Posted on 11/19/2004 5:35:36 AM PST by SheLion
Today is the day we set aside each year to badger, harass and pester that marginalized subculture of Americans, the Doorway People.
You know the Doorway People. They stand in doorways at work or at the mall smoking cigarettes because lighting up in mixed company has become as distasteful as nose-picking.
Yes, today marks the 27th anniversary of the Great American Smokeout, sponsored by the American Cancer Society, where modern incarnates of pinch-mouthed prohibitionists attempt to further ghettoize smokers.
Now, it's not that I think smoking is good. I have friends who smoke. I wish they didn't. On average, they will trade 10 years of their lives to enjoy their habit. But we're all grownups. Smoking is their demon and I have enough of my own demons to wrestle with.
But, unlike anti-smoking zealots, I sympathize with smokers.
That's because I was a smoker. When I quit for good in 1996, I was burning through 2 1/2 packs a day. I ditched the habit because each time I coughed, my lungs rattled as if someone had backed into metal trash cans.
Still, I loved every puff. I still miss it. In fact, I still have nicotine cravings.
So I'm sympathetic to smokers and believe they should be free to enjoy their addiction, which, last I checked, remains legal. Which is why I dislike the anti-smoking scolds. They are trying to criminalize smoking.
From New York City to Dallas, from Toledo, Ohio, to Eugene, Ore., anti-smoking zealots have racked up successful campaigns to ban smoking in bars and restaurants, the last bastion of peace and acceptance for smokers.
Eventually, the anti-smoking "movement" will have won enough smoking bans in enough cities in enough states to introduce national no-smoking legislation, said Zoe Mitchell, co-founder of Ban the Ban, which recently defeated efforts to enact similar no-smoking legislation in Washington, D.C.
"Ultimately, their goal is to make it a national issue based on their success at the local level," she said.
Anti-smokers say they're acting in the best interest of public health.
They say all those smokers burden the healthcare system with their cigarette-related maladies. It costs all of us more in healthcare premiums, they say.
Nonsense. Smokers die sooner than most of us nonsmokers, never collecting a cent from Social Security, which they've paid for decades.
Also, smokers pay outrageous cigarette taxes on each pack of smokes, which pours billions of dollars annually into government coffers.
At best, the money argument is a wash.
When an anti-smoking nut steps into a place like the Puss N' Boots Tavern in Fairless Hills, all they see is the blue-gray cloud of smoke hovering over the patrons crowded around the bar.
When I walk into the Boot, I see it differently.
I see a local cop who's seen more than his fair share of tragedy.
Or an emergency room nurse who was up to her elbows in blood just a few hours before.
Or a construction guy who's sacrificed years of Saturdays to work overtime so he could save for his kid's college tuition.
Or a middle-aged father worried about his son, who's fighting the war.
These are the good people the anti-smoking zealots want to stigmatize as public health leeches.
And if they accomplish their goal, they won't go away.
They will persecute the overweight, stigmatize SUV drivers and haul into court those who don't recycle.
They've got the money and the time and the lawyers.
"But the RIGHT to smoke does?"
Ah, yes, a person generally does have the right to perform a LEGAL activity on private property. Of course, you could counter that these ordinances that outlaw smoking in private businesses change that, but that is exactly the point- these legislators are outlawing an otherwise LEGAL activity. It's all about private property rights. What is to stop overzealous legislators from outlawing smoking in private residences? The second-hand smoke issues for any non-smokers (children, visitors, etc) are the same, if not MORE compelling (when you consider households with children).
"But when I am walking into a non-smoking restaurant and there are 10 people outside the front door smoking and blowing smoke directly into my face as I walk in, I get a little pissed. Smokers want people to respect their right to smoke but they don't want to respect my right not to have to smell it. Does that make sense?"
Puh-leeze. Paranoid at all? Yeah, all those smokers are out to get you personally by intentionally blowing smoke right in your face.
I'd like to know where you find these smokers who blow smoke in your face. Any smokers I know (like myself, although I'm working on quitting now) usually make reasonable efforts to ensure that their smoke doesn't bother non-smokers. If I'm outside, I'll try to position myself upwind of a non-smoker that I'm talking to.
I will agree, though, that if people are smoking near an entranceway, that you will likely have to walk through their smoke to get it in. If there's a sheltered place to do, I'd like to think that most smokers would move a ways away from the door.
If I'm aware of it, yes. That's exactly what it means.
So smell isn't a big deal? Would you let a company build a chicken processing plant down the street from your house? How about a nice slaughterhouse outside of town.
I've lived down the street form Chicken farms, hog farms, slaughter houses and no, I didn't particularly enjoy the smell. Neither did I try to outlaw them or make them move. I dealt with it by buying air purifiers for my house.
