Current Events. No debates! — Page 10

Warbler said: 

Mrebo said:

 I am reminded of so many people Obama actually was whom his Justice Department aggressively prosecutes. But that's political, so any response might have to migrate to that thread.

I think the article writer needs to remember that while not illegal under California law,  marijuana is still illegal under federal law.   Unless you want to argue that the federal law in question is unconstitutional,  Obama has every right to enforce it.   The people whose lives have been ruined according to article, violated federal law(unless it successfully argued in the Supreme Court that the federal law in question is unconstitutional).   Last time I looked, the people of California are not above federal law(the federal laws that are Constitutional).   

The Constitution is a wonderful thing, but it isn't everything.

Just because something is permitted by the Constitution, doesn't make it right.

Obama acts proud of his past as a pot smoker and makes light of it on late night television, then turns around and boldly stands by the federal government enforcing marijuana laws in states where it is legal.

At the end of the day, the biggest danger of marijuana usage is getting caught and punished. That shouldn't sit right with anybody. Marijuana doesn't have any of the health concerns associated with alcohol usage, aside from smoke inhalation, it has no known long term ill effects on those who use it. Being high on marijuana is arguably less dangerous and impairing than being drunk, and is certainly no more dangerous than being drunk.

The reason it was made illegal was primarily a means of racial discrimination, and the reason it stays illegal today is primarily misinformation possibly coupled with a continued racial discrimination.

It is almost a continuation of the old Jim Crow laws, and it is complete and absolute bullshit.

When it comes down to it, the traditionally white means of getting f'ed up via alcohol is acceptable and totally legal, while the means of getting f'ed up that is traditionally more common among Hispanics and African Americans can land you time in prison. Totally awesome, if you want to keep as many blacks and Hispanics off the street as possible, but totally bullshit for any other legitimate reason.

CP3S said:

Just because something is permitted by the Constitution, doesn't make it right.

but it does make it legal.  

CP3S said:

Obama acts proud of his past as a pot smoker and makes light of it on late night television, then turns around and boldly stands by the federal government enforcing marijuana laws in states where it is legal.

Sorry but if something is against federal law, it is illegal in all states, regardless of state law(unless you can make a successful argument that the federal law in question is in violation of the US Constitution).  It shouldn't just be enforced in some states and not the rest. 

I would advocate either repealing said federal law or attempting to get the Supreme Court to rule that it is unconstitutional.  

CP3S said:

At the end of the day, the biggest danger of marijuana usage is getting caught and punished. That shouldn't sit right with anybody. Marijuana doesn't have any of the health concerns associated with alcohol usage, aside from smoke inhalation, it has no known long term ill effects on those who use it.

really?  this surprises me.  But I will take your word on it.   Yeah sounds like there is no real reason to keep the ban on marijuana, expect on kids. 

CP3S said:

Being high on marijuana is arguably less dangerous and impairing than being drunk, and is certainly no more dangerous than being drunk.

this of course doesn't mean people high on marijuana should be driving.   In lifting the ban on marijuana, I would advocate passing regulations making it illegal to drive high on marijuana.  

Then there is another issue I have with marijuana: the smell.   I once walked by people smoking marijuana(at least I think it was, they certainly weren't smoking cigarettes).   The smell made me sick to my stomach and I felt sick for hours afterwards and almost threw up.   If marijuana is made totally legal, this could be an increasing problem. 

CP3S said:

The reason it was made illegal was primarily a means of racial discrimination, and the reason it stays illegal today is primarily misinformation possibly coupled with a continued racial discrimination.

didn't know it was made illegal due to racial discrimination.  Weird considering a lot of white people use the drug. 

Warbler said: 

CP3S said:

Being high on marijuana is arguably less dangerous and impairing than being drunk, and is certainly no more dangerous than being drunk.

this of course doesn't mean people high on marijuana should be driving.   In lifting the ban on marijuana, I would advocate passing regulations making it illegal to drive high on marijuana.

  Nobody said anything about driving while high.

I feel like all the same laws associated with alcohol could be applied to marijuana usage, and the vast majority of issues people could dream up regarding the legalization of marijuana would be taken care of.

Then there is another issue I have with marijuana: the smell.   I once walked by people smoking marijuana(at least I think it was, they certainly weren't smoking cigarettes).   The smell made me sick to my stomach and I felt sick for hours afterwards and almost threw up.   If marijuana is made totally legal, this could be an increasing problem. 

LOL.

CP3S said:

The reason it was made illegal was primarily a means of racial discrimination, and the reason it stays illegal today is primarily misinformation possibly coupled with a continued racial discrimination.

didn't know it was made illegal due to racial discrimination.  Weird considering a lot of white people use the drug. 

And a lot of black people drink alcohol. That doesn't mean anything.

Familiarity with marijuana made its way into the US via South American immigrants. Opium smoking was a major pass time of Chinese immigrant workers. Two of a many number of groups that were greatly looked down on. At the times these drugs were made illegal, they were things "they" did. These drugs carried ethnic stigmas for many years. Now when you think of pot, you probably think of African American guys with loads of bling or a ditzy white guy with long hair who likes surfing or skateboarding who says "whoa" and "dude" a lot. Stigmas change over time. The vast majority of people in prison for marijuana related crimes are Hispanic and African American. Sometimes statistics are very telling.

Coffee smells terrible.  It should be illegal too.

I love the smell of coffee.  I don't think coffee ever made anyone sick to their stomach, for hours after smelling it.    

