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Travel: Smokers called Animals In A Zoo
Minnesotans Against Smoking Bans ^ | 1-8-05 | Robert Hayes Halfpenny

Posted on 01/08/2005 9:20:21 AM PST by SheLion

I am surprised Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson didn’t refer to the smokers as swine in a pig sty. Isn’t that, after all one of the one of the first images that comes to mind when think of a pen?  Before I am offended by “da mayor” I would have to be offended by the reference to the term smoking pens. In a city and state  that was founded by a group of people so seriously reviled for their own beliefs in years past, you would think they would be among the first to take a “live and let live” attitude about the behavior and choices of others. Clearly the past lessons learned about intolerance by the Mormons must now have been forgotten.

Only 88 airports nationwide is hardly a mandate to make one’s own airport smoke free. Furthermore if these “smoking kiosks” are eliminated it will only cause people to find other places to smoke. Delta Airlines is correct in standing behind the rights of the smokers.  Perhaps they have taken note that incidence of “air rage” only became prevalent AFTER smoking was banned on aircraft. It should also be noted that since the ban, they no longer use fresh air to ventilate the planes; instead, they just run the air through a filtrations system which in an enclosed environment further exacerbates the problem.

Mayor Anderson’s pompous arrogance in stating that the ban will help smokers to “break the habit” is outrageous. It is not his job to be neither a social engineer nor the arbiter of personal choices. I do know however, that as long as Salt Lake City and Utah continue down this Draconian path of heavy handed intolerance, I will avoid their state in very way possible. I will not travel to it, I will not travel thru it, and I will not support my company scheduling a convention there.

BANS ARE BAD! Read it again, BANS ARE BAD! Banning blacks from white facilities---BAD! Banning books---BAD! Banning Beer---Bad! If the people of Utah agree that these bans are bad, then they must also agree that banning smoking is also BAD! I would certainly hope at this juncture they are starting to realize that any action, that would favor a smoking ban of any type, will only create far more harm than good. IN all fairness I should note their may be one kind of good ban. That of course would be banning Mayor Anderson from further political office at the next election.   


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; US: Minnesota; US: Utah
KEYWORDS: addiction; addicts; antismokers; bans; butts; cigarettes; fda; individualliberty; lawmakers; maine; niconazis; professional; prohibitionists; propaganda; pufflist; regulation; rinos; rockyanderson; senate; slc; smoking; taxes; tobacco
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To: cake_crumb

What a wonderful post. Its so very well said!


161 posted on 01/08/2005 11:10:34 AM PST by beckysueb (God bless America and President Bush.)
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To: SheLion

In these politically correct days there are very few groups who are allowed to be hated. Even child molestors are getting status, as they now wish to have their predatory sexual practices referred to as 'trans-generational sex'. But there is still a group who has less status than child molestors, that group is smokers.

When the state sponsors hatred against any group there will always be those who will gleefully step up to be the haters.

Why does the state sanction hatred against smokers? So they can exploit them through the taxation system, the state always demonizes those they intend to exploit. The Jews were vilified in order to justify the Holocaust, blacks were called subhuman in order to justify slavery. The state promotes the idea that smokers should have no property rights so the state can seize their property.

Enough of the public will allow this to happen to their fellow citizen because they are lulled into believing smokers deserve the hatred that is heaped upon them. Of course the government would never abuse 'normal' citizen like they abuse smokers, so for some, it is 'safe' to watch the fundamental rights of some citizens be stripped away.

The door has been yanked open by those who love to hate, the obese are next. After the obese, who knows? Everybody is now fair game and in the end, those who backed the state sponsored hatred of smokers will find themselves in the crosshairs.

And they will be the first to squeal, "But...but...they weren't supposed to do this to meeeeee!"


162 posted on 01/08/2005 11:10:45 AM PST by Entropy Squared (The Rush to Chaos)
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To: freedumb2003
Don't get defensive. Tobacco is addicting - I know I smoked for 30 years. Quitting was the hardest thing I ever did.

What's addicting about it is enjoyment. If people didn't enjoy it, they could quit with no problem.

My Dad quit cold turkey. He got up one morning, went to light up and threw it down. He couldn't STAND smoking anymore, so he quit.

That's why it's hard for people to quit. They enjoy it. If I hated something, I surely wouldn't put it in my body.

163 posted on 01/08/2005 11:11:11 AM PST by SheLion (God bless our military members and keep them safe.)
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To: SheLion; Madame Dufarge

Leaving this thread for a while on this snowy,sleety,icy afternoon.

Gonna brew some coffee,smoke a couple of cigs,and knock of that Hershey Symphony bar with toffee and almonds.

Life is good.


164 posted on 01/08/2005 11:11:21 AM PST by Mears
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To: WildTurkey
When I was a kid, smokers smoked everywhere. It was impolite to ask guests NOT to smoke in your home, not to burn your furniture, not to shake their ashes on the floor.

Clearly, we grew up in different cultural and social circles. At the risk of sounding unkind, I do recognize that double-wides are fire traps...

165 posted on 01/08/2005 11:11:55 AM PST by Publius6961 (The most abundant things in the universe are hydrogen, ignorance and stupidity.)
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To: Publius6961

I'm with you. If someone would organize this, I would give till it hurt!


