The steroid thing is out of control. The Times Union newspaper of Albany, NY has a story today, "Steroids beyond sports." If you ask me this steroid thing has gotten out of control in terms of the attention its getting from the media and congress. If the senate has committee hearings where they call hip-hop stars Mary J. Blige and 50-Cent to the hill (named in the article for having taken steroids) I'm going to be writing some strongly worded emails to senators to remind them about some other more pressing issues that are facing our nation.
I also think it's interesting to note that in all of this discussion of the ills of steroids that Arnold Schwarzenegger never comes up. There is a man who's entire celebrity was built on steroid use. Steroids got him a Mr. Olympia title. Steroids made him a movie star. Steroids gave him an appointment as the fitness guru from the President of The United States of America. Steroids paved the way for him to become governor of California.
The thing that gets me about steroid use for cosmetic purposes is that I don't see how it's any different than other cosmetic procedures that are considered legal. A person can walk into a plastic surgeon's office and say, "I want bigger breasts" or, "I want you to suck the fat out of my gut" but asking for or taking steroids is going to far? I don't get it. Honestly, I don't understand how it's okay for doctors to inject botulinum toxin into your face, very close to your brain, for cosmetic purposes but it's not okay to enhance your appearance with steroids? Sure, people bring up the fact that it's "cheating" because you're not doing the work that you'd normally have to do to achieve a certain look, but so is legal cosmetic enhancement. It just doesn't add up in my view.
I totally agree with you. I could care less if baseball players or rappers use steroids. It isn't important. But I suppose it makes the congress people feel like they are doing something.
Posted by: homer | January 15, 2008 at 04:09 PM
I totally agree with you. I could care less if baseball players or rappers use steroids. It isn't important. But I suppose it makes the congress people feel like they are doing something.
Posted by: homer | January 15, 2008 at 04:11 PM
So am I in trouble for being on a steroid inhaler for my respiratory issues?
Posted by: turnipHed | January 15, 2008 at 05:34 PM
While I dont think this is the biggest issue in the world, it is still something that should be addressed.
God knows the damage that has been done to woman making themselves fit a social sterotype of femininity. The same can be said for men with 'masculinity'.
Saying that, anyone who is stupid enough to juice gets everything they deserve.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anabolic_steroid#Adverse_effects
Posted by: EvilEuropean | January 15, 2008 at 06:05 PM
I didn't know steriods where against the law for any ole person to be taking. I just thought it was against the sports industry laws? but I could be wrong I guess?
Posted by: Jeremy Machetta | January 15, 2008 at 08:45 PM
I agree with you. What care I or anyone, for that matter if some arbitrary rapper juiced up for extra beef? Or Mary J. took HGH to thin out and make her skin better? It's their body and their choice.
However, for sports - it's cheating. I really, really believe that if a sportfigure used steriods they should be dropped from the game, and any honors that they acquired with them. Cheating IS cheating, there's no wiggle room.
Posted by: ryan charisma | January 16, 2008 at 09:06 AM
Ryan, I agree with you completely about steroids vis a vis in sports. However, it's the sports' organizations responsibility to create policy and exact punishment for their athletes, not the job of the US Senate.
Posted by: Adam | January 16, 2008 at 10:03 AM
Doesn't this all kind of harken back to the people who are scared of legalizing pot (which doesn't involve any kind of "rage" like steroids can in certain people)? It's also interesting how fewer and fewer people seem to mind steroid use. It will be interesting to see how opinions change as younger people mature and get into positions of power; if they don't see steroids as such a big deal, will the laws change?
And will this mean more gay for pay porn actors? Just curious.
Posted by: Rick Andreoli | January 17, 2008 at 06:14 PM
I think the issue of students and accademics using drugs like ritalin for mental rather than physical performance enhancing is gonna have to have a good looking at at some point.
Posted by: M | January 18, 2008 at 05:58 AM