What began as a campaign to encourage smokers to respect
the wishes of non-smokers has evolved into outright hostility by anti-smoking
fanatics with the segregation and demonization of anyone who chooses to
smoke.
NONSURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Cigarette smoking may cause you to
become a second-class citizen.
Similar to the Nazi anti-semitic campaign, cigarette
smokers in America have become the latest class of American citizens where
socially sanctioned discrimination is legally protected and encouraged.
Smoking citizens are being stripped of their civil, employment
and property rights because in the view of power grabbers Nazis,
"categorizing smokers as a protected class trivializes and skews the concept of
civil rights."
Indeed, smokers are coming to terms with the fact that
they're not just a bad person, but an individual of deficient moral character,
unworthy of respect or protection from society.
The growing anti-smoking
climate in the United States has helped fuel much of the legislation we're now
seeing, which passes with little opposition. Really obese people, whose
healthcare is among the costliest, are protected by federal law - leaving the
easiest targets right now: smokers. Smokers have been found to be a compliant
group. They'll quietly slip out the back door to smoke their cigarettes out in
the cold or rain, they'll scurry past the airport bars full of travelers
tipping a few for the respite of their curbside smoke, they'll tolerate the
snide remarks of those who suggest they quit their "nasty habit," and they'll
pay higher taxes and insurance premiums with hardly a whimper.
Collectivist
government leaders are doing everything they can to transfer massive wealth
from the tobacco industry into the hands of meddling social engineers. They
have routinely violated the rights of
individuals and property owners by regulating personal behavior on private
property. When the property owner of shops, restaurants and bars allows
smoking, many smokers will argue that non-smokers should just stay away and the
government should not interfere.
But, that's not the case. Big
Business is increasingly thumbing their nose at your privacy rights
trying to cut the costs of their business.
"First
they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a
socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out -
because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not
speak out - because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me - and there was no
one left to speak for me."
The Public Relations (propaganda) business has reached its fullest
potential in the advancement of the anti-smoking movement, which, in just a few
short years, has altered the nation's perception of smokers to such a degree
that what began as a campaign to encourage smokers to respect the wishes of
non-smokers has evolved into outright hostility by anti-smoking fanatics and
the demonization of anyone who chooses to smoke.
Thousands of companies
and countless municipal governments and police departments refuse to hire
smokers, and some require affidavits, and even use lie detector tests and
random drug testing to enforce the policy. Their excuse is often based on the
cost of insurance borne by the employer. Smokers
are banned from universities, libraries, most places of business and the halls
of government. They are discriminated against in housing. They have been denied
employment and fired from their jobs for smoking at home. They have been fined
and thrown in jail.
Nationwide, more landlords are barring tenants from
lighting up, joining a long list of cities, companies and hotels that have done
the same. California is the leader in smoke-free apartments, with 17 cities,
including Santa Barbara and Sacramento, having passed policies. The Smokefree
Apartment House Registry features about 300 listings nationally, up from 11
when it began in 2001.
A study of women in the U.S. Navy shows that
smoking seems to be a factor in their careers. The study says they dont
get promoted as often as their non-smoking peers, and they also have more
career setbacks. The study was done in the military because a higher percentage
of military personnel smoke than civilians. However, its believed that the
results of the study will translate to the civilian workforce. Yeah, like this
is any surprise. Listen, smokers are kidding themselves if they dont
think that employers openly discriminate against them.
Scott Rodrigues, 30, was fired from a lawn-care job he
had at The Scotts Co. after a drug test came up positive for nicotine.
Rodrigues filed a lawsuit in Suffolk Superior Court, claiming the company
violated his rights under a state privacy law barring unreasonable, substantial
or serious interference of privacy, and under other state law.
Insurance consulting firm outside of Lansing, Mich.,
Weyco company president Howard Weyers announced, "As of January 1st,
2005, anyone that has nicotine in their body will be fired. At Weyco,
that means no smoking at work, no smoking at home, no smoking period. Yes, Mr.
Weyers may have the right to exclude smokers and I'm also convinced he would
also like to have the right to refuse to hire homosexuals, whites, blacks, men,
women, Catholics, Muslims, or any group that found disfavor with him.
Citing rising workers compensation and health
care costs San Mateo County Sheriff Don Horsley put a ban on hiring
smokers in March 2, 2004.
In Mobile, Alabama, the city started a no-smoke policy
for new employees in 1994, which states that it will only hire non-smoking
police officers and firefighters. Imagine the outcry of liberals had the city
chose not to hire homosexuals or blacks.
Over the past 30 years the anti-smoking factions has
systematically and incrementally changed the perception of the American public
from one where smoking was an enjoyable activity to one where now smoking is
viewed as "an addictive habit" on par with shooting up heroin or smoking crack
cocaine.
Like most advertising campaigns, the promotion of the
anti-smoking agenda has relied heavily on the calculated manipulation of fact
and truth. Sadly, if they repeat the lies often enough, people will soon
believe the lies. The overall strategy is:
To portray the tobacco industry as the money grabbing
villian who's only purpose is to prey on victim consumers with
manipulative advertising enticing
them to smoke; and
To portray those who choose to smoke as the reason for
health problems in children and an economic drain on the
health care industry in
general.
The anti-smoking campaign has been so successful that
even most smokers view themselves of partaking of a "nasty habit" killing
millions of people and creating a financial burden on the health care industry.
For their shameful behavior, smokers have been pushed out of airports, offices,
sports stadiums, restaraunts, and public buildings. Not content with banning
smoking inside enclosed areas, the anti-smoking zealots have even sucessfully
banned smoking in open outdoor areas and are moving toward banning smoking even
in the privacy of your own home!
If homosexuals were treated like smokers, no doubt you
would hear shrill complaints from liberals and courts would be tripping over
themselves to protect their rights. Homosexuals are protected and in many
places in society are viewed more favorably than smokers. Cigarette smokers are
being replaced on television screens by homosexuals. What perhaps started the
trend was an episode of Ellen featuring a woman-on-woman open-mouthed
kiss which brought praises from Vice President Al Gore because it "forced"
millions of Americans "to look at sexual orientation in a more open light." Few
communities in America, says Gore, "care as deeply about ethical and moral
issues" as Hollywood. Today, you can't hardly turn on the television without
seeing homosexuals being featured.
Selwyn Duke writes, "And the prejudices are like the stars
in the sky. Smoking is no longer trendy but homosexuality is; the Boy Scouts
are out in San Francisco, but a law prohibiting smoking in private
establishments and even outdoor public places is in. Christianity in schools is
out, but left-wing indoctrination is in. And what group will be persecuted next
week, next month or next year? In Europe, the Ladies Golf Tour is being forced
to allow the participation of a transsexual by the European Union
anti-discrimination Nazis. Dont think that we could never be subject to
such insane government dictation, and that the casualty wont be your
church, club or some organization close to your heart. With the freedom of
association already relegated to the dustbin of history, such tyranny is only a
few bad Supreme Court appointments away."