Smoker's Rights

"Smoker's Rights" like "Civil Rights", "Abortion Rights", "Women Rights", "Animal Rights" and host of other political concoctions is a myth. Human beings have no rights except life, liberty and the peaceful and intelligent pursuit of happiness.

The key words are peaceful and intelligent. The "Founding Fathers" got it partially right. The reason for peaceful and intelligent is because there are sadistic and barbaric people that have no concept of peaceful and intelligent and must be educated to this fact.

Our human rights are inalienable rights granted by GOD (YHVH) not man. For those of you that have a problem with GOD, put a universe in place, then I'll consider your point of view. Anything and everything beyond these rights are privileges granted by society.

First, let's deal with this issue of rights. GOD grants rights, human society grants privileges. My rights stop where my neighbor's begins. Whenever a government, by whatever means that government was instituted within a population group, infringes upon these rights, the affected people have a legitimate reason and cause to overthrow that government by whatever means possible.

Whenever another individual's pursuit of life, liberty and happiness infringes upon the rights of another to enjoy or experience the same, the affected party has a legitimate reason and cause to end that intrusion, suppression or oppression. By this definition abortion is criminal act because it infringes on the unborn's right to pursue life, liberty and the intelligent pursuit of happiness.

When it comes to privileges, like smoking, civil accommodations, our care for animals, bearing arms, etc., these are privileges granted by society to the members of that society. When these privileges are granted, it is incumbent upon every person enjoying privileges, to respect the rights (life, liberty, happiness) and privileges of others. Failing to do so, should mean the revocation of that particular privilege.

Smokers can smoke, but do not smoke around people that are impacted directly or indirectly by your habit or pleasure. If you fail to respect another's right (life, liberty, happiness) and privilege not to smoke, or to be around smokers, you have infringed upon the rights (life, liberty, happiness) and privileges of another human being. For years, smokers paid little or no attention to the rights (life, liberty, happiness) and privileges of others while we (I smoke too) indulged ourselves.

For over 25 years, I have never smoked around anyone that did not appreciate my smoke in their air space. Even at home, I smoke in a well ventilated room, and only smoke in that room. I do not smoke anywhere that does not have adequate ventilation. In short, I learned to govern myself because I respected the rights (life, liberty, happiness) and privileges of others.

If we, as smokers, fail to police ourselves, and this includes properly disposing of cigarette butts or cigar stubs, then somebody or an elected group has no choice but to police us, since we failed to do it ourselves. Government has a duly and an obligation to protect the rights (life, liberty, happiness) and privileges of all citizens. If that means protecting the innocent from abusive smokers, then for once, government is taking a needed and necessary action.