Firstly, this post is not about smokers and smoking, it's about our freedom to choose being lawfully denied each and every one of us.
Secondly, I must record my gratitude to Anna Raccoon and Old Holborn who have fought feverishly raise the money to pay Nick Hogan's fine and return him to his family. Nick, you may remember, is the ex-landlord who was fined £11,600 for permitting two people to smoke in his pub - even though he was not present in the building at the time. He was able to pay £1,600 but was unable to lay his hands on £10,000 and the judge decided such a failing required 6 months in prison.
The blogosphere raised the £11,600 to show that this was not justice and OH delivered it to the prison today.
Each and every one of us ought to be aware that the smoking policy is just the beginning of government's complete control over our freedom to choose.
Any one of us is at risk. If you come under any of the following headings: over 65, slightly overweight, drink alcohol, want the best school for your children, drive the 'wrong' car, take a photograph of a police officer - the list is endless - you are at risk.
What does concern me in the over 65 issue. It's well recorded over 65s don't matter. They don't give enough money to the Treasury although what they do give is on money which has already been taxed. The recent report on Stafford Hospital stated most patients were over 65 - obviously passed their usefulness date. Finally it's being reported that 60% of inspected hospitals in England were not accurately assessing their own performance.
Please consider this, if a landlord is fined/imprisoned for 'permitting' two people to smoke on his premises when he wasn't even present, do you feel that the justice system will deal with you fairly even though your 'offence' is nothing to do with smoking?
The smoking issue is the tip of a very large iceberg. You'd better believe it. Only we can change this and we must take some responsibility for allowing a government to destroy our beliefs of fairness and justice.
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Dutch plan to let healthy elderly people commit suicide
tinyurl.com/yj3c9z5
How long before it's mandatory?
The MSM have picked up on the Hogan story.
"Each and every one of us ought to be aware that the smoking policy is just the beginning of government's complete control over our freedom to choose.
Any one of us is at risk. If you're over 65, slightly overweight, drink alcohol, want the best school for your children, drive the 'wrong' car, take a photograph of a police officer - the list is endless - you are at risk."
Yes, yes, yes indeed!
It's sort of what I was trying to say.
Thanks for the link scunnert. It won't be long. Thank goodness I'll be well out of it.
That's good to know Rab thanks.
Your post is far more eloquent as usual though Dick. Well done.
I'm not a smoker but that is only a tiny bit of this.
It is all to do with a government grabbing control of every bit of your daily life.
So you say, if you don't like what they do, don't vote for them.
Think, the party choose the candidate, you don't, you probably didn't know he existed until you saw the ballot paper. So will he do what you want? Or what the party want!Will the party do what you want them to do? Are You Sure?
Go look at all the laws enacted in the last thirteen years and think, really think, of the position you could be in with the heavy handed use of a lot of these laws. Just be careful of taking photographs.
Do you know all of the terrorism laws, the police don't either, but they are prepared to wing it, are you?
You are expected to know the law, ignorance is no excuse.
So if you don't like a particular law and want it removed or changed, is the party for which you have one vote in five years going to do any thing for you?As like as not, they don't even know you exist and after you have voted, don't care.
You , citizen, are not even in the loop!
So if some part of legislation, like smoking, bothers you, do something, phone the prospective candidate ,email, snail mail them, but make your view known,hassle the party, whatever it takes.
Remember,they work for you,or should, you pay their wages,you should be heard! Keep at it.Its your right, along with everyone else, to be heard.Other wise, they have to realise like any bad employee,they will be sacked!Oh, one final point. Why did the party put up this particular candidate?
You don't know? well ask, the answers may surprise you!
Check them all out.while you can!
D.
Great post Apogee and one we should all take on board.
Nick Hogan finally made it onto the Telegraph online, sadly they chose to put it under UK> News> Crime.
I didn't see it in the corresponding print edition.
Hi banned. Now that is interesting it wasn't in the print edition. I'll send your comment onto Anna.
Subrosa,
The same thing applied to the story in the Daily Mail - on-line, but perish the thought that the people who read the print version should read it!
As amatter of interest - and not spamming your joint - see today's post - Russian TV etc.....interesting n'est ce pas?
http://www.annaraccoon.com/politics/come-the-revolution/
Anna, you never spam my blog. :)
On a serious note, a superb post and most interesting indeed. If you'd like me to 'advertise' for a Russian/English translator I'd be happy to do so.
The MSM are feart of us and don't want bloggers, other than those who entirely agree with their standpoint, being in print. Tough I say because more and more read blogs and websites.
If only there was some way to attract more of my generation it would be a force not to be ignored. Too many of my generation don't see the uses and the continuous excuse is 'I don't have time.' = I'm not interested but I'll vote for the party I've voted or all my life.
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