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From: Pat.Goltz@f3.n300.z1.fidonet.org (Pat Goltz)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Smoking As Disability (?)
Message-ID: <9447@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 5 Jan 90 03:38:12 GMT
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Index Number: 6120

I think you have made a very valid point. People who inflict on 
themselves damage, repeatedly, continually, should not be accorded rights 
at the expense of the rest of us. They should not be able to get the same 
benefits as a person who has a congenital handicap, or one that resulted 
from an accident. Thus, people who smoke should not be able to avail 
themselves of benefits that I would want to grant to the disabled through 
no fault of their own.
  I would extend this to AIDS victims who engaged in behavior that caused 
exposure. There is a tendency on the part of some to grant them the same 
benefits as the disabled generally. I have opposed this from the 
beginning, but you have given the best rationale. In general, I would 
want to see AIDS victims helped, but I don't think we can afford to 
coerce people to provide these benefits, because the cost is astronomical 
and there are a lot of folks who simply cannot afford to be taxed at such 
a high rate, if they are going to be able to continue to feed their 
children. I think volunteer help will be best, because governmental help 
is too inefficient.
  Pat

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