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Smokers
The modern witch hunt
By: David K. Every
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Apr 02,1998
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 his Nation has become very oppressive and reactionary. It is becoming about how one group can oppress another (under the guise of it being "for their own good"), about what is "vogue" to hate, and who is the villain of the week (year or decade).
One of the extreme examples of this is in my own State (California) with Smokers being treated like antebellum blacks (except I know of no lynching's -- yet, though assaults are not uncommon). We've got Jim Crow laws, smokers are treated like second class citizens, we make excuses for our dehumanizing them and there is even blatant hatred. There are organized groups that exist solely to oppress smokers (and their freedoms), not unlike the KKK (a racist anti-black organization that uses fear tactics, and violence, to achieve its ends). For smokers, we even have Govt. agencies joining in on the act (and being some of the worst). We even have segregation, with smokers areas being mandated under law -- but now we have gone to apartheid, and we just outlaw smokers from whole categories of establishments, building, public places, and so on. All in the name of the greater good -- as usual.
Personally, I don't smoke, and I don't like it. I avoid frequenting places where there is a lot of smoking. But smokers are humans that have rights, and their habit is less foul that are the views of those of people who are trying to oppress them. I hear all sorts of rationalizations and reasons for the oppression, but most of them are complete bullshit. So lets look at a few.
                     
Yes, smoking is unhealthy -- but not as unhealthy as most other things in our society (your life). Japanese men have the highest smoking rates in the world (by a large amount) -- and they have had it for years (generations). They smoke something like twice the world average (or more). They also have the BEST life expectancy of any country -- including countries where they smoke far far less (or none at all).
The point being not that smoking is good for you, but that there are many other factors that are a far bigger influence on your health -- especially your diet, or your attitude. So attacking smoking for health reasons, is just a rationalization.
You want to really help people out (health wise), then you have to start legislating their diet. Lets outlaw meat. (I'm mostly vegitarian, and my wife is completely -- it'd be no sweat off my brow). I bet that single act would save 1,000 times as many lives as outlawing smoking. While we are at it, lets start mandating exercise. We NEED the health police, along with the fashion cops! Heck, lets require people to take stress management classes or see counselors (especially if they are know-it-all busy-bodies, trying to regulate others lives). I bet these things would save far more lives than smoking laws!
Of course if you believe in freedom, then perhaps it is right for us to allow people to do what is wrong (we don't approve of). We should encourage others to make better choices, but lets leave the guns (of Govt Force) at home! Lets also stop the hypocrisy that we care about health. We don't, or else McDonald's would have been outlawed a generation ago. This argument is an excuse for persecuting other people's vices -- while usually ignoring our own.
 
Welcome to America, where fact and stats are routinely distorted (exaggerated) for an agenda. Most of the figures you hear vary from unsubstantiated claims, to hype, and to lies. Yes, there is danger -- but not much. You should avoid secondhand smoke, but get some perspective -- your car, job, attitude, diet, drinking, lack of exercise or one of a thousand other things are far greater risks in your life. Do we really need govt. to protect us from all those things as well?
Remember Japan? Their Women are subjected to the most second hand smoke of any people in the world. They also live in smaller dwellings (or a more packed society) and so are probably subjected to it in more intesity, as well as more frequency. They have the best life expectancy of any Women in the world. Diet, lifestyle and genes matter far more. So stop the rationalizations -- some people don't like smoking, and so are making excuses for their attacks and hatred.
You want to protect yourself? Then there are 10,000 other ways to make a far bigger difference in your life. Move closer to work, quit and do something you like, ride a bike, eat better or most of all, stop trying to be a butt-inski and running others lives. Learn to live and let live, and accept things that you don't like. The second hand smoke argument is just propaganda and rationalizations for oppressing smokers.
I do not like second hand smoke. I hate the smell, and can tell smokers from 10' away. I can smell a cigarette from 20' away. So what? I can smell bad cooking from 30' away, should we outlaw that?. Busses smell foul from twice that distance (especially when they use natural gas), want to outlaw public transportation? Cow flatulence is a far bigger problem in terms of output, should we eliminate beef products? Where are we going to stop?
