Okay, am I seeking abuse or what?
Yes, this is a first diary, but feel free to hate me and everything I stand for. In the end, we're probably going to end up voting for the same guys and gals.
I know that my ciggy budget goes to the bad guys, and I know that my bucks count more than my vote and hey, I'm sorry about that and I'm not perfect and stuff.
But this issue to me comes down to that Safety -> Freedom spectrum and where I fall on it. I like to think I'm somewhere near Patrick Henry on that one, and if you are a bit closer to the agoraphobic, that's cool; I can deal with it.
The problem is that I believe smokers are singled out among other groups who engage in other unhealthy activites and I tried to show that in my letter:
(the actual LTE and a silly poll on the flip)
I understand that some people wish to ban public cigarette smoking. Apparently, this particular freedom creates some air pollution, and it's healther not to smoke in the first place. Based on those same criteria, I propose that we also ban Internal Combustion Engines from public use.
After all, there are usually many more cars running than cigarettes burning at any given moment, they are a far greater threat to our air quality. And indeed, it is much more healthy not to risk high speed accidents on the highways and excellent exercise to bike or walk to anywhere you need to go.
If you're curious what prompted the letter and not well versed in the politics of my little corner of the Deep South here in central Pennsylvania:
Gloria Martin Roberts, a member of the Harrisburg City Council proposed legislation of
a public smoking ban. To be honest, the ban wont affect me much at all except for maybe going to see the fireworks on Independance Day, but I feel bad for the Mayor and the other coffin-nailers who would be the targets of this unfair attention.
