Police are Trying Very Hard to Bust Michael Phelps for Smoking a Bong
Yesterday, we learned that eight people have been arrested in the aftermath of the Michael Phelps bong photo and the infamous bong itself has been captured and taken into custody. As new details emerge, it’s becoming increasingly clear that there really is a serious campaign underway to prosecute Michael Phelps:
There’s not much left to say about this that I haven’t said already, so I’ll say it again: Sheriff Leon Lott and his henchmen are unhinged drug war lunatics wielding their unchecked powers as arbitrarily and embarrassingly as humanly possible.
To my knowledge, next to no one on the planet supports this ridiculous crusade. So I can only hope that this very visible example of vindictive marijuana enforcement serves to focus public attention on the often pathetic behavior of our supposedly heroic drug war soldiers. Just look at them. Look at what they are doing. And remember that this episode is hardly the first or only time the drug warriors have allowed childish and obsessive pursuits to triumph over the public interest.
If they think destroying Michael Phelps is a good idea, imagine all the other wretched crap they’ve done that you don’t even know about.
The effort to prosecute Phelps on what would be at most a minor drug charge seem extreme compared to similar cases, lawyers said, and have led some to question whether the sheriff is being overzealous because he's dealing with a celebrity.
…
The investigators appear to be trying to build a case against Phelps from others — a tactic normally used to bring down drug dealers with a large amounts of cocaine or methamphetamine, not someone who smoked marijuana five months ago, said Chip Price, a Greenville attorney who has dealt with drug cases for 33 years. [AP]
There’s not much left to say about this that I haven’t said already, so I’ll say it again: Sheriff Leon Lott and his henchmen are unhinged drug war lunatics wielding their unchecked powers as arbitrarily and embarrassingly as humanly possible.
To my knowledge, next to no one on the planet supports this ridiculous crusade. So I can only hope that this very visible example of vindictive marijuana enforcement serves to focus public attention on the often pathetic behavior of our supposedly heroic drug war soldiers. Just look at them. Look at what they are doing. And remember that this episode is hardly the first or only time the drug warriors have allowed childish and obsessive pursuits to triumph over the public interest.
If they think destroying Michael Phelps is a good idea, imagine all the other wretched crap they’ve done that you don’t even know about.
Looking for the easiest way to join the anti-drug war movement? You've found it!
Lott-a good
I'd put Leon Lott in the category of "useful idiot". The more carriage this story gets, the better for reformers.
Lott of good done by the Sheriff
This story has grown legs long beyond it's natural news cycle thanks to Sheriff Lott. He's garnering more media attention to our issues than all the drug reformers combined. I hope his succcessful in his zealist quest for a Michael Phelps arrest. The more media attention, the better. I am just waitng the next White House reporter to ask President Obama to comment on the situation, even though that's the last thing, he wants to give his opinion on. Obama with the help of a friendly media succeeded in avoid the entire issue of drug policy. But his choice for Drug Czar shows he's heading in the right direction.
CNN Story on "Work From Home Data Entry"
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/crime/2009/02/14/work.at.homes.scams.cnn
I have a feeling "Daniel Molano" is nothing more than an alias. Considering how many domains supply graphics for the page for his site, it seems very smelly to me.
It also smells like someone is doing some "data entry" for those in the wrong.
By the same logic....
..., carried to its logical end, we could and should impose the death penalty for speeding.
Sure it might cut down on speeding, even to the point of eliminating it.
But would you, Mr. Molano, want to live in a place that imposes the death penalty for speeding? And are you prepared to say that you have never, not once, driven a vehicle so much as 1 mph over the speed limit?
Unless both answers are yes, get off your high horse.
Breaking the law??
You know the law once stated that colored people could be bought and sold as property. Even as long as a few decades ago laws dictated where a colored person could sit in a bus. Yet that did not prevent a woman named Rosa Parks from breaking that rather idiotic law and thus point out it's cruel uselessness. Mr. Daniel Molano is nothing more than an idiot who believes only what he was spoon fed by society as an ignorant child. Mr. Phelp's lungs belong to him to either win olympic gold or take a huge rip out of a huge bong filled with lots of marijuana. George Washington grew hemp and most likely smoked it too. You sheeple think prohibtion is going to work this time around when all it did was help establish the Italian, Irish, Jewish etc.. etc.. mafias by allowing them to profit from a lucrative black market in alcohol. If Mr. Molano just took a second to educate himself he would realize that history is repeating itself and Drug Cartels are growing in scope to the extent that we may never in the future rid ourselves of these thugs even if we were to legalize ALL DRUGS!! They would just move on to kidnapping and extortion. They will always have a thirst for BIG MONEY!! Now think before you blog or you just might come out to look like a fool again. J. Velasco Brownsville Texas.
