Pro-weed Pro-tests
http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/nation/ny-uskell116031442feb11,0,1961589.story
When I read this story about the legions of marijuana activists who were protesting Kellogg's release of Michael Phelps after the infamous bong photo, I laughed out loud. Stoners protesting by boycotting munchies. What kind of reefer madness is this? Aren't all tokers completely unmotivated and constantly hungry?
Once I stopped chuckling, I read the rest of the article and don't ever tell my kids I said this, but the stoners had a relevant point. Kellogg's hired Phelps despite a DUI conviction. Sure, it happened four years before he signed, and he did his community service to get it expunged from his record (big deal... you can type in "Phelps DUI" on Google and get the scoop), but it is the principle of the thing. The only thing smoking a little weed kills, are brain cells. Driving drunk kills people. If they were willing to take the "he's young and made a mistake" approach to the DUI, then they should be as gracious about the pot.
As a parent, the bong photo and the Kellogg's renunciation of Phelps creates an excellent teaching moment. If you break the law and disrespect your body with drugs, you will lose more than a few brain cells. There are consequences. Unfortunately, they have had to learn this lesson over and over again with the athletes they admire. A year and a half ago, my younger son threw away his Michael Vick jersey when he learned of his conviction for dogfighting.
We were sitting in the car, waiting for the bus when my boys first heard the story and they were visibly disgusted with Phelps, whom they had greatly admired before, during and after the Olympics. I commend Kellogg's for removing Phelps from the cereal boxes that sit in front of kids, every morning on kitchen tables across America. But maybe Kellogg's should have put more thought into making the offer to Phelps in the first place, based on his past behavior. Because if Tony the Tiger shouldn't toke, he shouldn't be driving while tipsy either.
When I read this story about the legions of marijuana activists who were protesting Kellogg's release of Michael Phelps after the infamous bong photo, I laughed out loud. Stoners protesting by boycotting munchies. What kind of reefer madness is this? Aren't all tokers completely unmotivated and constantly hungry?
Once I stopped chuckling, I read the rest of the article and don't ever tell my kids I said this, but the stoners had a relevant point. Kellogg's hired Phelps despite a DUI conviction. Sure, it happened four years before he signed, and he did his community service to get it expunged from his record (big deal... you can type in "Phelps DUI" on Google and get the scoop), but it is the principle of the thing. The only thing smoking a little weed kills, are brain cells. Driving drunk kills people. If they were willing to take the "he's young and made a mistake" approach to the DUI, then they should be as gracious about the pot.
As a parent, the bong photo and the Kellogg's renunciation of Phelps creates an excellent teaching moment. If you break the law and disrespect your body with drugs, you will lose more than a few brain cells. There are consequences. Unfortunately, they have had to learn this lesson over and over again with the athletes they admire. A year and a half ago, my younger son threw away his Michael Vick jersey when he learned of his conviction for dogfighting.
We were sitting in the car, waiting for the bus when my boys first heard the story and they were visibly disgusted with Phelps, whom they had greatly admired before, during and after the Olympics. I commend Kellogg's for removing Phelps from the cereal boxes that sit in front of kids, every morning on kitchen tables across America. But maybe Kellogg's should have put more thought into making the offer to Phelps in the first place, based on his past behavior. Because if Tony the Tiger shouldn't toke, he shouldn't be driving while tipsy either.
posted by Queenosheba @ 5:56 PM
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