Posted on 06/28/2004 10:28:56 AM PDT by Willie Green
RIPLEY, Ohio (AP) -- It's tough being the Tobacco Queen these days.
Aleisha Cantrell was crowned at last year's Ohio Tobacco Festival, a four-day annual event celebrating the crop so abundant around the Ohio River.
The 16-year-old has been taking her sash to festivals across the state this year, representing the region.
"I went to the Grape Festival, and the other girls looked at me and said, `The tobacco queen? Do you smoke tobacco?' They were making fun of it."
These days when cigarettes are demonized and anti-tobacco ads are everywhere, the Columbus City Council is considering a proposal to ban smoking in public places and workplaces, including bars and restaurants.
But the town of Ripley continues to stand up for a crop that has sustained the community for a century.
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
If she was a flaming gay man dressed up like a woman and marching in a gay parade all would be okay though.
I think I'll send her a congratulatory card.
The Tobacco Queen is HOT, but only at the tip!
So I hocked up a big plug of 'Redman' and spit in their general direction and said : "No thanks.. I believe I will just stick to chewin'.."
I've been to Ripley, you have to see it to believe it.
It's like traveling back in time.
Ping
I live here in Brown County, Ohio. I also have one of my business located there (Mt Orab).
The Tobacco Festival is HUGE HERE. Almost as big (almost) as the Brown County Fair, which is the largest in the entire state (only the Ohio State Fair has more visitors, ect).
When "Fair" time comes here....everything closes for a full week, including all the local schools.
The down side of the Tobacco Festival in Ripley is that it screws up the town for motorcyclists, who invade Ripley every weekend (right on the river, and a great bike ride to and from).
We have Queen Nicotina in southern Maryland.
Indeed we do. The Calvert County flag has a tobacco leaf in the middle. (http://flagspot.net/flags/us-md-cv.html) Queen Nicotina indeed
The Tobacco Queen should come to Iowa, where she could comiserate with the Pork Queen.
Good grief - these anti-smokers are absolutely INSANE.
Everyone on FR rails against the revisionist history being utilized by the left - well gues what? This is just more of the same and it is because of anti-smokers who allowed it to happen about tobacco that the leftist have decided they can do it about anything.
Tobacco is part of the history of this particular town and this entire nation - if you don't like it tough.
Anti-smokers on Free Republic are just as guilty of causing the revisionist history being taught our children as the leftwing liberals, the Democrats and the NEA. and I hope they are proud of themselves.
Thanks for the ping, Gabz.
Yeah, right.
"I have to take exception to celebrating a product that kills 440,000 people each year," he said.
Sigh.
"When you celebrate a product that is as deadly as tobacco, you certainly ratify to young people that it's acceptable, that it's part of the norm."
Certainly, declaring that smoking is abnormal is in no way vilifying. Nope, no vilifyin' going on here.
I think I'll start a Pecksniff Prevention and Control Foundation...
Can I join, please, huh huh? Can I? Oh pretty please????
I figured you would understand my irritation...........(understatement of the week)
This is easier than I had anticipated, maybe the Membership Committee can re-think the budget (note to self: eliminate grappling hooks and camo line items?)
ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!
No need to eliminate the grappling hooks - I canhelp supply them - I've got lots of friends that are commercial fishermen!!!!! And in 3 different states no less!!!!
If she were crowned "Miss High Times," they wouldn't be laughing at her, they'd be wanting her autograph! The sheer lunacy of this is amazing!
I knew I could count on you, Gabz!
The sad thing is, you're probably correct.
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