Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Spam--new and improved! Now more irritating than ever!

Dear Friend,

We never thought the Ohio Restaurant Association would stoop this low.

The Ohio Restaurant Association has partnered with Big Tobacco (and other special interest groups) in a dirty tricks campaign to amend our state Constitution to guarantee the right to pollute indoor air with tobacco smoke.

And, they have the nerve to call it "reasonable" policy. They actually think that forcing customers, children, workers and senior citizens to breathe dangerous smoke-filled air is reasonable. No way!

Click here now to tell the Ohio Restaurant Association to take tobacco off the menu in Ohio!

The Ohio Restaurant Association seems convinced by some myths about smoke-free initiatives. We need to set them straight on these and other important points:

Smoke-free workplace laws have no negative impact on the hospitality industry. In fact, 90% of Ohioans polled said that, with a smoking ban, they would eat out more often or as frequently as they do now!
Secondhand smoke poses a serious public health risk to workers, children, customers, and everyone in between, increasing the risk for developing serious health problems like heart disease, cancer, and asthma.
Ohioans support SmokeFreeOhio! Nearly 3 of every 4 Ohioans support clean indoor air laws, including almost half of the state's smokers!

When 91% of Ohioans agree about the danger of secondhand smoke, it's no wonder our support is so strong!

We need to clear the air for the Ohio Restaurant Association. Let's show them the facts and let them know how powerful and passionate this movement for a SmokeFreeOhio really is!

Click here to tell the Ohio Restaurant Association that smoke-free consumers will not be ignored!

Thank you for your help! Please forward this email to your friends and family so they can help clear the air for the Ohio Restaurant Association.

Best,

Tracy Sabetta, SmokeFreeOhio


Dear Anti-Tobacco Fascists:

Your tactic of using bulk e-mails is irritating in and of itself, but the message contained in said e-mails is reprehensible and repugnant.

How dare you tell American business owners how to run their businesses? Just as non-smokers (including myself) have the right to avoid businesses which allow smoking, so the businesses themselves have the right to make their OWN decisions about running THEIR businesses.

Funny how Ohio is so fucking Republican in terms of the winning candidates, but when it comes to issues like telling fellow citizens who they can't marry and/or what they can allow in their own businesses, Buckeyes are actually slobbering for more and bigger legislation.

You people need to get lives of your own and stop interfering in the lives and livelihood of others.

*rolls eyes back so far they hurt*

5 comments:

Canuck Girl said...

I find it interesting that according to that letter, senior citizens aren't customers. Does that mean they don't have to pay? I'll tell my Grandma to move to Ohio.

Jammies said...

FontGirl, I like you even more now. :-D

Personally, I want to know who's in between workers, children and customers.

I should have sent it back edited instead of letting them get to me. *blush*

Anonymous said...

You got it right - as usual. An individual business owner has the right to run their business however they see fit. Including running it into the ground. And as consumers, we have the right to go to or avoid businesses as we see fit.

Unfortunately since the Tobacco Lobby was so big for so many years (somewhere i think they are still making sactrifices to a statue of Jessie Helms) the anti Tobacco Lobby is now just as big.

What bothers me is there isn't a middle of the road tactic to take. The few times i go out to eat i dont mind that there is a smoking and non smoking seciton - i dont smoke but people who do shouldnt be prejudiced against. But the restaurants ought to have an investment in those air purifier thingies you see on tv info mercials on a regular basis. If the anti tobacco lobby was interested in what they claim they are interested in some of this money would be available to subsudize the purchase of things like that. It would make the world a much nicer place.

Unfortunately most people believe the only two answers to a question are yes and no.

Anonymous said...

Smoking indoors in restaurants and bars is now completely illegal in Toronto. In fact, smoking outdoors is illegal if there is a certain amount of overhead cover. So on patios with umbrellas on every table smoking is verboten.

For several years there were designated smoking rooms allowed, but the standards required the business owners to set up the equivalent of a Class 4 biohazard room, at their own expense. Now they have to dismantle them, at their own expense. *rolleyes*

And despite what the blurb said, the non smokers are not taking up the slack of the smokers that now stay home. I've discussed this with bar owners. And a lot of them are hurting.

You could also see this little fact every time you went into a designated smoking room. They would be packed. The non-smoking areas would be a lot less populated.

Someone should also alert the anti-smoking nuts to a simple fact: they're still going to die.

A recent anti-smoking ad on buses and street cars here in Toronto illustrates this fact. The ad, on the outside of the vehicle, has two arrows pointing at seats. The blurb says, "If these two people smoke, one of them will die from it."

And the thought that goes through my mind every time is, "And the other one will die from something else. Deal!"

The anti-smoking campaign is, in my opinion, a facet of the North American neurosis, we can't deal with death. We think we're powerful enough to avoid it and the fact that we can't makes us a little nuts.

My, that was quite a rant, wasn't it? ;)

Rob

Jammies said...

Rob, that was quite a rant, as was Mike's before you. Both deserve more views than they're going to get on my obscure little blog.

Maybe I should spam SmokeFree Ohio? :-p