Isn't this entrapment? I didn't know it had been legalised. I always feel uncomfortable whenever I read this type of story. Would the retailer have sold these products if the kids weren't sent in by the authorities to ask for them?
Anyway, I digress. I visited my local paper's site to see if they carried anything about Lincolnshire Police's Hate Crime Strategy launch. Phew! That was a mouthful but then these titles always are these days.
"Hate crimes and hate incidents are an issue of vital social importance because they not only affect individuals and families but also the communities and social groups to which they belong ..." The police say.
Social Groups? Would that include smokers? I read on, fascinated.
"...minority communities are often smaller in number, so individuals may feel even more marginalised and isolated."
Yep, I thought. I can identify with that. I know I'm not the only smoker, from this minority social group that feels "marginalised and isolated." Hell, the likes of tobacco control are even trying to "denormalise" my "community" and make others shun and avoid us leading others to attack us either verbally or physically.
I felt quite hopeful that "normal" people generally were beginning to notice that people with different lifestyles actually can be discriminated against.
Sylvia Lancaster is campaigning for lifestyles and dress to be included in hate crime legislation. Her daughter Sophie was murdered because she was a goth. Mrs Lancaster is trying to "challenge prejudice and intolerance towards people from alternative subcultures."
I have explained my cultural attachment to smoking many times. I know of few people personally who do belong to that even smaller minority group of smoking fettishm but I guess it fits into the box of "alternative subculture."
Most of us just want to be left alone without the relentless campaigns against us and our lifestyles. We will never change our belief about smoking.
It seems belief is also protection from the authorities according to North Norfolk Council who say :
"People can experience a Hate Crime/ Incident because of their actual or perceived age, disability, cultural, ethnic, national or racial origin, gender or gender identity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or some other aspect of their appearance or lifestyle."
I wonder what Breckland Council, also in Norfolk, would make of all this? After all, it has a prejudicial belief about smokers and singles them out for derogatory treatment at work.