How do you feel about businesses being able to exclude smokers?
If the business owner decides, I have no problem whatsoever with them disallowing smoking on their property. But you can't "exclude" smokers. You can disallow smoking on the property but you can't "exclude" smokers. That WOULD be discrimination.
Well, 55 million Americans smoke. And we are still in the minority. However, we still outnumber the AARP and the NRA. We were quite content with the smoking sections and the non-smoking sections. Everyone was happy when air purifiers were brought in.
Then, the Tobacco Settlement Money opened Pandora's Box and here we sit. 5 states forced to go smoke free. And 5 states are hurting with the economy.
You can do that if you want, just watch out for the poison ivy.
Hey, you know what else we should do (since we are going off the deep end)... allow gay marriages, encourage abortion, take South Park off the air, empty the prisons (those criminals weren't violating the law, they were just exercising their right to kill, and do away with drunk driving laws (you should be able to drink wherever you want, no matter who you hurt).
I choose to live life and not worry about it because if we live long enough, 1/2 of us here are going to get some type of cancer..statistically.
At 50, he went in for an annual physical and was basically pulled off the treadmill and wheeled into the OR for a quadruple bypass. The last 20 years have brought the pulmonary fibrosis and stroke. All of these illnesses are due to his having smoked from the age of 10.
My other grandfather also smoked, but quit when his best friend (and local coroner) showed him two lungs. One pink and healthy, the other gray and withered. Guess which one belonged to the smoker?
Smokin' in the bar room.....smokin in the bar room
I had a child. Yes. She is grown, married and has a babe of her own now. They also smoke, however, what with the way Health and Human Services are running like the Hitler Regime, they do not smoke around my grand child.
I'm a time bomb? Geeze louise. And you're going to live forever? I'm so happy for you!
Are you kidding, they'll probably charge them more for using the extra electricity.
You know, I smoked for about 10 minutes when I was a kid but I just never got into it... might have been the beating I got when my dad caught me. I gotta tell you, I love wearing those nicotine patches, they really get me going!
BTW, how do you get the snow to pile up like that? Ours usually wears out on its way to Minnesota.
State Senator Virg Bernero introduced a bill to impliment a pop tax. It didn't see the floor, but it's a good heads up.
As a smoker I don't need to be told it's bad for my health by some miserable, pencil-necked dweeb that wouldn't know a moment of happiness unless he/she was making someone else as miserable as they are. This writer has it right.....we pay dearly in taxes for our smokes and it enrages me when those holier than thou politicians sue big tobacco companies.......just grandstanding is all it is. They'd wad their drawers if everyone stopped smoking because that is a big cash cow in WDC. The governments in this country need to "butt" out of the smoking business.......let individual business owners decide if they want smoking in their establishments! Bout' time too that people take a look at how these well organized, well funded leftists are slowly chipping away at our rights......not just whether or not we can smoke but what we can drive, what we eat, etc. Now excuse me while I light up. *~*
This is what gets me fired up. People who are upset and feel like they have to "get back" at all the nonsmokers.
Get over it already. The tyranny of the majority is called democracy. How many posts have you written here bad mouthing the Dems for being sore losers over the election? You know what, I was mad when the assault weapons ban was passed. You want to know why? Because the passing of that ban was due to the Tyranny of the MINORITY! You know what happened to a lot of the people who supported that bill? They were voted out of office by the MAJORITY. That's why, even though a lot of Congressmen personally support the ban, it wasn't voted on when it expired. The MAJORITY spoke and the MINORITY had to STFD and deal with the fact that they were in the MINORITY. That's how a democracy works.
I bet for every link you throw at us about smoking and cancer, I can throw back a link that goes against YOUR link. It's a never ending circle. Just depends on who you want to believe.
That's a new one on me. Smoking is a risk factor for many things, but being the cause of a PREVENTABLE cancer? i seriously doubt that.
And there are viruses that cause cancer. 98-99% of all cervical cancer is caused by the human pappiloma (sp?) virus - and HPV can be an STD.
That should be a business decision.
I would not support a ban on all smoking.
If you smoke and you have children, you are wrong. Plain and simple.
If you smoke in your house and people don't like it, they don't have to stop by.
Drinking is also legal. How can the people who run football stadiums stop you from buying alcohol at the end of the 3rd quarter?
Why can't you have an open container in your car (in most states)?
Owning guns is legal but I can't keep one in my car unless it's unloaded and separated from the ammo (unless I have a CCW).
Driving is legal but why can't I drive 125 mph down the highway? (please don't point out that it is legal in some areas that are barren wastelands... I'm aware of that)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.