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From: mary@bunkerb.UUCP (Mary Shurtleff)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: Re: LIGHTING UP
Message-ID: <510@bunkerb.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 28-May-85 12:40:47 EDT
Article-I.D.: bunkerb.510
Posted: Tue May 28 12:40:47 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 30-May-85 06:39:55 EDT
References: <3147@dartvax.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Bunker Ramo, Trumbull Ct
Lines: 65

> 
>      I see.
>      Well, I suppose I should clarify myself. 
>      I never meant to say to anyone I intended to be an "obnoxious" smoker. I
> never have, and never will, make a cause out of smoker's rights. I don't smoke
> around people who don't like it. If someone asks me to put out my cigarette I
> do. No hassle. 

This is a 180-degree change from the tone of your previous posting--why the 
sudden change??  Not that I don't appreciate it.

> At the computer center here I made a deal with everyone, I
> wouldn't smoke if they wouldn't turn up their ghetto blasters. It still pisses
> me off when people are prejudiced against smokers for the sake of smoking--
> the ones who take it personally, as if smokers smoked just to annoy THEM.  I
> *do* have a right to smoke. I really don't think that's debatable. 

What is debatable is WHERE you may smoke.  You may smoke in your own home.  You
may smoke in another smoker's home.  But here's the kicker-- you may not smoke
in areas where other people have asked you not to, just as they may not play
their ghetto blasters when you've asked them not to.

>      Peaceful cohabitation between smokers and non-smokers is possible. My room-
> mate is your basic "kill all tobacco fiends" type. We've survived. Why is it,
> then, that the SMOKERS are the ones blamed for the lack of harmony? Why are WE
> the obnoxious inconsiderate ones?  It seems to me that the keyword is COhabitation.

Question:  How do you and your roommate manage?  What kind of agreement do you
have, if any, on when and where you may smoke?  

Question 2:  If there are other people in the room with you, do you ask if they
mind before you light up?  It would be nice if you did.  
But, you will ask, why should I have to?  
I will answer, because you are the one who is introducing a potential irritant
into the environment, and it is therefore your responsibility to make sure
you're not going to be bothering someone BEFORE you do it.

If smokers are the one blamed, it's because they are the ones who are changing
the status quo (ie, condition of the air in the room).

You would be interested to hear that if a smoker asks me if I mind if they
smoke, I'm usually so impressed by their consideration that I say go ahead 
(but please keep it out of my face).  I don't mind, as long as they ask FIRST
if it bothers me.  I only get mad at those rude enough to assume that it will
have no effect on me at all, and furthermore, who don't CARE.

> That implies two parties. And from some of the responses I've gotten both
> personally and posted it seems that some of you non-smokers are too wrapped up
> in your anti-smoking prejudices to give it a chance. 

As I stated in my previous posting, it's not necessarily YOU they don't like,
it's your smoking.  If you're considerate and make sure you're not bothering
them, you'll find you can get along just fine.  It's just like any other habit
you have that may bother others--if people I want to be with don't like me
picking my toes around them, I won't do it.  It's as simple as that.  It's the
very pervasive "I'll smoke wherever and whenever I please, and to hell with
the rest of you" attitude that gets non-smokers (including me) all riled up. 

>You catch more flies with honey than vinegar. 

Please remember this the next time you want to light up and you're not alone.

>                                  --Ross JACOBS (Happy, Mr. Greenberg?)

M. Shurtleff