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by runamok
on Wed Apr 11, 2007 8:37 pm |
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As a keen observer for many years of the modern phenomena of smoking bans I have come to some pretty solid conclusions that I think anyone here would be hard-pressed to argue against:
We are getting steamrolled at an ever accelerating pace with no end in sight.
We'll never even come close to matching the antis funding. Without the funding we'll never be able to buy our way into the mainstream media. Even if we could, it would take years certainly, and probably decades, to even partially undo the damage already done and we would never be able to undo all of it.
We know they're lying. They (the antis-in-charge) know they're lying. The public as a whole does not know they are lying. Even a fairly high percentage of smokers (I would conservatively venture into the 50% range) buy into the SHS propaganda. This makes our task formidable at best.
Considering the incredible extent of the damage already done, the best case scenario we can realistically strive for is taking back the hospitality venues (food, beverage, gambling, etc.). Sadly, there are a lot of rights I don't think we will ever regain.
One thing I know absolutely, positively for certain though. We are never going to regain anything through any legislative or judicial proceeding. The politicians and judges are bought and paid for. The system, as it were, has been permanently hijacked by the antis and their deep-pocketed pharmaceutical allies.
ericblair wrote: Show me how much persecution you are willing to take and I'll show you how much persecution will be heaped upon you.
Wise words indeed. So how much are you....or I, willing to take?
This battle will not be won in a courtroom or by a referendum. It won't be won in any city council chamber or even in the halls of Congress. Yeah, we know the science is on our side and we know the Constitution (if used in the spirit it was created and intended) is in our favor.
We also know our persecutors have already, and will continue to say and do anything, no matter how ludicrous or despicable, to force their will upon us even though the behavior they choose to persecute and ultimately profit from harms nobody other than possibly the citizen exhibiting the behavior.
And if history is any guide they will continue to get away with it. Not only get away with it but actually receive high praise from the mainstream media and politicians of all stripes.
No my friends.....we are not going to win this war by working within the "system". No tyranny has ever been defeated by following the rules because the tyrants wrote the rules.
Call it civil disobedience, anarchy, revolt or whatever you want but that is the only avenue left that will lead us out of the quagmire. I'm not talking about smoke-easies or sneaking a puff in the restroom at the bar. I'm talking about total, blatant, in-your-face revolt.
The antis love to tout the success of their beloved bans in terms of compliance. We turn that compliance percentage upside down and turn it into an enforcement nightmare and we WILL win the war. No funding needed.....no lawyers needed....no voting needed. Balls ARE needed.
We're gonna have to take our rights back by whatever means necessary. After all, isn't that how the antis play the game?
If we don't start treating this war as the fucking war that it is we might as well just brand ouselves with the Star of Tobacco and slink off to the concentration camps right now.
Show me how much persecution you are willing to take and I'll show you how much persecution will be heaped upon you. (thanks again eric) |
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runamok
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by linkup
on Wed Apr 11, 2007 8:43 pm |
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Amen!
I have said the same thing since the day I knew there was no compromise that the anti movement would accept.War is War and this is it!!!Boycotts and Paybacks are in order. |
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linkup
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by runamok
on Wed Apr 11, 2007 9:00 pm |
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I'm not talking about boycotts. I'm talkin' about business owners en masse putting up huge banners that say:
WE'RE FUCKIN' SMOKING IN HERE AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT YOU CAN KISS MY ASS! |
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runamok
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by patdaly
on Wed Apr 11, 2007 9:09 pm |
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runamok wrote: I'm not talking about boycotts. I'm talkin' about business owners en masse putting up huge banners that say:
WE'RE FUCKIN' SMOKING IN HERE AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT YOU CAN KISS MY ASS!
Amen brother, amen.
I finally figured it out, negotiating or reasoning with an anti is like Pelosi talking to the head of Syria.......... Your throat is still slit.
I just said fuck it and smoke wherever I like.
You know what? I feel much better since I quit giving a shit how non-smokers feel. |
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patdaly
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Joined: Jan 02, 2005
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Location: Streator Illinois
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by linkup
on Wed Apr 11, 2007 9:09 pm |
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That Great sign will only appear after the Bar Owners are financially hurt.I know,most cannot fight this alone,many have invested thousands in ventillation,wastes of their money,and the States don't care!
The Bars of this Country need to stand together and the only way for that to happen is for them to suffer financial hardship."All for one,and one for all". |
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linkup
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by runamok
on Thu Apr 12, 2007 6:38 am |
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It appeared for a while that bars in Colorado Springs were flouting the ban and trying to get Denver bars to join their civil disobedience but I haven't seen any news stories about it for a couple weeks.
Does anyone here really believe we can stop this train or even reverse it by using the "system"? |
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runamok
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by JEEP_GOD
on Thu Apr 12, 2007 8:41 am |
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I have said before, that civil disobedience will be the tool needed to break the bans.
As for filing lawsuits, that's just a fucking joke and a pipe dream, because we all know they're (the judicial sytem) owned.
Six bars in my locale have stated they will defy the ban, and will not comply, even if they're run out of business.
The only question bar and tavern owners, bowling alley operators, etc need to ask themselves is "what do I have to loose"?
And, the sad fact is, they're going to lose it anyway.
Posted by Dark on another board:
http://www.the-review.com/news/article/1835361
"A 56-year-old Alliance institution is closing.
Dan Linhart is closing Parkway Lanes, located at 1000 W. State Street, at the end of the month. Linhart is the second-generation owner of the bowling alley which was opened by his father, the late Norm Linhart, on March 1, 1951. Linhart said the decision to shut down the business was a difficult one.
"The people of Alliance have been good to us," Linhart said. "The new smoking law and the effect of the minimum wage are the two main reason for closing."
These are the reality of these bans; lost jobs, lost livelihoods, lost businesses.
Like I said, what do they have to lose? They've already lost. As for me, I'll support the ones defiant of the bans, to the end. |
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JEEP_GOD
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by Khas
on Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:59 pm |
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| So what you are saying is smoke where we want, and let them haul us off to jail for violating the ordinances? Makes sense. (not sarchasm!) the civil rights movement didn't begin with a lawsuit it began with an act of defiance. A woman refusing to leave her seat, a Man sitting at a bar, etc. Even much earlier than that, crates of tea dumped into a harbor... |
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Khas
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by garhkal
on Sat Oct 31, 2009 3:49 pm |
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| I wonder how many smokers and friends of smokers would have to get jammed up to make a difference... |
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garhkal
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by Smoker Sympathizer
on Wed Nov 11, 2009 3:28 am |
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patdaly wrote:
You know what? I feel much better since I quit giving a shit how non-smokers feel.
What's sad about this whole thing is how pathetically trivial the issue is. Smoking should never even be a blip on the radar of concern, let alone the war it's turned into. I mean no offense, but it seems like the smokers are a large part of the problem. Instead of sticking up for themselves, they pile on the self-loathing and apologize for who they are. I don't understand why so many smokers are compelled to not only be targeted but carve the wood and paint the bulls-eye themselves. It makes no sense to me. Why do they seek the approval of those who would presume to rule over them? They'll never get it anyway. Why don't more people share Pat's attitude? These aren't rhetorical questions, I'm really interested in people's views. |
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