Posted on 05/26/2002 7:02:07 PM PDT by Gabz
DOVER - The arrival of the state's new clean indoor air bill on Gov. Ruth Ann Minner's desk has been accompanied during the past few days by an extraordinary e-mail campaign supporting the legislation.
The e-mails, individual in content but mass-produced and generated through the Internet, come from across the United States and from other countries.
They number in the hundreds and include copies, as well as faxes, to the state's 59 lawmakers and news media.
Each urges Gov. Minner to sign Senate Bill 99 into law.
She has indicated that is her intention.
"I look forward to you signing the law making Delaware smoke-free,'' writes Andi Weiss Bartczak of Catskill, N.Y.
"How nice that we will have a smoke-free state to visit on this coast. And I hope that Delaware's example will pressure my county and state to also protect the health of workers and customers.''
State Sen. David B. McBride, D-Hawks Nest, sponsored the measure.
"I am tremendously moved and elated by this show of support,'' Sen. McBride said. "I've gotten about 180 of these so far and they're all legitimate.''
He said he is trying to personally answer as many of the messages as possible. Although there are no guarantees, he said he thinks the mass-Internet mailing can't help but strengthen the bill's future.
"I believe it has had an absolute effect,'' Sen. McBride said. "I think it's refreshing and helpful to the General Assembly. It helps us to gauge and sense what others across our borders are thinking about Delaware right now.''
It turns out a former stockbroker in New York City is behind the e-mail crush.
"Our goal is to facilitate communication between smoke-free advocates and key decision makers,'' said Joseph W. Cherner, president of SmokeFree Educational Services Inc.
"The tobacco cartel has forever bought its way into the offices of the key decision makers. We can't compete on a dollar basis. There is $1 million in tobacco cartel money for every $1 of smoke-free money.
"But there are one million smoke-free advocates for every tobacco cartel scum.''
Mr. Cherner's Web site - www.smokefree.org - makes writing personal e-mail letters to public officials and other "decision makers'' very easy.
A simple click on the "E-Z letter'' link provides already-supplied names and e-mail addresses of officials involved in smoke-free issues. All the writer has to do is sign on, type in a message, and the rest is automatic. Users even have the option of sending copies to other mailboxes.
Mr. Cherner has been battling what he calls tobacco smoke pollution in the workplace for a decade. He says the power is in the people.
"We can only win if key decision-makers hear from the people,'' he said. "That's all we try to do - allow people to communicate with the decision-makers.
"Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and we try to shine sunlight everywhere.''
Sen. McBride acknowledged that he is an ex-smoker.
"I quit in 1974 and had a little relapse in the '80s,'' he said. "My daughter asked me one day why I smoked. I was not able to give her an answer. So I quit one day cold turkey.''
Sen. McBride said he asked Gov. Minner if she would sign the state's new smoke-free legislation into law on Friday, May 31, to coincide with World No Tobacco Day.
"I think it would be nice to have it on that day and I have made that request,'' he said.
Gregory Patterson, a spokesman for Gov. Minner, said an announcement would be made early in the week as to when and where a signing ceremony will occur. He said Sen. McBride's suggestion sounded like a good idea.
Tom Eldred can be reached at 741-8212 or at teldred@newszap.com.
Whoa!! Please check your records - I voted AGAINST the Ban and I will do so again when it returns to the Senate. You should really do your homework before you send out such nasty stuff. I'm on your team for goodness sakes!
Take Care
Colin
(Nasty stuff? heh! I didn't think I was THAT nasty!)
Well, I didn't get a reply from any of them.
I don't expect replys anymore but am pleasantly surprised when I get one.
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