Classic "Bully Syndrome"
Basically the tactics here are from people who know they are in the wrong and are using fear and force to try to pretend they are in the right.
Classic "bully syndrome." Just like the immature school-yard bully goes around shoving people and trying to convince others of his "toughness." What it really hides is cowardice. A huge, gaping desire for human approval.
When reason and logic are on your side, there is no need to terrorize others. When reason and logic are on your side there is no need to beat others in to submission.
Daniel you are so far off-base it's amazing. Following the links to the reply to your post make me wonder, and think that perhaps you are just fronting for someone. But it sure was easy to figure out, so maybe that's not you, anyway... I like the notion you should get a grip on the spirit of the law and letter of the law concept. Are you Mr. Perfect who has followed the letter of every law? I bet not.
I hate this government instituted Religion Against Marijuana (RAM), it's un-Constitutional, un-Biblical, and illegal! Too many sheeple have been brainwashed, I euphemistically now call them the BM (pun intended), but it also stands for "brainwashed minion." It's time to flush these wrong laws down the toilet!
Get Up
I am a contributing member of my community as well as an American citizen. Why is it then, that I have spent much of my life in a state of fear and anxiety, in the land of the free? Because at the end of my day, I prefer marijuana to whisky. While I go about my day, it is not the Iraqi's nor the North Koreans whom I fear - it is the police. The very people who we trust to protect our freedoms have become the people who the we associate with taking away our freedom. Where I live if you get pulled over, you're getting searched - and if you have any marijuana (even an eighth), you're spending the night in jail; Does anyone actually deserve to be in jail for marijuana? Then how do we end up with laws like this? I don't know a single person who actively advocates the future of our archaic marijuana prohibition, nor the prosecution of harmless pot smokers. Power to the People!
What a buffoon
E-mail him and tell him. [email protected]
Treatment
The drug warriors always claim that no use/possession leads to real penalties, so they're producing an expensive operation to get him into marijuana treatment? Lott's crusade is EXACTLY what we need to showcase taxpayer waste.
resources
I'd like to know just how much time and how many resources these cops are spending on this case when they could be doing something more important. Also, how many tax dollars are being spent to pay these cops to investigate this 'crime'. Is marijuana inhalation the worst crime being committed in those parts?
Embarrased
It is embarrasing to admit South Carolina is my home. I have been trying to understand why there is no activism to speak of against the draconian laws we have here. I think everyone can now see why. To be an activist in this state is to make yourself a target of the ignorant,vindictive, "Bufford T. Pusser" mentality.
If those power-mad, media-hungry, good-ole-boys like "Sheriff Lott" will pursue a visitor to this state for taking a toke on a bong, imagine what efforts they would go to in order to terrorize/silence the local residents who would stand against them.
Money??
Well,
Maybe one of the big networks (or at least somebody) has offered Lott big bucks, for this! Now, maybe, what I am writing sounds like paranoia!? Never mind!
This Sheriff wastes Money on his own Ego and earning potential!
Your article says: "The effort to prosecute Phelps on what would be at most a minor drug charge seem extreme compared to similar cases, lawyers said, and have led some to question whether the sheriff is being overzealous because he's dealing with a celebrity."
This Sheriff should be investigated for wasting taxpayer money on frivolous pursuits! Especially today, as we are very concerned for the survival of our industries and jobs in this economic downturn, no public servant to should squandering anything on 'low priority' crime, like smoking a bong. This 'story' should provide further public support for drug law reform. Phelps does not deserve one dollar of taxpayer money when bank robbers are running free. Phelps is not a 'crime figure' outside of his alleged marijuana use. A bong used for legal smokes is not a crime. This is a weak case, except for its celebrity dollar!
