When steroids and politics mix

[PTbyJason]

Source: MSNBC

Schwarzenegger’s use of drugs makes him unfit to be governor


Arnold Schwarzenegger shows off his body for an appreciative audience on May 20, 1977 in Cannes, France, where Schwarzenegger's documentary film 'Pumping Iron' was being presented at the Cannes Film Festival.

Oct. 6 — It’s almost time for Californians to decide whether or not to keep Grey Davis as their governor and the battle is narrowing down to a challenge between Davis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. But Schwarzenegger has an ethical problem that makes him unfit to serve, an issue that has stared his supporters in the face ever since he first took off his shirt.

NO, IT’S NOT the fact that Schwarzenegger made his fortune selling violence on the silver screen that makes him unfit for office. Or his numerous, well-documented sexual escapades.

In my opinion, the baggage weighing down the Hollywood he-man is that for many years he used steroids — drugs that are illegal in the United States today. And those who normally yell the loudest about drug use in America have kept mum because the former Conan the Barbarian represents their best shot to regain political power in the nation’s most populous state.

For most of his life, Schwarzenegger has been either a bodybuilder or an actor. In both occupations, his sole talent has arguably been his big muscles. And the only way he came to have the massive form that made him famous was through the use of steroids.

There is probably not a doctor or athletic trainer in the country who believes you can look like Schwarzenegger without a chemical boost. His earlier use of these drugs inspired — and continues to inspire — lots of young men to risk their lives by emulating what he did.

Does anybody really think that the mass and size Schwarzenegger was famous for in his movies were simply the products of a good diet and hard work in the gym? Not a chance.

CONSERVATIVES TURN A BLIND EYE

Yet, conservatives, who are quick to scream for a harsh jail sentence whenever an NBA airhead is arrested for drug possession, are touting Schwarzenegger as the best man to lead the nation’s biggest state.

Furthermore, neoconservatives, such as William Kristol, Francis Fukuyama and Charles Krauthammer, who have been frothing at the mouth in op-eds and magazine articles about the immorality of using new biological techniques to redesign our bodies, have had nothing to say about the pharmacologically enhanced Schwarzenegger.

Keep in mind that the health consequences of steroid use are not trivial. Liver tumors, cancer, hypertension, torn tendons and sterility are strongly associated with the use of these drugs.

As the U.S. Customs Service says on its Web site, “Steroids are like any other illegal drug that threatens the American public — like all illegal narcotics their sale and possession represent critical links in a larger criminal process, one that funds terrorism, death and addiction around the world.”

And, as the National Institute on Drug Abuse notes on its Web site, some of the greatest abusers of steroids are junior-high and high-school students who are using these drugs at rates 50 percent higher than they were 10 years ago. And who might these kids, now desperate to bulk up their bodies, have been watching on TV and in the movies for the past 25 years?

A lot of the folks supporting Schwarzenegger for governor had no doubt that the White House was no place for a philanderer who lied about his sexual behavior. I agree. But these same people ought to check their moral compasses and conclude that the governor’s office in Sacramento is no place for a drug user.

Arthur Caplan, Ph.D (E-mail )., is director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

[Calipso]

Weird how MSNBC put this article out. I thought MSNBC was a conservative network.

[Da Bull]

Steriods were not illegal in Arnolds day!I'm not from Cali,but do care where our nation is headed.Arnold has some very smart people in his corner.As far as this article goes,everyone has the right to express thier oppion,but this guys a true jerk off!!!! DB

[saboudian]

I'm not all that surprised, everything I've heard on CNN about Arnold has all been negative.

The line :
"There is probably not a doctor or athletic trainer in the country who believes you can look like Schwarzenegger without a chemical boost"

If I was a trainer, then this point would be wrong. Even without AS arnie would be a very big man. I've seen other austrian guys from the same town or area from arnold, and they're all extremely blessed in terms of genetics. One of these Austrian guys i saw had probably around 18" arms with a 6 pack and you could tell he had no idea what the hell he was doing.

[PTbyJason]

Steriods were not illegal in Arnolds day!I'm not from Cali,but do care where our nation is headed.Arnold has some very smart people in his corner.As far as this article goes,everyone has the right to express thier oppion,but this guys a true jerk off!!!! DB

I agree with you. That's why I posted links to the authors profile at University of Pennsylvania as well as his e-mail address. Some of his points are nothing more than opinion with no way of backing it up. I just wonder if anyone has the guts to e-mail him.

[Da Bull]

I agree with you. That's why I posted links to the authors profile at University of Pennsylvania as well as his e-mail address. Some of his points are nothing more than opinion with no way of backing it up. I just wonder if anyone has the guts to e-mail him.

