Yes, for years I looked at the huddled masses in front and between office buildings and thought of the needle parks of the Netherlands.
And I stand by my analogy, BECAUSE an addiction to smoking burning leaves hardly qualifies one as essentially conservative. No more than overeaters are conservative because they are killing themselves with food. Please, let's not let our hate of the Health Nazis and do-gooders cloud our common sense.
You may smoke, and that's fine. Just realize that I can at times be unhappy with being around you without wanting to scold you or ban your behavior.
I don't believe that PN was saying that smokers are more conservative because they are addicted to smoking burning leaves.
But I believe there is some truth to what she is saying. I have nothing but my own anecdotal evidence to support this. In my experience, smokers (that I know)tend to be more conservative. In addition to being more interesting, intelligent, thoughtful, considerate, funny, brave, clean and reverent. (Ok, those last 3 are Boy Scouts, but I stand by the rest as you stand by your analogy.)
Yes, for years I looked at the huddled masses in front and between office buildings and thought of the needle parks of the Netherlands.
I will grant that ostracized smokers huddled outside may look like a shooting gallery. But I think that do-gooders who turn up their noses at smokers look like...
Henry Waxman!
touche