I thinks Phelps is again the luckiest man of Earth. He is a hero to the pot smoker. And he needs to come clean and help others out of the closet. Such that people who use marijuana are no different from those using tobacco or alcohol. He has the truth on his side, and a populous interested in change. Go for it Phelpsie you have nothing to lose. Show other swimmers the benefits of responsible cannabis use, and free the rest of the nation too.
The 'good' sheriff forgets something about this rotten kid, he is arguably one of the most talented people on Earth. If he uses marijuana, how bad could it really be?
Was the photographer arrested?
Does anyone know if the dick who snapped this photo and profited off it was one of the 8 arrested? Since obviously he was present at the time of the bong hit, and probably took a few hits too. He/She should be arrested and any profit from this picture should be confiscated for profiting off of an illegal activity and for being a complete dick
Celebrity drug use
The Michael Phelps issue is stressfull for Mike,and as long as everyone acts 'dumb'there is little the law can do .Sherrif Lott will be made a fool of if he keeps persuing it.Similar issue recently in UK with a photo of model Kate Moss snorting coke.The police rounded up a whole host of people,but those who kept mum,including Ms Moss were not charged.What can they charge one with anyways?The dickheads will always try one on,users just have to be as devious as those fucks
SC Phelps Bust
I think larger issues are involved here than Michael Phelps or Kelloggs. For one thing, I can't say I'm very enthusiastic about how Phelps himself is handling all of this; he doesn't seem very admirable in the wake of this when all is said and done. And Kelloggs, they caved, but at least it could be said of them that cereal is in great measure a "kids' thing", so at least there might be some justification for them dropping Phelps. The real culprit, of course, is the state of South Carolina with its Draconian anti-marijuana laws. This individual sheriff is merely a symptom of a larger disease, the laws and attitudes in South Carolina towards marijuana. I think the best course of action at this point would be to boycott anything to do with South Carolina -- tourism, BMWs built there, anything else that comes out of South Carolina. Boycott the state until it changes its marijuana laws to be more in line with reasonable states. No more 30-day jail sentences for simple possession. If the state insists in continuing its old ways, then fine, let their economy contract 10 or 15 percent.
stimulus
Since south carolina has all these financial resourses to spend money on something this petty,they should not get any stimulus money or byrne grant money.
South Carolina and Kellogg's waste money!
The people in charge need slaves to make money. The drug offender is the slave of the 21st century. Just because this country (USA) has overcome racial barriers with racist laws, like slavery and segregation, does not mean that there is nothing else to learn. The people insisting on the drug war want more violence, instead of looking for drug peace.
"Get smart on Drugs" would be a better slogan. Imagine, if instead of making people who use 'drugs' automatic "crack heads;" imagine a smart approach where national gets populous 'interested' in drugs; imagine a homogeneous system from supplements, to prescriptions, to alcohol/tobacco recreational, to science based illegal drugs become something people want to be familiar (learn) about?
The future is the truth! Lies are expensive and what is driving our failure as a nation and currency. We need change, and we need the truth; why can't these two things happen with our government?
Cannabis reform could reform the nation. Imagine a Kellogg's chicken next to a hemp plant field. This should be natural, not TABOO. Why this plant only? War on marijuana!!??
Kellogg's could launch itself apart from the pack of food. Let's face it they have market share. Everybody has to eat, and eventually get to one of their 'bars.' Hemp cereal could be a future filler. It is racism (what else? yeah hate for drug users!) WASTE!
If Kellogg's and farmer Sheriff really wanted to revolutionize their departments they would not want to be following a lie. I mean how would any of these people live with themselves if they found out (by real science) marijuana was a great medicine, and should be legal. Would these same departments be so zealous against?
I know this as a simple consumer, I'll go out of my way not to eat Kellogg's for the rest of my life, and also tell others to shy. Unless Kellogg's and law enforcement come clean and demand a repeal of inhumane laws. If Kellogg's got behind Phelps now (instead of opposite) I would be looking to buy their stuff. Imagine a whole community (large market share) of pot enthusiasts looking for 'cool' munchie food!
Kellogg's is stale and could use this shake up! PLEASE corporate provider give me a cannabis friendly BRAND! I'll buy pot in any economy. And this is almost a majority market! FREE THE SLAVES OF 21ST CENTURY! (pot smokers)
phelps
...and what does Michael Phelps have to say about it?
michael --it's time to stand tall, and speak out--screw them!
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