TO PURSUE OR NOT PURSUE ....?

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Birmingham East and North PCT has today confirmed that it is to take down the Youtube video that shows a smoker getting beaten to death.

The NHS PCT still does not accept the video could incite violence because the assailant is invisible and it takes little responsibility for the video's distribution.

What the officialese second action point means in plain English is anyone's guess. My interpretation is that the Trust will think before making suich an obscene film in future but perhaps I'm being an optimist.

The pessimist in me feels that there is no point in going to the next stage of the complaint - the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman - because if it is Govt sponsored it will repeat the same old line that smokers need saving from themselves.

However, I also feel that it is important that there is official and government acknowledgement that such violence can never be justified - especially against a minority that is never heard. It is also important that in powerful, govt run organsations that there is some recognition, and basic knowledge of the difference between health information- which is to be welcomed - and health propaganda - which incites hatred and self-loathing.

DON'T SMOKE OR YOU WILL BE MURDERED - COP

I couldn't believe this from the Oakland Tribune :

REDWOOD CITY — A South San Francisco man faces attempted murder charges for stabbing his roommate in the face and neck after a disagreement about smoking on a balcony turned violent, officials said.

Bernie Castro, 58, started arguing with his 48-year-old roommate after the man left the balcony door open in the first block of Gardiner Avenue while he had a cigarette on Nov. 11, said South San Francisco Sgt. Joni Lee. The roommate, who has shared a house with Castro for three years, came back in after the cigarette and opened some windows.

The arguing escalated to violence when Castro allegedly punched the victim in the mouth. Lee said the fight stopped there and the victim went into his room for about 30 minutes.

But after he went out to smoke another cigarette, the arguing started up again. This time, however, Castro pulled out a folding knife and began attacking his roommate, Lee said. He was stabbed about eight times in the head, neck and face but is expected to recover, she added.

"It's just another good reason not to smoke," Lee said.

Castro is due back in court Dec. 9 and faces up to nine years in prison if convicted, said San Mateo County Assistant District Attorney Karen Guidotti. He is in custody in lieu of $500,000 bail.

Death by smoking ban and attacks on smokers encouraged through health propaganda is not new to those of us who have been warning for some time that balance in the health debate is important for just this reason. But by judging from the comments by police officer Lee, then it's OK to murder a smoker because the smoker should know better than to smoke.

Excuse me while I reach for the vomit bag!

http://www.insidebayarea.com/sanmateocountytimes/localnews/ci_13869376

WTF?

As someone who has now moved my political support from Labour to UKIP, I find that I'm often having to defend the party which is seen as a one issue irrelevance.

You can imagine my despondency when I heard last week that UKIP had offered to disband if Cameron's Tories pledged to hold a referendum on the EU membership - the only public test now worth having as everything else has been stolen and given away to self-interest unelected pocket stuffers.

WTF? Came immediately to mind and I wondered if UKIP is really serious about it's support for freedom and democracy which is just as much under threat from the UK Govt as the EU.

The one test for me of a free nation is how "free" it's citizens are to live their own lives - as long as what they do doesn't hurt anyone else. If they are not allowed to smoke, they are not free. It is as simple as that.

As most of the health propaganda about smoking is lies, and genuine concerns can be addressed in all sorts of ways without resorting to exclusion of a minority group, then this one issue defines freedom and measures it.

And what about Education, Education, Education? Home tutoring is under threat. I thought this issue was also of importance to UKIP? Imigration? Saving tax-payer's money by abolishing health quangos? Individuality? Need I go on?

That's why I was so astounded by UKIP's announcement. Of course I recognise that the EU and the lost independence of Britain is very important to UKIP which was founded on this one issue. But I honestly believe there are millions of floating voters who want something to believe in. Can they truly believe in UKIP now that they have, indeed, shown themselves up to be a one issue party.

A statement sent out by the party after the announcement said it never intended to disband, it just volunteered not to stand at the next election and risk stealing Tory votes. "Country before Party" the statement said.

I say be courageous. Change starts now and can only come with the breaking of this awful three-party alliance that doesn't allow for the people of this coutry to have a voice.

Will I still support UKIP? Where else can I go?

A piece here from Bloggers4UKIP gives more information to anyone who cares enough to read it.

http://bloggers4ukip.blogspot.com/2009/11/lord-pearson-and-nigel-farage-offered.html