I've enjoyed the last couple of posts on the Pro-choice smoking doctor's site.
And I agree with Blad Tolsty's view in the comments on SimonClark's post about Snipergate that considerate and normally compliant smokers are getting fed up to the point of activism.
Blad also mentions the impending car ban for Wales and why it's important that we keep the pressure on in letting our servants in Govts know that enough is enough. He says :
What we are seeing happening here is very interesting, in that, the number of people prepared to put their protest into action is increasing significantly. Stony Stratford was another instance of this militancy. However, what I am getting at is that a clear course of action is emerging for us so long as we don't become apathetic again.
In 2004/2005/2006, when the protests about the proposed smoking ban were taking place in Scotland, and Wales as well as the protests to the House of Commons and House of Lords, there were very few people taking part. In fact, a number of the people I was working with were Americans. Now, however, the picture is changing and it is only by lots of people undertaking such actions as I have described, that all sorts of minorities and social groups have been able to make their presence felt. I wonder too, if there had been a current level of action as to whether the smoking ban would have been made law in the first place.
Having said all that, the current proposal in Wales to ban smoking in cars carrying in children, does represent another and rather sinister step forward for the anti smoking lobby. I think that most of us are agreed that if such a ban is implemented, it is only a matter of time before the next step is proposed which will be to interfere in what people do in their own homes.
Leaving aside the fact that plenty of data manipulation has occurred to make a car ban seem a decent proposition to MPs, what carefully structured course of action should be taken by us (provided the numbers are willing to take part) to fight the car ban?
I think the first thing we must organise is a mini-bus or two to pick people on route from the north and south to take them to Wales and I suggest outside this office
ASH Wales
2nd Floor
8 Museum Place
Cardiff
CF10 3BG
might be a good place to hold it bearing in mind that ASH Wales claims to speak for smokers and has made up figures yet again to falsify concern when there is none among anyone other than the tiny minority of smokerphobics who ASH does represent.
What we need is a good organisation leader who can direct this and funding for the two minibuses. Perhaps enough of us can pitch in donations to pay for them. I would suggest that Simon Clark at Forest or Dick Puddlecote would be ideal organisers but I reckon Simon might be wary because of ASH's accusation about "dirty tobacco money" and DP is a very busy man who gives more than enough of his free time to this cause already.
However, I am sure it can be done and we can do it - perhaps our friends in Wales can instigate it. Unless ASH Wales bullies politicians through it's endless onslaught of science and lies by press release, we have up to three years to sort this out but the sooner we counteract ASH's false claims, the sooner the Welsh Assembly will realise that they do not speak for us and they speak with fork tongue.
I am also grateful to the Pro-choice smoking doctor for finding this site. I wonder if they think tobacco control puppet Anne Milton is any more interesting these days given her stance on the TC Third Reich.