| Show Whose Rights Dear Editor It is obvious that some very benighted folks are operating on grievous misconceptions misconceptions misconceptions mis mis- conceptions about what they are calling rights For example example example ex ex- ex- ex ample smokers do Indeed have the right to smoke smokers Non-smokers do indeed have havethe havethe the right to breathe clean air However neither party has any right whatsoever to take away the rights of their rivals It is important for all of us to realize and I think that a few of us must that this is more or less a free country Which means that we have the privilege of executing executing executing ex ex- ex- ex the conscionable edicts of our own intelligence intelligence intelligence intel intel- without fear of reprisal but we dont don't havethe havethe have havethe the opportunity to shackle others to our opinions In other words smokers do have rights as long as they dont don't infringe upon the right of smokers non and an equivalent emphasis vice versa There is no such claim for fora a violation of discrimination codes by smokers though They realize if they have haye the wits God promised a ah an n ox that they are clearly the ones taking a health risk and they have no right what whatsoever oever to infringe upon nonsmokers nonsmokers' nonsmokers nonsmokers' nonsmokers nonsmokers' non- non smokers' smokers rights to the cleanest air available There are places places' for smokers smokers' t to smoke and there are places not to smoke just like there are places to take your clothes off and places not to take your clothes off The Utah Clean Air Act is a pitiful pitiful pitiful piti piti- ful example of our inability as human beings to respect one another's freedoms Smoking in public should be bea instead instead instead in in- a matter of consideration stead of its unfortunate present tense legislation When we have to call in politicians to dictate the moral fiber of our lives we weare weare weare are in desperate trouble I take offense at the nonsmoker non- non nonsmoker nonsmoker smoker who told the rending tale of his unfortunate neighbors who suffered at atthe atthe atthe the hands of a heinous office partner What a boor Lung cancer is not as specific an illness to pinpoint as this individual individual individual in in- might suspect As has been already pointed poin ted out there are myriad suspected causes and only one of them is smoking I Iam Iam Iam am also offended by those who say that that- our valley air Is already so polluted that we need not be concerned by a little more filth If we lose a finger why not get rid of the whole arm The wealth of sophistries on either side of this argument is enough to tomake tomake tomake make a high school debate student cry or fail the course Im I'm afraid Socrates' Socrates dust is doing flops flip in its grave Lets Let's also understand that there are arelie lies lie damned lies and statistics Who cares what the ratio of smokers to smokers non-smokers is anywhere The founding fathers of this country wanted to make sure that the right vote won out no matter who was casting it In other words it is wrong to force others to breathe cigarette smoke Its It's wrong no matter how many smokers say otherwise If its it's wrong to drive smokers out of public buildings its it's wrong no matter how many smokers non-smokers back the ac ac- ac- ac tion Actually Im I'm at a loss to determine the point of all this redundancy Try as I might throughout this thi whole ugly mess I have been unable to winnow any plea for specific change from anything anything anything any any- thing thus far printed So lets let's all just slow down for a moment to take time to realize what were we're talking about here Its It's unfortunate that we cannot address some really enticing issues in as excellent and accessible a forum as a school newspaper and and- that we must waste our time with such a tasteless and unappealing unappealing unappealing pealing an argument as smoking in public But if we must and I l' l suspect that is the case here her let us at least inject a little reason into our arguments This is a college after all Signed Mark S. S Hewitt |