I'll E-mail the jerk off

[BigMike J]

I will

[Strut99GT]

If any of y'all e-mail, be sure to post whether or not you got a reply. If I had any cycle experience, I'd do it in a heartbeat just to stir things up

[Da Bull]

I Flamed the jerk off!Told him basically he should keep his fat fuckin' mouth shut til he does some more solid research.I rambled on alot more,but don't want to make this post to long.The cyber police will probably show up at my door tomorrow,Fuck 'em. DB

[wrstlr69sdnl]

Usally when theres a email like that theres a auto response to it so I dont know if he will get them. When I email people like that thats all I get

[jeffylyte]

the man may technically not know what he is talking about, but he does have a point. the neocons are a bunch of hypocrits. they did the same thing about G.W. and his cocaine. plain and simple if drugs are so bad and immoral, then say so. but as long as it furthers their ideals, drugs arent so bad. that shit pisses me off.

[Red Ketchup]

I Flamed the jerk off!

Hate to tell ya this bro, but flaming someone by email is about as useless as screaming at a light post...

Think about it, wether he reads his emails or has them filtered by some secretary or intern, do you honestly think whoever reads them will get passed the first line before hitting the <DELETE> key?

If you want an email to be read to get a point across, you have to send him a consice well thought out "Good effort in your article, but I believe you are wrong because XYZ reasons" type of emails.

Red

[jeffylyte]

and for the record, I am against the recall (not cause I like davis, but more on principle) and like Arnie. Kind of ironic that many super religious right neocons hate him, but put up with him cause hes republican. kind of like they do with Powell. his social views arent too popular with that crew (gay rights, abortion, etc).

[hoss827]

Personally I say...fuck the government/media. George Bush is an alcoholic, snorts cocaine, lets his twins run around naked at parties while they are high on weed, puked on some people in china (or japan dont remember) and passed out, and makes US look like junkies for supplementing our bodies with juice so we can get into shape, stay in shape, get stronger, live better, etc, when he is the one thats doing all the illegal shit...The goverment lies..cheats, steals, murders, and makes us believe its for our own good, yet WERE the criminals. They wage wars, build weapons of mass destruction, yet WERE the criminals...I say to hell with them. This is just my opinion, and im REALLY sorry if I offended anyone who has read this thread, I would just like to say whats on my mind about them.

[Juggernaut]

Question bros.........Did they make as big a stink over Ventura about steroids when he ran for Gov.?

[PTbyJason]

Usally when theres a email like that theres a auto response to it so I dont know if he will get them. When I email people like that thats all I get

I looked up his e-mail. It wasn't posted. So he may not have an autoresponse on this one.

Just for the record though. If anyone e-mails him, please try to make a point to tell him why you disagree. Even if you don't agree with him, he still deserves respect for voicing his opinion. I don't want to get in trouble on this one. I just want us to be able to let him know that some of his claims were exaggerated and why. He argued a point, but his claims were twisted.

[Da Bull]

Hate to tell ya this bro, but flaming someone by email is about as useless as screaming at a light post...

Think about it, wether he reads his emails or has them filtered by some secretary or intern, do you honestly think whoever reads them will get passed the first line before hitting the <DELETE> key?

If you want an email to be read to get a point across, you have to send him a consice well thought out "Good effort in your article, but I believe you are wrong because XYZ reasons" type of emails.

Red

Probably right,but I felt better anyway.

[PTbyJason]

Probably right,but I felt better anyway.

LOL, that's funny

[Red Ketchup]

Probably right,but I felt better anyway.

True enough

I usually feel great after I've spent a few minutes screaming at a light post

Red

[Dude-Man]

All of my friends from california here are sending in absentee ballots for arnie.

[Da Bull]

True enough

I usually feel great after I've spent a few minutes screaming at a light post

Red

OK razor tongue,you win Be Cool DB

[Red Ketchup]

OK razor tongue,you win Be Cool DB

Naaah the light post usually wins... see I am in Canada, it's cold here... and it's sooo tempting to stick my tongue on the cold metal of the light post after I screamed at it... I'm sure you can guess the rest

Red

[symatech]

the man may technically not know what he is talking about, but he does have a point. the neocons are a bunch of hypocrits. they did the same thing about G.W. and his cocaine. plain and simple if drugs are so bad and immoral, then say so. but as long as it furthers their ideals, drugs arent so bad. that shit pisses me off.

AMEN brother. People who dont have the balls to stand up for what they really believe in are cowards.

[hoss827]

So are you guys saying you agree with me on some of my statements???