Michael Phelps Should Face Consequences of Smoking Pot

Absolutely NOT!

He did no harm to anyone!

One that needs consequences is the lady that gave birth to 8 children!

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No he should not. I would rather see college students expelled for cheating, which is more serious (I believe) than smoking pot. Get real.

Oh, and by the way, it really explains a lot now that I know you were on The Real World. Thanks for the info.

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Phelps' sponsors are sugary cereal and junk food. His choice to endorse that garbage is, in my mind, a far greater crime against his role-model status. He happily took their cash, while millions of kids who look up to him were sold on the idea that stuffing a big mac in their faces was emulating their star.

Where's the public apology for that? Where was your parental outrage then?

Phelps is a train-wreck when it comes to role models, but it started long ago.

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Do I wish this never happened?? Yes. Do I think he should be punished like a child? No. He's a grown adult and a "human being," if I may add, and he screwed up. He made a mistake and he admitted it and didn't lie. It's a sad fact but there are a lot worse "role models" for our kids and at least he didn't say "I didn't inhale" or make up some stupid story. He's taking the heat. Maybe that's a lesson kids should learn. That we all make mistakes and it takes a bigger person to admit it and move on. Don't we tell our kids not to lie? What does it say to them that he admitted what he did and still got "punished?" It may put the thought in little ones heads that gee, he told the truth and look what happened, maybe I shouldn't always tell the truth and it might be better to lie.

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Your views are totally twisted. If you truly believe in everything you just wrote, then you have to also get rid of your favorite George Bush Jr:

A conversation between Bush and an old friend, author, Doug Wead, touched on the subject of use of illegal drugs. In the taped recording of the conversation, Bush explained his refusal to answer questions about whether he had used marijuana at some time in his past. “I wouldn’t answer the marijuana questions,” Bush says. “You know why? Because I don’t want some little kid doing what I tried.”[Bush feared past ‘mistakes’ would cost him - Politics - MSNBC.com ] When Wead reminded Bush of his earlier public denial of using cocaine, Bush replied, "I haven't denied anything."[Kirkpatrick, David D. (February 20, 2005), "In Secretly Taped Conversations, Glimpses of the Future President", The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/20/politics/20talk.html]

If everyone had cell phone cameras back in the 70s, we'd probably have a picture of bush smoking pot too. Honestly, did you grow up in a bubble?

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He should be treated exactly the same way as my next-door neighbor would be treated for the same incident.

We have a president in the White House who admits that he regularly used cocaine when he was young. Did all of his sponsors abandon him upon learning this information? I wish, but no. How can we expect a higher level of morality and maturity out of a very young man who is NOT trying to lead the nation?

As far as his sponsors go, that is purely a business deal. As long as we are a capitalist country (and I'm counting the days), it's up to each to decide whom they want to pay for what, provided the services they are paying for are not in themselves illegal. Some companies would back off from Phelps after this debacle, but that is the choice of each company's leadership. If you don't like their choice, vote with your pocketbook.

Yes, Phelps is a role model. If we banned every "role model" who got caught doing something wrong, I don't think there would be any left - particularly since with the paparazzi around, "celebrities" can't even blow a fart without seeing it in the papers the next day. Real people make mistakes, fess up, make amends, and move on.

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don't smoke pot or you will become lazy like michael phelps and santonio holmes and accomplish nothing

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I don't think it is a multi million dollar mistake.

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Rachel,

I remember you from the real world. You were dumb then and you're dumb now (and still trying to get attention I see). With all the crimes your man Bush and the rest of your Republican buddies committed over the last 8 years (last I remember hearing from you, you were trying to do something in politics), I think there are bigger fish to fry than this. You need to get a life and a real job in the Real Real World.

Love,
Brad

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While it is sad that a photo was taken of Michael Phelps committing a crime, many other famous folks have committed much worse crimes and continue to endorse products, act and sing all while earning millions of dollars. What about all the underage girls who are photographed drinking and driving in Hollywood? I think the issue isn't their misbehavior....we all make mistakes that we wish we could take back or are caught by the police and punished appropriately. Instead, the issue is with the media and tabloids who are so hungry for a story that someones indiscretion suddenly becomes headlines news along the lines of Presidential Appointments and World wide recession-and the public who reads these stories. That is where the true crime lies. So no, I don't think he should lose his endorsements but his apology is in order.

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I generally like your blogs Rachel, but from time to time I wonder if you're trying to provoke just for the sake of keeping a strong number of responses so your bosses at AOL think you're good at this. Today's entry leaves me scratching my head because you judge Michael Phelps for a bad decision, despite the fact that he admitted his "wrongdoing." I seem to remember one of your blogs a while back that discussed your decision to lie to your children about your husband's smoking. Isn't it worse to lie and deny-therfore missing an opportunity for a teachable moment? Admitting and learning from your mistakes makes it a teachable moment which is far better to teach your kids.

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If there were no real consequences to minor Miley Cyrus posing essentially naked on a magazine aimed at adults - and in fact, just the opposite, her Hanna Montana merchandising went through the roof during the Christmas season - then why should Phelps be punished? Now granted, what Phelps did is illegal, and what Miley and her sleazy dad did was simply immoral and opportunistic, but still...

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Definition of a role model:

"A person whose behavior in a particular role is imitated by others."

Michael Phelps actually stepped up to the plate on how to behave when you make a mistake. He admitted it was him doing what it looked like and apologized and is willing to take his punishment, whatever that may be.

A perfect person does not exist, Rachel, and any role model you set so high will disappoint you. It is how people behave in good times and bad that makes a role model.

I hope my children learn that striving for greatness while taking responsibilities for failures is truly the making of a great individual. We all fail, at times, it is how you deal with the failure that is the true test of character.

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What Michael does in privacy is his own business. If you think he should stop being 23 and go to monastery only because your son like to dress as him you seriously need to get a life. It's your duty as a parent to talk to your kids and explain them that Phelps is a human being - not a half fish half robot and humans do make mistakes during life. Phelps owes you nothing.

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Corporations are in business to make money. It is not an "honor" to shill for a corporation, it's a business transaction. Corporations pay for the use of a person's image in order to sell more merchandise.

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I'm not sure how I feel about this.

I do know that I think it's important that the justice system take care of the punishment; this is more a matter of an illegal act taking place than anything.

I think as parents, we need to take some responsibility for our children's role-models. By this I mean, if it were my child idolizing him, I would explain why this person ISN'T a role model for him.

I remember one time telling my mom I wanted to be just like ___ (I don't even remember who it was) and she turned to me and said, "You want to be a drug addicted womanizer?" After that, I rethought about it and realized that the publicity was just a facade, the real person wasn't so great.

Should he lose his sponsorships? Well, if parents tell their children like it is and that he ISN'T someone to be looked up to it will take care of itself. No one is going to sponsor someone that the children don't idolize. Image is everything!

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People who live in glass houses should not through stones. I guess since you are perfect, it is okay for you to condeme just about everyone.

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