Smokin’ mad

This is in response to the incredibly ignorant letter sent in last week by Corrine McPherson regarding smokers’ rights [E-mail, Feb. 20]. You’re a non-smoker? Yeah right. Ms. McPherson is so obviously a thinly veiled smoker that it’s ridiculous. She raises the same facile arguments that have been dismissed time and time again.

Should smokers have rights? To an extent. Unless the government is willing to make smoking illegal, it’s hypocritical of them to put all the onus on the addicted victims of tobacco, however delusional they might be about how they’re “only harming themselves.” That, my dear, seems to be closer to the point that writer Chris Barry was trying to make in his “insightful article,” as you call it.

Denying paying patrons the right to blacken their lungs? Here’s what the Canadian Cancer Society has to say about the dangers of second-hand smoke (that, Ms. McPherson, would be the smoke that you inhale as a non-smoker at restaurants and bars where smoking is allowed - and in Montreal, championed - not to mention the restaurant staff who face long-term exposure): “Second-hand smoke is more dangerous than directly inhaled smoke. Second-hand smoke releases the same 4,000 chemicals as smoke that is directly inhaled, but in even greater quantity. Approximately 50 of these chemicals (carcinogens) cause cancer. Because it burns at a lower temperature than inhaled smoke, the smoke that goes directly into the air from the end of a burning cigarette (sidestream smoke) contains: three times more tar, five times more carbon monoxide, 10 times more benzene, 40 times more ammonia.”

Sometimes, a little bit of critical thinking goes a long way. Smokers should be free to choose their own evils if they want to (if you consider the habits of an addict to be freely chosen), but they shouldn’t have carte blanche to choose mine.

» S. Hopkins

In response to Corrine McPherson’s question: “Do we ban tobacco out of concern for public health, or do we allow people the freedom to choose their own evils?”

As long as other people’s evils cost taxpayers thousands of dollars in Medicare costs, and as long as second-hand smoke claims the health and lives of many, I say make second-hand smoke a criminal offence and make smokers pay their own tobacco-related health-care costs.

Should we be allowed to choose out own evils? Damn right we should, but not at the cost of others’ health and taxpayers’ dollars. What choice does an unborn baby have when mummy decides to indulge in her own evils? One way or another, smoking affects everyone.

» Cindy Thomas

Waving the red flag

The last edition of the Mirror includes a photograph of a masked America-hater holding a U.S. flag disgustingly defiled with a swastika [The Front, Feb 20]. The caption reads “The Montreal event was entirely peaceful.”

Well, not entirely. This is not an example of peace. This is hateful. These characters show up at every “peace demonstration,” hating America, hating Israel and promoting communist class war. This is not journalism on your part.

» Barry Merson

Report from the underground

My skin has turned a dismal grey. I’ve become lethargic to the point of comatose. I can’t muster up the energy to smile, let alone to speak. And I’m lonelier than ever. Why? A horrible lack of natural light, an overabundance of carbon-monoxide-rich air, vertigo from the stop-and-go. Altogether, way too many hours on the metro - this from a false hope garnered from the article you printed on underground love [“Metro romance,” Feb. 20].

If, as Timmi Simms’ campaign claims, “80 per cent of life is being in the right place at the right time,” why does it seem that the odds are so stacked against me? I’ve clocked countless hours in the last wagon on tracks orange, yellow, green and blue. As instructed, I ask people if we’re on the right line. Answers come in earnest and helpful replies, incoherent French babble, shrugs and grunts. But “My place or yours, baby?” Not even close.

I used to smile at people too - back when I could. The best return was from an old lady sitting next to the angel of my attention. She flashed me her green tooth, staring vacantly into my eyes.

The closest person to a friend that I’ve made is the guy at the 99-cent pizza joint at the Guy-Concordia station. He provides the fuel for my love quest (I’m a big fan of the Mexican slice). My truest companion though, is the strip of photos I had taken in the coin-operated booth at Berri-UQÀM, hoping that my likeness would eventually make its way into a special someone’s purse.

The closest person to an enemy I’ve made is the guy with the red coat who I bump into now and then. I’ve a hunch he read that damn story too.

» Jonathan Blair

McWorkers stand up

It’s nice to see “McWorkers” sticking up for themselves. [“Striking back at Indigo,” Feb. 20]. It’s getting near impossible to find an entry-level job that doesn’t pay a cent more than minimum wage and still holds you to stupid sales quotas and embarrassing imperatives to push extra books and muffins or whatever other crap on people just because some money-grubbing corporation wants an extra buck. To Matt Jones and Erin Silver, thanks for the inspiration.

» Kim Dow

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