Wednesday, April 26, 2006

2nd Hand Smoke

People are all up in arms about my smoking post...I kinda figured it would happen. I wasn't trying to be insensitive about people who die from smoking, I think it sucks. I do, however, view smoking as a choice which is made knowing it's bad for you, which nowadays is a fully informed decision-50 years ago I will admit it was not. I do understand that 2nd had smoke is bad, but the situation that I'm really complaining about doesn't even have second hand smoke involved, it's just people picking on smokers since it's the popular thing to do. The covered walkway is 2o feet wide and has 4 doors which you can enter the building from on each side. Even if a smoker is standing under it in NO way is someone forced to breathe 2nd hand smoke. FURTHER, if you look at the drawing, there is a completely enclosed walkway, which from the library is about 25 steps further to take, if you don't want to deal with looking at me smoke, go that way.

Here is a comment I left on a post dedicated to telling me I'm wrong, which I might be, but I just wanted to clarify somethings.

I only used to bar example since I think it's kinda lame, but I can understand it. Especially given that banning smoking in bars if more for the workers. Lucky for me I don't live in state that has banned smoking in bars-yet.

When I was a non-smoker I didn't like it either, I still sit in non-smoking in restaurants-mainly out of respect for my non-smoking friends. What I can't understand is being told where I can and can't smoke outside when where I stand is not even in anyone's way to get to the building. The whole post was directed at pointing out how ridiculous law students are, to go posting signs and drawing chalk lines, when they're not even in the right place.

I refer to smokers as an underclass because it's very popular to pick on smokers in so many ways it's unbelieveable. Strangers have no problem stopping and telling me smoking is going to kill me-thanks, I know. Yet people can sit and eat a triple whopper with extra mayo and a biggie fry and nobody says anything to them. It's a double standard constantly imposed on smokers.

By the way, I'd love to see a state ban tobacco sales and make up the tax base somewhere else. Everyone would have a fit when the taxes on everything else went up to fund schools (I believe in my state cigarettes taxes go to schools). Not to mention all the politicians dirty campaign money.
The bottom line is that since we're so PC now we don't pick on people for the race, gender, religion, nationality or weight to their face; yet everyone seems to think it's ok to single smokers out. People are less judgmental of people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol, when really, addiction is addiction.

The internal monologue shit was my attempt at humor, obviously, I suck at that; but have no fear, I'll probably die young as a result of my smoking so at least you'll have to read it less.

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