courtesy of Lawson Narse
Dick Puddlecote is organising a day out in Stony Stratford this Saturday the 16 July.
Part of the fun will involve a protest against the ludicrous proposal, by councillor Paul Bartlett, that smoking should be banned in all public areas.
The day is bound to be a success and attract smokers and non-smokers who believe in uniting against petty authoritarianism.
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14 comments:
Ta, Chuck. Not too late to book a train, you know. ;)
I wish I could Dick but some of us have to keep the home fires burning. :)
It would be unreasonable to expect people in Scotland to attend the gig - it is a long way, and the Open Championship is on the TV!
But it is not unlikely that Barmy Bartlett will get his motion passed, provided that his fellow councillors are also barmy. The critical thing must be that, at last, people who enjoy tobacco are beginning to demonstrate.
It may be true that smoking is disastrously harmful. It may be - even though people are living longer than ever in the history of mankind, despite the smoking prevelance of yesteryear - it may be. But we must be absolutely clear that any individual has the right to enjoy tobacco if he wishes to, regardless of the effects. This 'general understanding' of the rights of individuals should be generally recognised, and it applies to cannabis, heroin, cocaine, or whatever. It is no longer acceptable that a few people can declare a practice to be 'morally reprehensible' and therefore should be banned.
ASH ET AL make a huge thing about 'THE CHILDREN' - but suppose that the State had to look after children in every respect? Should every parent have the right to demand that the State send someone round to her house to take the kids to school? Why not? These people demand the right ....etc, etc.
ASH have opened up a huge can of worms about individual rights. By trying gradually to force smokers out of the public eye, they have brought to our attention the persecution of others who enjoy 'smoking equivalent'. Heroin addicts are no different from smoking addicts - all must be persecuted. And so people are beginning to ask: "Why are people who enjoy heroin being persecuted?"
It is possible that the little event in SS Stony Stratford might draw attention to the persecution of smokers AS PERSECUTION. We must remember that the word PERSECUTION is not dissimilar to EXECUTION.
".....and it applies to cannabis, heroin, cocaine, or whatever."
It doesn't. Smoking tobacco is not illegal.
That said it appears the anti-brigade are determined to take legislation to absurd lengths by banning us from smoking even in the open air. I don't have a problem demonstrating against that because it is ludicrous. It is also high time government provided yearly figures of how much duty it gathers from smokers. For the record it is a massive 85% of every tobacco product sold. It has been said, indeed, that if government lost this source of income at least 5p would need to be added to the basic income tax rate to make up the short fall.
I respect the right of all people to be able to visit pubs, restaurants, cinemas and to use public transport without having to sit inhaling the smoke of others. I see the difference myself in many of these places since smoking was banned.
I do however curse the day I ever put a cigarette in my mouth because I became addicted and I still can't give them up. They have affected my fitness level, my general health and they greatly dictate my financial budget and I despise them. I despise myself more that I seem unable to beat them and the day I do will be the happiest day of my life. Assuming they don't kill me first. And that is why I tell every young person I come into contact with NEVER to start smoking seriously or, if they have already started, to dump the things before they get a hold.
`Junican I had a wee look around to see if I could find any comments from the other Stony Stratford councillors but I didn't find anything.
Rights? We have none. It's a 'do as you're told' country now.
Is it illegal to be in possession of a small amount of cannabis for personal use Jo? I'm not sure these days.
I too preach to youngsters because I know the financial cost of the habit and, now I'm older, the health problems which result. Mind you, I stopped beating myself up some time ago because that doesn't help me.
Possession is still illegal Subrosa. Even for a small amount you would at least get a caution I believe.
Oh I'll keep beating myself up. It keeps me focused on reaching a day when I'll be shot of cigarettes in my life and all the grief that goes with them.
......at which point I will be rich enough to be posting from the mansion I've bought in our beautiful north west Highlands! : )
@ Jo G.
It is naughty to quote out of context:
""But we must be absolutely clear that any individual has the right to enjoy tobacco if he wishes to, regardless of the effects. This 'general understanding' of the rights of individuals should be generally recognised, and it applies to cannabis, heroin, cocaine, or whatever.""
Legality is not relevant in the context. The whole point is that tobacco is gradually being moved into the 'forbidden' territory, and this calls into question the whole matter of 'forbidden'.
As for your troubles with tobacco, you really have fallen for the propaganda hook, line and sinker, haven't you? People should NOT have the right to go into any place which they do not own, and demand what happens or does not happen in those places - that is for the owner to decide.
As regards giving up, have you tried nicotine patches? According to ASH, they are wonderful! You could also try Champix, but take care to read the possible side effects first - like depression and suicide. Ash thinks champix is wonderful too (brush the suicides under th carpet).
