Dude, Check Out My Robe!

I made it myself.

Thanks to Devo for posting an excellent comment to the previous post concerning the Supreme Court’s medicinal marijuana decision. The case was unusually interesting not only because of its ramifications for American drug laws, but also due to the unique blending of two traditionally opposite political positions: liberal leaning social laws and the more conservative states’ rights stance. For a justice of the Court to vote either way on this case, he or she would have had to reconcile the apparent paradox of supporting both of these polar positions simultaneously. To uphold the federal ban against the medical use of dope, one would be supporting the right of the U.S. government to shoot down any individual state’s own police laws while at the same time thrashing the prospect of reforming the country’s drug laws. Chief Justice William Renquist, for example, voted against the ban. One of the Court’s most conservative members, he could be counted on to stand up for the states’ right to make their own legislation. But he is not known for his bleeding heart on social issues. Interestingly, however, Renquist has cancer, a disease whose symptoms can be successfully treated with medicinal marijuana, according to its proponents. So perhaps our Chief Justice actually was in a win-win situation; uphold states’ rights and keep weed available to those who need its pain-relieving qualities, i.e. himself. Far be it from me to suggest that Renquist partakes in illegal substances, but come on, the guy designed his own justice robe, complete with cool racing stripes. He must have been smoking something.