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The intolerant society

Head Rambles Posted on by

For those of you who may have missed it, I had a letter published in the paper the other day.

Sir, – I am a pensioner who likes to sit outside my local coffee shop with my coffee, my dog and a puff of the pipe, where I can socialise with friends, neighbours and strangers.

Now the former minister for health James Reilly continues his vendetta against the smoker in the Seanad and wants me to forgo that little pleasure in order that people don’t have to “suffer” the occasional whiff of my pipe smoke. He talks about the “unintended consequences” of the indoor ban while completely ignoring the consequence of further isolating people from their community (“Smoking ban to be extended to outdoor areas where food served”, News, April 24th).

I might add that I enjoy my pipe as I find it relaxing, have never suffered any “smoking-related diseases” over the last 50 or so years of smoking and pay exorbitant taxes on my little pleasure.

So much for a tolerant society? – Yours, etc,

There was a reply today in the same paper.

Sir, – [..] I too am a pensioner who likes to sit outside my local coffee shop on an all-too-infrequent fine day and enjoy my cup of coffee.

What I most definitely do not enjoy is having to inhale the noxious fumes from a pipe-smoker at an adjacent table being blown in my direction.

Well done, Senator James Reilly. I, for one, support your suggestion. – Yours, etc,

Obviously she didn’t read the last line in my letter?

 

Comments

The intolerant society — 16 Comments

  1. Wouldn’t bet on it. Might even of understood it. Doesn’t make aha’porth of difference she has rights and you have at least one less than her because a ‘the mob acted’ and what was ‘normal’ instantly became ‘abnormal’.

  2. Why can’t it be just left up to the individual shop owner to decide if they will allow smoking or not or have a separate non-smoking area? The result of outdoor smoking bans in my area, introduced in July 2015, has been two less coffee shops and me not going to the ones left.

  3. Why can’t she make use of the extensive non-smoking area of the coffee shop? After all, wasn’t that the point of having separate areas in the first place?</rhetorical>

  4. I wouldn’t worry was the Reilly’s of this world learn about the crazies of this world there will be no coffee shops.

    A submission to a childhood obesity enquiry from ‘a parent’ I despair I really do. Do these people have no common sense?

    http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/health-and-social-care-committee/childhood-obesity/written/80040.html

    Not to mention young jamie and hughie aka ‘the useful idiots’ engaging in orgasmic delight at the certifiable nutters sending them pictures of wh smiths checkouts via twatter. Do they not realise the word no exists?

    There are days when I pray for that asteroid to line us up.

  5. She is intolerant and brainwashed by the anti smoking propaganda. Indeed it is likely that she is a fictional character put forth by the anti smokers to further their campaign of persecution against smokers. Beyond that tobacco smoke isn’t noxious and if I recall even Doll and Hill found no adverse effects for pipe smokers—which certainly calls the second hand smoke ruse into question.

  6. I think that ‘my freedom ends where your nose begins’ is a reasonable foundation for managing relationships with friends and strangers alike.

    The situation you describe is not symmetric.  You can inflict smoke on someone else whether they like it or not.  They cannot inflict smokelessness on you.

    • I can’t agree with that.  Talk of “freedom” opens a nasty can of worms as how do you decide what freedom is. I would consider that I should be free not to be subjected to perfume smells, loud mobile phone conversations, or even indeed loud conversations.

      Possibly the biggest point is the fact that we are talking about the open air here.  It is rarely so calm outside that smoke will hang around.  People smoke cigarettes in front of my coffee shop and it doesn’t bother me in the slightest [I hate the smell of cigarette smoke] because a) I very rarely smell it and b) I believe in tolerance and would never dream of imposing my views on another.

      As a side point, I have smoked my pipe for many years down at the coffee shop.  I only remember once incident when another customer started making loud remarks to her friend.  On the contrary, I couldn’t count the number of people who have approached me saying they love the smell, as it reminds them of their father or grandfather.  Others have just commented on the lovely aroma and how relaxing I look!

       

  7. As that ‘tolerant’ none smoker sits outside that cafe, enjoying that cup of coffee, how close is the road, and how many diesel powered cars go by every minute, spewing out those noxious fumes? Perhaps coffee tastes better when infused with diesel than it does with pipe tobacco. I don’t know, I don’t smoke, but I regularly socialise with people who do. Try drinking coffee when the person next to you is happily dragging on a Gauloise. That really does enhance(!) the flavour.

    • I like to wait until a tractor or two, or maybe a bus or a lorry from the quarries passes by.  Adds a little je ne sais quoi to the flavour.

  8. Purchase a Whoopee cushion (if your own plumbing is not up to the job) and just sit there raising one buttock while squeezing the cushion and assuming a facial expression of ecstasy. Let them ban that.

  9. Well done Grandad, we have been facing the same kind of control freaks on our side of the pond.It looks like the old gal really enjoys drinking with her friends…she must reside on the selective wing of the temperence movement. https://www.facebook.com/norma.henderson.798

    • Welcome Charles, and thanks for that!  So you found my good friend Norma?  I never thought to look her up, but she’s not very high on my wish list.

      I’m useless at forums, or I’d join up as a lifelong pipe smoker.  It looks interesting.

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