As regards giving up tobacco, I fear that you have also fallen for the propaganda there as well. You believe that you are addicted because you have been told so. If you put all that stuff out of your mind, you can just say to yourself, "I'll stop smoking now", and that will be the end of it.
Junican, I didn't quote you out of context.
As for your advice on my imagined addiction you are the one peddling propaganda and presenting cigarettes as nothing more than a pleasant pastime when in fact they are extremely dangerous as well as addictive. I'm sorry to be so blunt but there it is. Your "you believe you are addicted because you have been told so" is beneath contempt as well as incredibly patronising. You are the one who is imagining things and who is on your own personal propaganda trip.
@ Jo G.
But you DID quote me 'out of context'! You tried to assert that there is some difference between an individual's right to be an individual which results from a legal 'verboten' and one which has no legal 'verboten'. That is, the legal 'verboten' defines the right of a person to be a person. My statement merely asserts the right of a person to be what he wishes to be, and to conduct his life has he wishes to.
As regards 'giving up smoking', I give up smoking every night. In fact, I am about to 'give up smoking in a few minutes. That is, when I go to bed. I also 'give up smoking' every time I enter an airport. I have a last cigarette before entering the airport and the lack of smoking does not bother me at all while in the airport or on the aircraft. It bothers me not at all, even though the trip may last several hours. When I arrive at my destination, I CHOOSE to begin again to enjoy tobacco. There is no addiction involved whatsoever. I also take great delight in enjoying my first pint of beer after such a trip. I enjoy it very much indeed. But, there again, it could be simply a cup of tea that I enjoy. Lots of people do. Are they addicted to tea?
The truth is that you ENJOY the idea of being addicted. It makes you feel important. "WOW! I AM AN ADDICT! I AM IMPORTANT!"
How pathetic!
As regards your last sentence, where did I complain about my life? I am a little old man. I am content in myself. I have children and grandchildren who are perfectly healthy (although a bit stupid, in my opinion - but what parent does not think that their children are stupid? - we were all stupid as youths).
Funnily enough, I understand. I really do - and I am not being sarcastic. Life is tricky, and not always pleasant. We very often blame ourselves for imagined weaknesses. I have done it myself too often for me to count. Only now, when I am old (72), do I see the silliness.
Courage, mon ami! Lighten up! Your travails are as nothing compared with the people of Afghanistan!
Jo G, you want a mansion in the Highlands? I'm happy with what I have. Maybe that's why I'm lacking will power. :)
Junican
"There is no addiction involved whatsoever."
That sentence alone proves you are in denial about the power of nicotine and many smokers, reading it, will, I am sure, agree with me.
"The truth is that you ENJOY the idea of being addicted. It makes you feel important. "WOW! I AM AN ADDICT! I AM IMPORTANT!"
How pathetic!"
I am sorry that you have chosen to attack me for admitting that I have been unsuccessful in so many attempts to give up the weed by suggesting I somehow enjoy smoking and see the addiction to nicotine as a means to seek attention and make myself feel important. Again, I'm sure the many smokers currently trying to conquer their addiction will be astonished that you believe them to be simply "pathetic".
You accuse me of quoting you out of context. I did not. I pasted part of a sentence you posted. The whole sentence was...
"This 'general understanding' of the rights of individuals should be generally recognised, and it applies to cannabis, heroin, cocaine, or whatever."
You implied we have the freedom to smoke tobacco in the same way as cannabis, heroin, cocaine or whatever. I simply pointed out that tobacco is not illegal while the other three substances you named most certainly are, no matter where you indulge. The legality angle with tobacco has now altered, as we know only too well, whereby we can't smoke in many, many places now. I can understand why those changes came. You speak of our "rights". We do not have the right to impose our smoke on others who do not "choose" to smoke themselves by inhaling the smoke left behind by our cigarettes. I understand that. "Rights" are all very well until they invade the rights of others and that is precisely why smoking has been banned in our pubs, restaurants, cinemas, on public transport and elsewhere.
I stated too my own concerns that some bodies were attempting to take things much too far by seeking to stop us smoking in open public places like parks and town centres.
I did not say that you were complaining about your life. I said you were on your own propaganda trip by presenting smoking as a non-addictive pastime.
"Your travails are as nothing compared with the people of Afghanistan!"
I don't think I remotely suggest anywhere that my own situation is more important than anyone else's.
Subrosa
It isn't that I'm not happy with what I have. It was just an example of what more I could have if I didn't spend so much money on ciggies.
Jo, I've said it before, but you should consider an e-cig. You can buy non-nicotine content capsules. If nothing else it may show you it's the habit you're addicted to, not nicotine.
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