From Hallenbeck at the Freeps:
Republican congressional candidate Paul Beaudry tested positive for marijuana use while he was a member of the Vermont National Guard in 2000 and was ordered to undergo drug counseling but instead retired from the Guard.
So let’s be clear; when the guy whose whole campaign is centered around being the gung-ho, arch-conservative super-military dude was told that, if he wanted to keep serving his country, he would just have to put down the bong – what does he choose?
He chooses the bong.
I guess its about priorities.
this guy is riding the same ticket as Brian Dubie, essentially joining them at the hip!
I hate his politics. But I admire his principles. Quit the military rather than quit weed? Right on, Paul!
Is that someone who chooses to smoke marijuana is considered a criminal, forced to stop serving their country, and even snickered at by posters on this board ( I note that current vote leader in the Democratic primary does not think marijuana use should be a crime).
If Mr. Beaudry woke up one day while serving the Guard, and had a nasty hangover, there may have been some jokes about a rough night, but there would be no harm done and nobody would ask him to choose between serving his country or going out for a drink.
Alcohol is far, far more dangerous, kills more people annually, and ruins more people than marijuana ever will.
It’s considered acceptable for people to bum cigarettes from each other, and if Paul smoked and asked a fellow guardsman for one, nobody would have batted an eye and his service record would be intact.
Tobacco is one of the leading cause of heart-related deaths, and has been directly linked to both lung cancer and emphysema, heath problems that cost us millions of dollars annually.
Society doesn’t question the legality of those two drugs in spite of the clear and convincing evidence of destruction caused by their use and abuse.
Marijuana should be legalized. It is far, far less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco.
I applaud Mr. Beaudry for his choice. The more people who are willing to stand up and make the same choice, the sooner we start to have a real discussion about a rational drug policy.
the more and more we find out he’s a “do like I say, not what I do” kinda guy.
The candidate who screamed the loudest won the primary. Although at first republicans might view it as a win, they’ve got to be regretting the outcome.