said: Now and in future any Prsident who doesn't acknowledge having smoked a weed would most likely be deemed a dud" Seriously in this day and age never bothering to try could mean your not with it. Crimany we have people who consider tasting the grape a no no - I figure if it was served at the wedding in Cana it's okay for me.
I would much rather see our efforts toward convincing our youngsters that a beer or glass of wine is refreshing and not just the gateway to oblivian. Maybe it's us who make oblivian so attractive to them.
You can see this in action at every stage of the process, from arrest to arraignment to conviction to incarceration.