166 posted on 01/08/2005 11:12:54 AM PST by beckysueb (God bless America and President Bush.)
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To: Publius6961
It's been months since we had the opportunity to play with the "Morlocks", those shadowy denizens of the dark, grim, totalitarian, controlling twits underworld.

You are welcome. But pity that these Morlocks are supposed to be like-minded individuals that are registered at Free Republic, isn't it.

They love being conservative as long as the road is going THEIR way.

167 posted on 01/08/2005 11:14:17 AM PST by SheLion (God bless our military members and keep them safe.)
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To: Mears; SheLion
I like your "tyranny of the majority" stance! Good Lord!

If you read the post carefully, you will note that I gave SheLion a political strategy lecture.

In a constitutional republic, the smoking laws will prevail unless you find something in the Constitution that protects your right to smoke wherever you please.

You may not like that. You may call that a "tyranny of the majority". Be that as it may that is the way it is.

In such a political system, the minority can get its agenda enacted either by violent revolution or by working co-operatively and appealing to the sense of fairness of the majority.

The following political position can get you somewhere: "We respect your right not to be exposed to your smoke. How can we work something out so that we can smoke and you can be free of our smoke?"

SheLion's position, when told others did not want to breath her smoke, will get her nothing but a political slap-down: "However, you know the ad on TV the town of PERFECT? Well, we don't LIVE in Perfect, now do we?"

168 posted on 01/08/2005 11:14:26 AM PST by Polybius
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To: Publius6961

That is John Thune from SD who replaced Dasshole.


169 posted on 01/08/2005 11:14:50 AM PST by beckysueb (God bless America and President Bush.)
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To: SheLion; Polybius
"You threatening me?"

I think you're mistaking him for someone who has cajones between their legs.

170 posted on 01/08/2005 11:15:44 AM PST by TexasCowboy (Texan by birth, citizen of Jesusland by the Grace of God)
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To: Mears
Take care, Mears.

We'll just sit here alone, in the dark, with our Hersey Symphony Bar envy ;-)

171 posted on 01/08/2005 11:15:50 AM PST by Madame Dufarge
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To: kstewskis; Polybius
Maybe it's time that you all do what SheLion does...roll your own! Might take some of the $$ out of Big T, no? LOL :)

4 years ago, when Maine raised cigarette taxes again, charging $45-$50 for a carton of my Premiums, I said enough is enough.

Thanks to my friends in FR, I learned how to roll your own.  So, I ordered the Supermatic rolling machine off of the Net, and went to the local Smoke Shop and bought the bags of tobacco and filtered tubes.  I haven't looked back since.



172 posted on 01/08/2005 11:18:39 AM PST by SheLion (God bless our military members and keep them safe.)
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To: KoRn
Your wife is obviously not the sharpest knife in the drawer...
You picked her. My condolences.
173 posted on 01/08/2005 11:19:05 AM PST by Publius6961 (The most abundant things in the universe are hydrogen, ignorance and stupidity.)
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To: beckysueb; Polybius; WildTurkey
As a matter of fact, look at the people who attempt assinations on politicians etc. Most of them are tobacco hating liberals!

And that's a fact. Actually, I think we have a few in Free Republic that lean in that direction as well.

174 posted on 01/08/2005 11:20:33 AM PST by SheLion (God bless our military members and keep them safe.)
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To: WildTurkey

Oh please! How many smokers burn your furniture and dump their ashes on the floor. You are stereotyping, now!


175 posted on 01/08/2005 11:20:44 AM PST by beckysueb (God bless America and President Bush.)
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To: TexasCowboy

The funny part is that every time I've been in there, I've enjoyed the company! Smokers are a friendly group.

____________________________________________________________

Usually, they are quite friendly. But everytime I've smoked in public, (minus the smoking deck, lol)folks generally tend to ignore me and each other. Weird, but true. I must send out "I'm a rhymes-with-witch" vibe, lol.


176 posted on 01/08/2005 11:20:53 AM PST by exnavychick (There's too much youth; how about a fountain of smart.)
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To: joesnuffy
The only place I smoke other than outside, is in my own home. And neither YOU or anyone else is going to tell me I can't smoke there. Your ire is misplaced and would be better reserved for people who drive while intoxicated. They are a much greater threat to your life and safety.

But then a fool who wages war against minor vices, when there are far greater evils to fight, is unlkely to heed such sage advice.

177 posted on 01/08/2005 11:21:22 AM PST by TOUGH STOUGH (I support Terri's supporters!!!!)
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To: Polybius

How breathtakingly condescending.


178 posted on 01/08/2005 11:21:38 AM PST by Madame Dufarge
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To: beckysueb
Would it also be fun to cover the taxes smokers pay that the gov would have to get somewhere else, namely from your pocket?

And it's that way with most state lawmakers.  Every time they have a budget shortfall, they raise taxes on cigarettes.  Smokers are damn tired of carrying the state budget on our soldiers.

Here is an excellent saying:

"When you're too spineless to cut spending, stick it to the smokers and tell them it's for their own good."

179 posted on 01/08/2005 11:24:31 AM PST by SheLion (God bless our military members and keep them safe.)
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To: Polybius
Technological advances will soon allow people to smoke freely and responsibly in public.


180 posted on 01/08/2005 11:24:45 AM PST by Cultural Jihad
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