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Yesterday my daughter was sitting in her car at a red light smoking a cigarette, when a Prius pulled up next to her and the driver gestured her to roll down her window. She thought he wanted directions, but instead he started cursing her, calling her every name in the book, telling her she was a filthy b**ch for smoking and telling her she was killing the world...and on and on.
She was shocked. She rolled the window up as the light turned, but he followed her, honking his horn. She pulled over and he drove dangerously close, almost side-swiping her, giving her the finger as he went by. She came home in tears, and my wife told her to call the police, but she hadn't gotten a license number.
Maybe this guy was just some misanthrope who likes to pick on young women, but I don't think so. Facebook has an I Hate Smokers page, and if you type I Hate Smokers into Google it returns 1.2 million hits. Check out this charming posting JustRage: I hate smokers.
I've all ready posted about society's current obsession and hatred of the obese, just check out all the newer threads in C-D going on, but I didn't realize we were also now allowed to hate smokers. What is it about us that we need a target, we need someone to hate?
What is equally disturbing is how much the government is involved, at all levels, federal and state. A seemingly endless number of agencies run anti-smoking ads, demonizing the smoker the way the media goes after the obese.
And now it's gotten to the point where some jackass in a car can yell at my daughter. I don't smoke, and I wish she would quit, but I also don't curse her out, and I'm amazed that some stranger feels perfectly free to do so. But IMO opinion our government is ok with this, and it's a scary day when we are allowed to demonize whole groups of people.
I'm not talking about the human cost of smoking, the damages, on and on. Everyone knows it. But there is an incivility in tone in society lately...it's ok to curse smokers, it's ok to hate fat people. Our Sunday school manners have gone out the window. But it's a bad precedent, because who is next?
This is wrong on so many levels.
Now if she was out in public blowing smoke his way unintentionally or flicking cigarettes out the window behind him I could understand his frustrations, but this was obviously going way too far to harass someone in a car at at stop light.
Then again, you're only getting one side of the story...
There really is no connection between "screaming brats" and smoking...
Actually there is, for me. Loud noises hurt me. I have hearing problems. The smell of smoke doesn't bother me, but the sounds of screaming brats causes me a lot of pain, sometimes to the point my ears begin to bleed.
Facebook has an I Hate Smokers page, and if you type I Hate Smokers into Google it returns 1.2 million hits. Check out this charming posting JustRage: I hate smokers.
You can come visit my I Hate Cologne/Perfume page. We form "wilding groups" and douse goat urine on people with stinky perfume.
This isn't the first time I've heard about people who don't approve of other peoples lifestyles going beserk and trying to save the world.
Some go after the smokers, the obese, the skinny, drive cars not made in America, eat meat, eat veggies, drink beer, or any other thing that anyone can think of that they don't like.
There are weirdos everywhere.
The girl smoking a cig in her own car isn't the problem. It is the guy in the other car that is the problem and a radical ******* that wants everyone to be perfect in his own dictator eyes.
Kind of like Htler.
We all know what happened to Hitler. He got his ass kicked.
And if that butthole had given me a problem about doing something legal, by my own choice, in my own car, and then harrassing me, he would have got his butt kicked too.
Or at least needing an emergency room and a new car.
I think they oughta tax self-righteousness. You'd go broke the first week.
I'd be difficult to quantify, see I can see you can find out how much smoke is in a square foot, or how much adipose tissue in a square inch. I can also keep my opinions to myself, ever sit next to an obese person? There's no keeping that to ones self.
I'd be difficult to quantify, see I can see you can find out how much smoke is in a square foot, or how much adipose tissue in a square inch. I can also keep my opinions to myself, ever sit next to an obese person? There's no keeping that to ones self.
Of course I've sat next to an obese person (by the way...obese isn't the same thing as overweight). I've also sat next to people who haven't bathed in a month (been one of those myself in the Army); have on dirty clothes which smell; associated with people who have,...shall we say...issues; co-mingled with religious fanatics, public nose pickers and azz scratchers; shared sidewalks and cars with smokers and drug addicts, killers and wimps, screaming babies and screaming parents. The list of things which I find offensive goes on and on and on.
But, you know what I've learned in my 61 years which you apparently have not? I am NOT the center of the universe. Everything doesn't revolve around me and I am in no position criticize what someone else is doing or demand they not do it in my presence.
I've discovered that a little tolerance goes a long, long way.
Of course I've sat next to an obese person (by the way...obese isn't the same thing as overweight). I've also sat next to people who haven't bathed in a month (been one of those myself in the Army); have on dirty clothes which smell; associated with people who have,...shall we say...issues; co-mingled with religious fanatics, public nose pickers and azz scratchers; shared sidewalks and cars with smokers and drug addicts, killers and wimps, screaming babies and screaming parents. The list of things which I find offensive goes on and on and on.
But, you know what I've learned in my 61 years which you apparently have not? I am NOT the center of the universe. Everything doesn't revolve around me and I am in no position criticize what someone else is doing or demand they not do it in my presence.
I've discovered that a little tolerance goes a long, long way.
If it affects my health, and it's not something I've chosen to do then I reserve the right to criticize. Especially smoking, they can easily put it out or not smoke it. The obese can't just be un-obese in a moment a smoker can stop the act of smoking in an instant.
I am well versed in the differences between obesity and being overweight. Again, the obese affect others, they impose themselves on others with their size. I think the fact that THEY are not the center of the universe and they need to coexist with others is an important lesson for them to learn. "Hey maybe the guy sitting next to me doesn't want my sweaty thigh oozing over my seat onto his". Or "hey maybe this guy next to me just wants to enjoy some air without choking" but that thought never crosses their mind.
If it affects my health, and it's not something I've chosen to do then I reserve the right to criticize. Especially smoking, they can easily put it out or not smoke it. The obese can't just be un-obese in a moment a smoker can stop the act of smoking in an instant.
I am well versed in the differences between obesity and being overweight. Again, the obese affect others, they impose themselves on others with their size. I think the fact that THEY are not the center of the universe and they need to coexist with others is an important lesson for them to learn. "Hey maybe the guy sitting next to me doesn't want my sweaty thigh oozing over my seat onto his". Or "hey maybe this guy next to me just wants to enjoy some air without choking" but that thought never crosses their mind.
Fine. Criticize all you want. Just don't try to impose your prejudices under the force of law and we'll get along just fine.
If my smoke bothers you, just tell me and I'll put it out or move away. Tell me I CAN'T smoke in your presence and you'll get a nose full of it.
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