Freedom under attack
NB writes: I saw somewhere on FOREST Online that David Hockney said the tobacco bans would destroy Bohemia. How right he is. There is an independence of spirit and indifference to conformity among those who might be described as 'Bohemians'. This is very inconvenient to social engineers. Political anti smokers know intuitively that to outlaw tobacco is to undermine dissent. Also, prohibitionists piously say they have the interests of working class people at heart.
George Orwell said in 1984 that the only hope lay with the 'proles'. (I write from memory). How useful to invade and destroy the traditions of the pubs and clubs they go to. After nearly 50 years of smoking I had to give up eight years ago for health reasons. But I fully support the freedoms which I believe are under attack.
posted by Simon Clark @ 18:54
2 comments
2 Comments:
With freedom comes responsibility. When a smoker and a none smoker are in the same room, the none smoker is at the mercy of the smoker. If the smoker elects to exercise their freedom to smoke, they impose their will and behaviour, with all its implications on the none smoker.
What reasonable person would claim the right to poison someone else? But this is what smokers do? The debate about restricting where smoking can take place is not an attack on freedom, it is an attempt to redress a situation wherein one person can impose their will on others, to the detriment of their health and wellbeing.
Smokers claim the right to smoke, who ever conceded to them the right to impose it on others?
Jonathan, as a smoker I totally agree that non smokers should have a choice not to be in a smoke filled atmosphere, however, as you desire to have a choice and feel that this is your right, then you should also believe that smokers should have the same right.
My parents lived through the WW11 and my grandfathers fought in WW1 - they fought for freedom, democracy and choices NOT dictatorship. Over recent years we have been coming ever closer to living under a dictatorship.
Anti or Pro smoking, this is just another nail in the coffin of our democracy and freedom and all factions should be fighting to keep freedom of choice for EVERYONE.
Do also please remember that over the past decade or so, there has been a lot of choice for non smokers as more establishments have become non smoking. It stands to reason therefore that establishments that have retained smoking are likely to be more smokey than they used to be as smokers seek out the places where they can have a meal or a coffee and a smoke - there are more of us in one place.
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