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.
Without a doubt. These non smoking holier then thou people have no idea what all cigarette taxes fund. If it weren't for cigarette taxes, the states would be without a lot of stuff.
Mass for instance: took the cigarette tax money (paid for by the smoker's, don't forget), built a $175,000 golf course! Where is the justice? How about sick kids and drug relief for the aged. How about paying for sick people who can't afford insurance?
Maine: took over a million dollars in one summer to sponsor various car race tracks around the state and also "5 racing teams!" The teams were called "Kick Butts Racing." Imagine the guys that had to park next to THESE outfits in the pits. heh!
That would be a hoot!!
Yes, we sure are. And as you can tell by some of the posters, we sure are a lot more TOLERANT as well!
If you read the post carefully, you will note that I gave SheLion a political strategy lecture............. 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?"......................Polybius
As a case in point, Mears, look at the replies by SheLion in Posts 157 and 159.
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You disgust me. Move on....SheLion
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All your in-your-face position regarding smoking will get you is to be squashed like a cockroach in the political arena.......Plybius
You threatening me?....SheLion
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Let's suppose ,Mears, that you want to send a lobbyist to a legislative body to work out a compromise to protect both the rights of smokers and non-somokers.
How far do you think that someone like SheLion will get?
Legislator: "My position is that any compromise keeps your smoke out of other people's noses and off of their person."
SheLion: "You disgust me."
Legislator: "With such an in-your-face attitude to the political negotiating process, Ms. She Lion, I can gurantee you that all your position regarding smoking will get you is to be squashed like a cockroach in the political arena."
SheLion: "You threatening me?"
Legislator: "Hello, Operatror. Please have Security send two officers to Representaive Smith's office right away."
I enjoy smoking. I don't believe all the medical hype. Why should I quit?
Just because it's the politically correct thing to do?
I just love those anti-smoking nazis who get on threads like this and whine about THEIR air and THEIR noses.
They can stick their noses where the sun don't shine as far as I'm concerned.
Well, outside of my own episodes with cancer, I really haven't been around people that sick. All my family members and friends who smoke have either died of old age or are still living.
Hospitals are being funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, so the Doctors and staff are now indoctrinated to force feed the patch on to the patients that smoke.
The more control and bans and restrictions a hospital imposes on smokers, the more grant money they will receive from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Hospitals in Maine chopped of the heads of the smoking patients and visitors to reap the benefit of the grants. :(
Go for it! Enjoy. Coffe and smokes sounds good right now.
Are you under the impression that the smokers on this thread are trying to quit?
So many words, so little substance. A solution in search of a problem. Are you a politician?
I don't suffer that kind of anxiety about quitting. I've got far greater things to worry about. If the day comes that I ever decide to quit, I will do so, and that will be THAT. And if that day EVER comes, I won't be nagging other smokers to quit, nor will I complain about their smoking. I will put up with other smokers exactly the way I did in prior days when I didn't smoke. I won't give it a thought.
Oh yes. They gleefully trash and bash us not realizing that some day down the line, they will be next. They better not come whining to me. Pay back is hell.
Ok. I need to take a break as well.
Link, please?
You sure got that right!
OMG! I almost fell off my chair. LOL!
Here in CO, the Gov wants to sell (?) the settlement for a lump sum to bale out the budget. Meanwhile, a huge tobacco tax increase was voted in. Now, the ads for this hike basically insinuated that all this extra money would go to cure all diseases, and provide medical care for smokers. And a bunch of people (some smokers included) bought it. Thanks to you and Gabz I roll my own, and purchase my tobacco on the net. The new tax affects all tobacco products, and I have the satisfaction of knowing I'm not lining the states coffers.
BTW: I still buy Winston soft packs for $23. a carton, and with the coupons Winston sends me regularly, it comes down to about $20. a carton.
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