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Old 02-10-2008, 04:14 AM   #46 (permalink)
Martian
Young Crumudgeon
 
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Location: Canada
Quote:
Originally Posted by Coats
I respect your opinion Martian...
No you don't. You just think that saying that gives you a free pass. Or that's what I'd conclude from what follows, anyway.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Coats
...however, the bottom line is that while smoking individually is not the worst atrocity there is, it does affect the people around them.
You cannot seriously argue from a medical basis that walking past a smoker out-of-doors will have any long-term adverse effects. Most actual smokers go 40 years or more before the serious health problems start kicking in. I'm also not buying a quality of life argument here; unless you go out of your way to put yourself in close proximity to smokers, you can't be spending more than a few seconds a day walking past them. I fail to see how this is going to do anything to ruin your day, unless you're just looking to villify smokers to begin with.

As I said above, smokers are already making reasonable accommodations. I'm all for banning smoking in the work place and in public buildings. When a smoker is outside, however, and not blocking a door, they're already doing as much as can be reasonably expected. I'm sorry you don't like smoking. I think vulgar t-shirts are stupid.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Coats
You know damn well that people will say "yea go head" even though they really mean 'wow you're addicted, stop smoking, but let's have a conversation while you smoke anyway' type of deal.
Telling me what I "know damn well" is not respecting my opinion and is needlessly confrontational. Furthermore, I would suggest that okaying it with my companions is again making a reasonable accommodation. If they don't like smoking, the onus is on them to speak up when given the opportunity; that is, after all, the whole point of the endeavour. If they don't I can't be expected to know it bothers them. Nicotine unfortunately does not grant the ability to read minds.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Coats
Stop smoking.
First of all, we read, then reply. I did stop smoking. Secondly, if I were still smoking I would find this unbelievably condescending and irritating. In fact, that I'm not smoking makes it more so, since it indicates that you can't even be bothered to read what I write before preaching to me.
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