"Wow! It's like smoking brings a lot of people just a little bit of joy, and you get to take that away from them. You are so awesome."
Seems appropriate for this thread.
Posted on 01/12/2006 9:24:23 AM PST by Willie Green
For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.
A Korean veteran says he's too old to change his habits to conform to his housing society's idea of a wholesome recreational environment.
"I thought this was supposed to be the year of the veteran," Gerry Cooke said. "I don't know why they don't just board the [rec room] up and convert it into a two bedroom apartment with the amount of use they get out of it."
Cooke, 71, who lives in a building managed by the Anavets Senior Citizens' Housing Society, says his building's recreational room once acted as a gathering place for residents who would line up to play bingo, watch piano performances and drink and smoke socially with one another.
Over the years he claims the housing society has restricted the facility's use, leaving financially challenged veterans without a place to socialize the way they once did.
"Some residents go up to the pub at the corner," he said. "But I can't afford to go up there and pay $5 for a beer.
"It's out of my price range."
Last week the society removed a shuffle board from the room, a move Cooke feels was mean-spirited.
"It's just the principle," he said. "They should've consulted us living here."
Mary McLeod, the secretary for the society said the shuffle board was removed to make room for exercise programs being offered through the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority.
"As far as we were aware the shuffle board was used rarely," she told The North Shore Outlook. "There are 89 tenants and we've received one complaint from a disgruntled tenant. You can't please everyone."
Cooke said the society has introduced a number of seminars, lunch, dinner and recreational programs in the facility in light of the year of the veteran.
She acknowledged at one time residents used the facility for social drinking, but said it was never sanctioned by the society's board.
"It created problems for other tenants," she explained. "People living above were not able to get to sleep. It was not conducive to that party atmosphere."
Since restricting cigarettes and alcohol from the facility, the society has organized movie nights, adding a TV, VCR and DVD into the room.
"It's a more wholesome recreational activity now," she said.
But Cooke, a 15-year resident of the building, maintains the change has marginalized some residents who are too old to change their ways.
"I can see [the wholesome environment working for] younger generations, but us people are beyond the bill," he said.
"I'm not going to stop smoking and I'm sure not going to stop drinking beer."
ping
I think I will reserve comment for the moment.
Thanks for the ping!
(I doubt these were the freedoms this old Vet fought for. This politically correct B.S. and health nazi's are ruining this country one place at a time.)
I agree
Is he a "Korean veteran" or a Korean War veteran?
This story reminds me of Updike's first and best novel "The Poorhouse Fair", which exposes this sort of do-good "wholesomeness" for the morally corrupt sham that it is.
"It's a more wholesome recreational activity now," she said."
Spoken like a true nanny stater. No fun allowed for your own good.
I can't wait for the, "It's-a-legal-law-that-should-be-followed-for-the-health-of-all-no-matter-what-the-cost-or-effect-on-whoever-or-whatever-as-long-as-it's-done-against-smokers-because-they-stink-and-smell-and-are-addicts......" folks to chime in on this one.
I lived near the veterans facility in Port Orchard WA, the men would go out a gate to a bar across the street, and have their time. A new management team locked the gate, the howls were quite loud, but of course it was for the good of the residents. Within a few months, smoking was disallowed in their rooms, of course for the good of the residents. Soon of course, no smoking was allowed on the premises. I guess once you are old or disabled enough to be controlled, your life is not your own. Now they shuttle the people to bingo and trips downtown, controlled of course. It is a shame how we treat those that sacrificed for this country, a crying shame.
Yes, take away the 75 yr old vets' cigarettes and beer. That's so wholesome. Barf. I hate nanny state people like this.
The article leaves a bit to be desired in the realm of details. Is this a private facility? Is it a government run facility?
If I were an old guy at a place like that, I'd fling sh-t in the managment's office. What a shame.
Sounds like a covenant area. Private.
I won't - torturing old folks is a lousy way to "feel superior."
Yeah. You'd think that word-of-mouth would kinda demand that they do what they can to accomodate ALL of the folks there.
I was afraid of that.
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