You drive a car? Mow your lawn (or have someone else do it)? Then shut up on smokers. If you only walk or ride a bike, and then you have a small point (very small one). Conservation is becoming an excuse to persectute others and little else. A smoker in his lifetime will not put out as many toxins as your car does in a week (month?). The same for airplanes, busses or trains (though they are cleaner per mile). Stop being a hypocrite. You want to fix pollution, there are a million more effective ways. Govt. force against smokers, in the name of pollution, is so stupid it is insulting. Cow farts (methane) are far more polluting -- stop eating burgers! Get a life first, be a model citizen -- then you can criticize others. You want to fix the problems, try education -- not legislation!
This does not appear to be the case. Canada did a study a few years back. They found that the lifetime costs of smokers healthcare were far less than the average (statistically). Most healthcare costs are in the last few years of life. Smokers die quicker (on average) -- meaning they cost less over their lives! If we want to be fair (yeah right), we should charge smokers LESS for healthcare, and start giving kickbacks for skydivers and stunt pilots.
Idiots in our society (like those that support antismoking laws) cost us far more. Imagine how much it costs for smoking bans? Think of the enforcement costs alone, not to mention imprisonment costs, or in the lost revenues to businesses and society (in taxes). Some businesses (certain bars or restaurants) report 20-40% decreased sales. Think of the jobs lost. Those costs far far outweigh the healthcare costs. Lets persecute them for a while, and see how they like it. Lets have special taxes to recoup the costs to society caused by those people. We could have a stupidity tax, and a special tax for those that support too many taxes! (I am being sarcastic).
This nation is supposed to be about freedom. I do believe in encouraging people to do what is right, and I would encourage people to stop smoking. You want to make rules about your property, fine, I am all for it. Don't allow people to smoke in YOUR house, or YOUR car, or YOUR business. I don't. You want to deal with others in our society like they are humans, and ask them to stop smoking around you, great! I do that too. But antismoking laws are just about oppression. It isn't about your property, it is about other peoples property (often businesses). It isn't about economics and the rights of the majority -- if it were, then we wouldn't need the opressive laws, because the marketplace would vote with their wallets. This is about a vocal few, opressing others, and too many standing by and letting it happen. These anti-smoking advocates are people who can't convince their parents or friends or spouses to do what is right -- so they bring out the guns of Govt. to FORCE them! There is no compassion to this force, it is about power and control.
Worse than that, it doesn't seem to work. They keep making laws, and people keep figuring ways around them. They outlawed smoking in resteraunts -- so now many truck stops are "private dining clubs", where you have to pay $.05 to join, and then there is smoking inside. Teen smoking has gone UP in the last few years. People are becoming more contemptuout of the laws, and resentful of each other. Wow, what a way to help our society -- if your goal is to piss everyone off, make criminals, and make the problem worse.
I don't like smoking. I try to convince people to stop. I don't like second hand smoke -- I encourage people to not smoke around me. But as much as I don't like those things, I like tyranny and abuse of power even less. I also value doing things the right way, rather than taking shortcuts and doing them the wrong way. The process is as important (or more important) than the goal. Govt. force is using the wrong process, especially if you are trying to teach people to respect themselves (and others) more and to learn to take responsibility for their own actions. It is even more wrong if you are trying to teach people to belong to a society, instead of feeling isolated and resentful towards it, and their persecuting neighbors.
Think of what these laws really say;
- You are not free to do what you want with your own body. If the masses don't approve, they will get you! No respect for your privacy or liberty. Screw you. The pleasure-Nazi's will cram their views of what is acceptable ejoyment down your throat.
- You are not free to do what you want with your own business. You can't cater to your customers and make your own choices. The masses get to decide how you are to run your business, and your life.
- Customers aren't free to leave an esablishment that they don't approve of. Workers aren't free to choose their place of employment. Market forces don't work (despite proof to the contrary). We really need govt. to do for them what they can't do for themselves. (That ought to teach individual responsibility).
- The masses should be free to tyrannize whomever they don't agree with at the time. McCarthyism is OK, because it was popular. Majority rules (group think)! Conformity becomes more important than freedom. The means aren't important -- only the ends (and don't think too hard, 'cause the ends won't be that great either). Deep pockets, special interests and self-righteous, judgmental, over-emotion, know-it-all pricks will prevail over reason, tollerance and freedom.
This article is not meant to demean or minimalize the suffering of groups (like Blacks or Jews), in either the past or present. It is just meant to point out that oppression comes in many flavors. We are all real vocal when someone is trying to crush our rights -- but many are strangely silent when it is happening to someone else.
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