My Hazy Thoughts On Joseph Schooling’s Confession

Our Singaporean Olympian’s rep is going up in smoke.

I’m appalled at how the authorities treat him for recreational use versus doping to win – which evil to weed out?

Admittedly, you don’t get starkly contrasting sides to a person rolled into one every day, making for such a juicy media scandal.

It will make anyone turn green with envy at the swimmer’s career achievement.

But to be blunt about it, getting busted as a fulltime serviceman while enjoying the privilege of disruption strains the already tense fabric of hemp between the military and civilians.

“How come Schooling can act like Peter Parker and vapourize from class while the rest are stuck with the program?”

Having Amanda as his Mary Jane made things worse, because now there’s a collective disregard for the laws of the land.

Before you take a crack at meting out the appropriate punishment for Schooling, do look closely at Singapore in recent news.

“377A: Singapore to end ban on gay sex” – BBC News

“Budget 2022: $6b draw on past reserves to pay for Covid-19” – Straits Times

The headlines clearly pave the way for what were historically no-goes to become open for exceptions and eventually, acceptance.

Some say these media accusations against Schooling might well be the pot calling the kettle back. Because thirsty.

When you realize that it’s a joint effort between government and the maturity of the people to make once-controlled items become accessible, you’re ready to live in these current times.

Both parties can hash it out like they’re in a healthy parent-child relationship as children explore the path to independence, eventually outgrowing the constraints of the playpen designed to keep them safe.

While it took 13 years of pink dot movements to open negotiations for archaic laws, Schooling could just be the martyr to changing the official stance on cannabis use in one blow.

Having a national hero turn this into a high priority agenda, looks like it’s high time to relook into the severity for cannabis use compared to its status in other countries.

We are now waiting on the authorities to come to terms with how outdated the law is on leaves that have real-world medical applications.

The bong of the grandfather clock reminds us that it is 2022, when the topic becomes of national interest that it’s time to rethink saying “no” to everything.

To nip the problem in the bud, we should all agree that a hard no does not go down well with this generation.

Let us not forget that Schooling got us our first gold. Last I checked it wasn’t Acapulco Gold.

In the vein of adapting from old texts,
“Let him who is without sin be the first stoned.”

Writing as seen from my own tainted viewing glass – pipe down y’all haters. And peace out.