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by katsumii
on Wed Nov 11, 2009 3:12 am |
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Hi, smokingLobby.
Non-smoker here. I'm researching + writing a persuasion speech to encourage college students to help repeal the smoking ban by getting active somehow. I checked out the petition by smokingLobby, but it's not what I'm looking for.
I'm in Ohio, and our smoking ban generally restricts usage in any public school campus, business, or recreation center. I don't personally know anyone furious with the ban, but I've experienced many unfair situations that segregate smokers from non-smokers unnecessarily. Not only that, but our own government is banning our civil liberties based on possibilities and preconceptions. It's actually aggravating.
A class survey that I took reveals the large majority (15 out of 18 students) are perfectly fine with being near someone smoking in public, so I should already have a head start on my speech. But then, only about half of the class smokes.
I've already been browsing these forums, looking for helpful information. It's interesting to see how much smoking bans are impacting us--in an incredibly negative way. If anyone has any relevant and recent information, statistics, stories, or knowledge of active protest groups or petitions, then please share them here. I want to appeal to both smokers and non-smokers.
Thanks,
katsumii |
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katsumii
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Joined: Nov 11, 2009
Posts: 2
Location: Ohio
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by gilster
on Wed Nov 11, 2009 6:59 am |
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I hate to pimp other websites on a site but there's info on these for research:
http://www.smokersclubinternational.com/modules.php?name=Forums
(especially links on left side)
http://www.forces.org/
If you want to delve into the situation in the UK (devastating-Pubs closing rapidly all over the UK)
http://www.freedom2choose.info/
(need to register to view the forum area - but loads of info on the main page)
Quote: Not only that, but our own government is banning our civil liberties based on possibilities and preconceptions. It's actually aggravating.
Very aggravating, but it's not just about the smoking bans.
This is all impacting private property rights - a business, not owned by the government is private property.
Very key in all this, the Kelo decision by SCOTUS is the pinnacle of private property rights to date. Taking private property by government force to enhance a private companies plans for that property. Just this week it was reported, and I don't think it got much play in the media, that the land that the whole Kelo decision was based upon will not be used by the Pfizer company to build their intended structures. The lots sit vacant.
The government approved THEFT of the private property is an empty lot.
Even if the company built, it's unjustified THEFT of private property.
(if there is such a thing as justified theft  ) |
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gilster
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Joined: Apr 19, 2006
Posts: 1213
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by katsumii
on Wed Nov 11, 2009 11:04 am |
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Thanks for the quick response, gilster. Judging by your forum posts, I was hoping to get a reply from you! 
The web sites you've provided are mostly helpful. I'm having trouble with forces.org because, even with all my searching, I'm only finding articles from no later than 2006, and a majority are from the '90s. Of all the forums anywhere, I find smokingLobby to be the most useful.
Although it was my initial thought, the speech will not focus on the idea of government stripping away people's rights. It seems that 100% of the information I'm finding (including my beliefs based on my experiences) are coming from Libertarian views, which emphasize personal freedom and minimal gov't intervention. This is not what repealing the smoking ban is all about.
I want the ban repealed because it's spreading false "information," therefore scaring the public, it destroys businesses, and thus hurts the community + economy, and it causes unnecessary discrimination between people who smoke and people who don't. Hopefully there are more reasons to repeal smoking bans (as this 2008 article by a "free market organization" may explain), for example, it's just plain impractical.
I may also include in my speech that I wasn't able to vote in the election that issued the Ohio smoking ban because I was too young. I'm also especially seeking ways to get my classroom to participate in any pro-smoking organization. It sucks that it revolves around money, but maybe we can sign a petition or join an activist organization. Any suggestions? |
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katsumii
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Joined: Nov 11, 2009
Posts: 2
Location: Ohio
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by gilster
on Wed Nov 11, 2009 5:01 pm |
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katsumii wrote: Any suggestions?
Join a local 9/11 or Tea Party.
It really is about Property Rights, the pseudo science and figures don't jive in most scientific papers concerning SHS or even Main Stream smoke for that matter. But, the problem smokers have is that it has been accepted in the mainstream media that smoking cigarettes is an icky thing to do and no one should smoke or be near smoke. No reason except it's just icky (the science isn't there in the majority) and we must do something about it - tax it - regulate it - ban it - fine it...it's a very lucrative habit. It brings in a lot of taxes, funnels money to many government agencies and keeps the mortgage paid.
The Surgeon General's 2006 Report on SHS's Press Release is just one paper every anti-smoker throws around...but....if anyone bothered to actually read the darn report, and I and many of us have, what is written in the Press Release is not what was in the report, Period.( got a few hours? Read it if you want)
It's an easy mark and it worked - many smokers feel the guilt hoisted on them, keep their heads down and trudge along. Easy pickins'
The same was happening with Man Made Global Warming - the science wasn't sound, Al Gore won a Nobel Prize - ee gads it must be true. There's a backlash now - the science is oozing out of the atmosphere - the numbers do not jive.....with Cap and Trade legislation breathing down our necks to fight 'Climate Change' there will be a huge fight on the governments hands to pass any of what they intend to do to the icky consumers of electricity, oil and coal.
I tell you what - if Cap & Trade goes through there is no hope for people who smoke's rights -or anyone else's rights for that matter...
It's not about smoking - never was.... |
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gilster
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