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[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

Gene GeRue wrote:

> Dearest Bev, we all love you, but I gotta tell you, you are being 
> really, really defensive about smoking, kid.
>
> But if you really want to seriously discuss it, consider that smoking
>  is optional. For most people, driving is mandatory.

But I am now amongst the ranks of non-smokers, Gene....hehe....and while
I made the personal choice to stop, I would protest anyone else's right
to continue to puff on...personal liberty and all that jazz.

And driving isn't mandatory-licenses are still considered a
privilege-and so much of our taxes go for public transit. Most people
live in cities where there is a Walmart less than 5 minutes away.
People should carpool, walk, or ride a bike.  I do.  Ron and I take one
vehicle everyday.  And even if they do drive, that doesn't give them a
right to break the law and speed.  Speeding is an abuse of the
privilege, and you know I have the high ground on that argument just as
you have the high ground on whether or not smoking is right or wrong.  I
can give you a bunch of reasons why its wrong, excessive gasoline
consumption amongst them.  Smoking and speeding are optional.  Both are
not good, one is illegal and one is socially unacceptable.


> Well, the Prez is the leader of his party and they all kow-tow to
> him. And he does own the bully pulpit. Like God, all good things are
>  attributed to his greatness. Unlike God, he also gets credit for a
> lot of the bad stuff. It goes with the territory.

Yup.  Hey, do you get dictionary.com's word of the day?  Kowtow was the
featured word last week.  It's Chinese in origin, did you know that?
It's what you do before the Supreme One-prostrate yourself...lol..seriously.


> Well, I am fully in favor of maximal personal freedom. Where it hits
> a bump is when the freedom that A exercises impedes on B's rights. I
>  would downgrade any leader who led his people down an unhealthy
> path.

Look again at your "bump".
We are an interconnected world.  Chaos theory..the butterfly
effect...whatever you call it...we are connected..so no matter what I do
or don't do, it affects you in some way.
In the news today, I read that Arab leaders want the Netherlands and
other countries to make laws to prevent insults to religions.
The thought occurred to me that I am offended every time I see a woman
in a burqa, it is a symbol of oppression for me.  It's insulting to me
as a woman.  Why can't people see that even the things they take for
granted as normal can be offensive to someone else?


 I've always had a
> > fondness for smokers in my heart, since I was one for so long...he
> > would be THE perfect champion for an individual's right to smoke,
> > or toke, or whatever. :)  Barack IS the new and improved Marlboro
> > Man...lol..
>
> Bev, your bias is loud and clear. We got it. Smoking kills people. It
>  kills their lungs and it weakens their immune system so they get
> sick from other problems more easily. You are manifesting the highly
>  intelligent human who subverts their intelligence to their emotions
> on a serious matter.

And you aren't biased?  Let's change the word smoking to
beerdrinking....see?



> Methinks the South doth protest too much. Probably guilty
> consciences. Pretty declasse to put down people who take health
> seriously, don't you think?

No.
It's declasse to be critical of smokers when one disregards their own
health by beerdrinking or speeding or something-no, wait, that would be
hypocritical, not declasse. <eg>

Gene, if I may, why do you only spend summers at Heartwood?  It seems
odd that someone who writes a book about how to find the ideal country
home and has a website called ruralize.com lives in the city in Arizona,
especially when Heartwood is so beautiful, invigorating and potentially
sustainable(not to mention the ideal country home)?  I'm sure you have a
good reason, but it just seems like a non-sequitur to me.

Bev


--
BevanRon of EarthNSky Farm   NW Georgia USDA Zone 7
34.498N 85.076W    Bev is Earth, Ron is Sky