Monday, June 13, 2005

Stupid Smokers

The debate over smoking bans in restaurants and bars in Illinois is, of course, bringing out the usual "smokers are people too!" arguements from the smokers themselves. There is a classic example in today's SJ-R:
EL PASO - Donna Pinkham lit up a cigarette, then lit into a state bill that could snuff out smoking at the small-town bar where she passes time ribbing friends and sliding quarters into a video poker machine.

"I think they ought to leave us alone. Why should we not be able to smoke anywhere just because nonsmokers don't? We have our rights, too," Pinkham, 62, said between drags at the bar in El Paso.
AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!

Look, Donna, if you can smoke and not pollute the air around you in public places, then I'm with you. But you can't. Therefore, it's not just about you. Your smoking affects everyone around you...GET IT!

This isn't about non-smokers trying to oppress the "rights" of smokers. It's about everyone's right not to be assaulted by the dirty, smelly cancer-causing habits of inconsiderate smokers. The burden is on you, Donna, not to harm others.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why not let the free market decide this point? I dont smoke but,if a bar owner wants to cater to smokers than why shouldnt he be able to.If what you say is true than he will go out of business in no time from all those non-smokers boycotting his establishment...Right?

Anonymous said...

First, wrong. Second, any establishment that goes out of business for the sake of well being to all ought not to be in business from day one and who cares.
Losing your customers, losing your money, and losing your lively hood is a start but just the beginning of a long process to compensate for that lost of a wealthy environment and lost of human rights to freely breath descent air. Would you even consider the rights of smokers if what they smoke was human bio waste and escrement? I see no difference between the two.