CP3S said:

Warbler said: 

CP3S said:

Being high on marijuana is arguably less dangerous and impairing than being drunk, and is certainly no more dangerous than being drunk.

this of course doesn't mean people high on marijuana should be driving.   In lifting the ban on marijuana, I would advocate passing regulations making it illegal to drive high on marijuana.

  Nobody said anything about driving while high.

I feel like all the same laws associated with alcohol could be applied to marijuana usage, and the vast majority of issues people could dream up regarding the legalization of marijuana would be taken care of.

probably true.

CP3S said:

Then there is another issue I have with marijuana: the smell.   I once walked by people smoking marijuana(at least I think it was, they certainly weren't smoking cigarettes).   The smell made me sick to my stomach and I felt sick for hours afterwards and almost threw up.   If marijuana is made totally legal, this could be an increasing problem. 

LOL.

not sure what is so funny.  if people start smoking marijuana as much as they do cigarettes, it could be come a serious issue.    I don't think I should have to fear going out of the house and having to pass by marijuana smokes and then becoming very ill.   

CP3S said:

CP3S said:

The reason it was made illegal was primarily a means of racial discrimination, and the reason it stays illegal today is primarily misinformation possibly coupled with a continued racial discrimination.

didn't know it was made illegal due to racial discrimination.  Weird considering a lot of white people use the drug. 

And a lot of black people drink alcohol. That doesn't mean anything.

Familiarity with marijuana made its way into the US via South American immigrants. Opium smoking was a major pass time of Chinese immigrant workers. Two of a many number of groups that were greatly looked down on. At the times these drugs were made illegal, they were things "they" did. These drugs carried ethnic stigmas for many years. Now when you think of pot, you probably think of African American guys with loads of bling or a ditzy white guy with long hair who likes surfing or skateboarding who says "whoa" and "dude" a lot. Stigmas change over time. The vast majority of people in prison for marijuana related crimes are Hispanic and African American. Sometimes statistics are very telling.

what you say seems logical.

ray_afraid said:

Warbler said:

I love the smell of coffee.  I don't think coffee ever made anyone sick to their stomach, for hours after smelling it.    

I don't believe marijuana has either.

well it did me and I quote myself from my earlier post:

Warbler said:

Then there is another issue I have with marijuana: the smell.   I once walked by people smoking marijuana(at least I think it was, they certainly weren't smoking cigarettes).   The smell made me sick to my stomach and I felt sick for hours afterwards and almost threw up.   If marijuana is made totally legal, this could be an increasing problem.

thejediknighthusezni said:

Our society is totally reliant on the automobile and we don't have any good way to measure the effects, overdoses, corruption of children and troubled teens, destruction of their motivation and ability to relate in society, rape and abuse....     The people who believe we will have a better society if Shucky Johnson is free to build his Homosexuel Brothel and Cheap Drugs Emporiums across the street from every school in the nation are devestatingly insane.

You may be clinically insane yourself, but I'll be damned if you don't make some of the most hilarious posts I've ever read.

RE: The rename of this thread I think it should be called Politics Gaiden as we already have lots of other Politics threads which have a better claim to the part two moniker.

Bingowings said:

RE: The rename of this thread I think it should be called Politics Gaiden as we already have lots of other Politics threads which have a better claim to the part two moniker.

Yeah, you're probably right.  I'll fix it.

you don't need to rename this thread just because political discussion come up in it every once in a while.

ray_afraid said:

Warbler said:

ray_afraid said:

Warbler said:

I don't think coffee ever made anyone sick to their stomach, for hours after smelling it.    

I don't believe marijuana has either.

well it did me and I quote myself from my earlier post:

Warbler said:

...I once walked by people smoking marijuana at least I think it was...

 

I'll stand by my words.

what else do you think it could have been?   I know what cigarettes smell like(I've walking by enough people to know that smell), it was too powerful to be that.   What they were smoking was in the shape of cigarettes.   That doesn't say marijuana to you???

hashish?  never heard of that.   Still,  I don't recalled what I smelled to be like burnt plastic.  

Are you sure it wasn't coffee?

It was probably coffee.

TV's Frink said:

Are you sure it wasn't coffee?

It was probably coffee.

I am 100% certain it was not coffee. 

Mrebo said:

You seem way too comfortable with ruining people's lives for a violation of federal law. There are so many laws out there that the government could ruin your life, if not make it utterly miserable, if it so chose. That's not okay.

if you don't like a law change it.   At least with federal law you only have repeal it once, not 50 times. 

I'd say when two people that love each other are kept by law from marrying, that could be said to  ruin their lives.  Yet you have no problem with that.

Warbler said:

TV's Frink said:

Are you sure it wasn't coffee?

It was probably coffee.

I am 100% certain it was not coffee. 

Did you smoke it?

Mrebo said:

Warbler said:

Mrebo said:

You seem way too comfortable with ruining people's lives for a violation of federal law. There are so many laws out there that the government could ruin your life, if not make it utterly miserable, if it so chose. That's not okay.

if you don't like a law change it.   At least with federal law you only have repeal it once, not 50 times. 

I'd say when two people that love each other are kept by law from marrying, that could be said to  ruin their lives.  Yet you have no problem with that.

Way to go missing the point about prosecutorial discretion and Obama's apparent hypocrisy.

*sigh* . . . ok.   You are right,  maybe Obama should use some discretion in enforcing the marijuana laws.  After all he has used the drug himself and has used discretion in regards to other laws.   However,

Mrebo said:

Obama has ignored the law (Obamacare employer mandate)

what do you mean he ignored the law in regards to this?

edit: never mind about the crossed out bit.  I just looked at the politics thread.