Well I don’t expect this to be a terribly popular
opinion that I’m sharing today but then I still have not mastered my friends
requests to “Please shut the f**k up (yet still they love me - and oh how I so
enjoy the way they sometimes express that love).” So on and on I ramble. This opinion
does come with a disclaimer though which is that I have no doubt that cigarette
smoking is not a desirable thing to do and I’m not advocating or suggesting
anyone should smoke, just please allow others to do as they see fit as long as
it’s not hurting someone else.
Please stop the demonization of cigarette smokers…
Yes, cigarette smokers have become demonized. If
someone is puffing away and not being considerate of others being exposed to
the smoke, then yes absolutely, please speak up. But it’s gotten to a point of going too
far, especially here in Southern California. Just the knowledge of my habit
sends some into a frenzy of unfair judgement. There is a city close by that has
banned cigarettes entirely. What purpose is that serving? Automobiles, power
companies, and factories are still belching out poison at an alarming rate.
Even the electric and hybrid vehicles are destroying the environment without
mercy. Cars are by far the number one cause of death and injury even surpassing
(by far) cigarettes and firearms combined. So why do we choose hypocrisy over
tolerance? For example, on Thanksgiving of 2017 I went with a friend to a
dinner with her family. My friend is in her mid-80’s. After eating, and by the
way, I don’t eat animals, so after eating a lovely dinner and having gone many
hours without my fix, I asked my friend if there was somewhere I could smoke.
My friend got a horrified look on her face and whispered, “I told them you’re
transgender but I didn’t tell them you smoke.” It’s popular nowadays to have a
gay, lesbian, or transgender friend but smokers like me are considered the very
spawn of Satan himself by many. I went to the person that owned the home and
asked if I could go outside somewhere and smoke. I was shown a spot where their
smoking friends go and was politely told it was no problem. I made a joke about
how not so long ago it was an awful sin to be in the LGBT+ category and cigarette
smoking was cool – now it was the complete opposite. We all had a smile and
agreement over this and off I went to get my nicotine. Somehow we all managed to survive the
incident.
It really is an overreaction…
In this I see a couple of human qualities at work.
One is the hypocrisy that plagues us all which of course includes me. As I’ve
already pointed out, automobiles are the number one cause of death and injury
today. Something else to consider is the new battery technology used in
hybrid/electric vehicles and also in the ‘oh so popular’ cell phones we’ve come
to depend on. The new battery technology uses lithium which is mined in Africa
using slave labor. Lithium has now taken over the spot vacated by blood
diamonds. Nobody wants to give up the convenience of cars and cell phones –
someone else should be held accountable.
But we still need an enemy…
For some reason we as people, again myself included,
seem to need a place to focus the darkness we see in ourselves. We as humans
tend to see patterns where none exist so we create stigmas and stereotypes then
so self-righteously hate, love, or fear our concocted angels and demons. At one
time it was people of African or Asian genealogy that were unfairly judged and
held in awful contempt. Common sense was that these people were somehow
inferior and dangerous. Amazingly, this bizarre use of an ancient and no longer needed
survival mechanism is still at work in us, and to a great extent, also includes femininity.
There is nothing inherently factual about accepted norms. We need to be very
critical about our beliefs. My rule is, it’s okay if you’re not hurting anyone.
The things I like or dislike in others are a reflection of myself and
recognizing this gives me an opportunity towards understanding and accepting
myself and others. We are warned, “Judge not lest ye be judged, and what
measure of forgiveness you show others will be shown unto you.” The way I see
that is if we judge and condemn others we’ll hurt ourselves in the process now in
this lifetime – not get beat up by an angry god when we attempt to secure a
most certainly undeserved place in heaven. It’s just the way my silly little
brain works I suppose.
Let me repeat…
Again, I’m not advocating the use of tobacco or any
form of nicotine – it’s a dangerous and addictive drug. Another dangerous and
addictive practice is the demonization of others. Regardless of what our race, religion,
gender orientation/expression, healthy practices, or unhealthy practices we all
have the right to live our lives the way we see fit as long as we respect the rights of others. I’ve been trying
desperately to stop the nicotine dependency that still afflicts myself and
others. As I told in my previous post I recently broke free of a prescription
morphine addiction I fought with for years. The narcotic epidemic we now face
(3 million+ people addicted) is the direct result of a dishonest greedy pharmaceutical
industry. Cigarette companies targeted children and others in my generation and
it was despicable to say the least. Please stop demonizing us, please.
As always, from the sweet hippie chick…
Big hugs and much love always.
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