2008 Woodie Awards
What's next? Banning ranch dressing?
Rhiannon Conley
Issue date: 1/26/07 Section: Opinion
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If all goes according to plan for President Kupchella and his gang of wellness cronies, one of these days soon I, along with countless other UND addicts, will no longer be allowed to smoke on campus.
You may not care. That's okay. You may be all about the tobacco ban, that's okay too, but let's talk about this for a minute.
People tend to falsely paint smokers as ass holes. Stupid, uneducated, rude ass holes with no manners and no sense. This isn't true.
Many fine and upstanding citizens of the world did smoke and do smoke. People you know, love and admire. Charles Bukowski, Ayn Rand, John Lennon, Al Pacino, Joni Mitchell, Aesop Rock, Gwyneth Paltrow, Denis Leary, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, Lindsey Lohan, Keith Richards, Kevin Smith, Kurt Vonnegut, Hunter S. Thompson and even that anorexic Olsen twin - all lovers of the cancer stick. Would you tell Lindsey Lohan she wasn't allowed to smoke on UND property? Not if you didn't want her to put it out in your face you wouldn't.
I understand why people would make it illegal to smoke indoors and in restaurants. I get why there's a 20-foot rule near most of the building entrances on campus. And, honestly, if smoking was banned in North Dakota bars as well, I can't say that I'd have any real issue with it. I understand why people wouldn't want to be in a smoke filled environment, especially if they were non-smokers. However, banning smoking outdoors is a bit much.
For one, we live in a valley. Ever hear of the Venturi effect? It's windy! The cigarettes that I smoke outdoors are not going to give you cancer. You might get a brief whiff of them once or twice if you are near me and I am smoking, but I really don't believe that that one insignificant bit of smoke is going to kill you.
However, if you are somehow forced to stand so close to me that not only are you inhaling my cigarette but you can also count my freckles, do not hesitate to express your discomfort. I'm not an ass hole and I most certainly will apologize and move away or put out my cigarette. I think most smokers would react the same way. Give us, and the human race, some credit. Most people aren't the huge, insensitive jerks your believe them to be.
You may not care. That's okay. You may be all about the tobacco ban, that's okay too, but let's talk about this for a minute.
People tend to falsely paint smokers as ass holes. Stupid, uneducated, rude ass holes with no manners and no sense. This isn't true.
Many fine and upstanding citizens of the world did smoke and do smoke. People you know, love and admire. Charles Bukowski, Ayn Rand, John Lennon, Al Pacino, Joni Mitchell, Aesop Rock, Gwyneth Paltrow, Denis Leary, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, Lindsey Lohan, Keith Richards, Kevin Smith, Kurt Vonnegut, Hunter S. Thompson and even that anorexic Olsen twin - all lovers of the cancer stick. Would you tell Lindsey Lohan she wasn't allowed to smoke on UND property? Not if you didn't want her to put it out in your face you wouldn't.
I understand why people would make it illegal to smoke indoors and in restaurants. I get why there's a 20-foot rule near most of the building entrances on campus. And, honestly, if smoking was banned in North Dakota bars as well, I can't say that I'd have any real issue with it. I understand why people wouldn't want to be in a smoke filled environment, especially if they were non-smokers. However, banning smoking outdoors is a bit much.
For one, we live in a valley. Ever hear of the Venturi effect? It's windy! The cigarettes that I smoke outdoors are not going to give you cancer. You might get a brief whiff of them once or twice if you are near me and I am smoking, but I really don't believe that that one insignificant bit of smoke is going to kill you.
However, if you are somehow forced to stand so close to me that not only are you inhaling my cigarette but you can also count my freckles, do not hesitate to express your discomfort. I'm not an ass hole and I most certainly will apologize and move away or put out my cigarette. I think most smokers would react the same way. Give us, and the human race, some credit. Most people aren't the huge, insensitive jerks your believe them to be.
Viewing Comments 1 - 6 of 6
skinnygurl<3
posted 1/26/07 @ 12:37 AM CST
it is obvious to me now. we must overthrow our ranch overlords.
Matthew Burton-Kelly
posted 1/26/07 @ 3:31 PM CST
I, for one, welcome our new ranch overlords.
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www.dakotaroar.com
dane
posted 1/26/07 @ 6:50 PM CST
i agree 100%. and then you also have the people who drive dwon university or one fo the other roads on campus. waht are they going to do then? and the simplot plant? its not going to affect the air much if it all. (Continued…)
Heidi Jenson
posted 1/26/07 @ 7:51 PM CST
Ranch is so wonderful with ramen...yay Ranch overlords. I am not a smoker but I have plenty of friends and professors who do smoke and I have no problem with them smoking outside on campus if that is what they use to get through to day and give them a moment to relax. (Continued…)
Heidi Jenson
Heidi Jenson
posted 1/26/07 @ 7:54 PM CST
Ranch is so wonderful with ramen...yay Ranch overlords. I am not a smoker but I have plenty of friends and professors who do smoke and I have no problem with them smoking outside on campus if that is what they use to get through to day and give them a moment to relax. (Continued…)
Scott Reed
posted 1/29/07 @ 2:09 PM CST
I was really interested to read this article because I like to hear the other side's argument, but as soon as I read "Many fine and upstanding citizens of the world did smoke and do smoke. (Continued…)
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