Our own Roger Swafford of FORCES Alabama is interviewed and speaks out for us on the subject of a potentially impending Alabaman ban in an otherwise nauseating Associated Press article. The Alabaman ban would probably not be so comprehensive as what we’ve seen in some states but however it might come to pass it would be more than atrocious enough.
There is much to cringe at in this Associated Press article. Hold your stomach and read this:
Gov. Bob Riley, who gave up smoking last August, says he will sign the bill if it passes the Legislature.
“I think it’s a good bill. I really do. Anything we can do to prevent people from smoking is something that we need to continue to do,” Riley said.
The bill is being handled in the House by Rep. Mary Sue McClurkin, who has survived battles with breast and thyroid cancer.
“Secondhand smoke is such a deadly thing. We protect our environment in so many other ways and this is such a simple way to do it,” said McClurkin, R-Pelham. “Sometimes we need government to protect ourselves from ourselves.”
Then, if your belly can bear a bit more pathetic gibbering, read this:
The Alabama Restaurant Association supported an earlier version of the bill that banned smoking in both restaurants and bars. Association president Larry Fidel said his group opposes the current version, which bans smoking in restaurants and in bars attached to restaurants, but allows smoking in separate bars.
He said the bill in its current form would cause people to eat in a restaurant and then leave and go to a bar for an after-dinner drink in order to be able to smoke.
“This does not give restaurants a level playing field,” Fidel said.
If the governor prevents himself from smoking then everyone must be prevented from smoking by the governor (and the encroachment needs to "continue" to include "anything.")
If a cancer survivor has succumbed to superstition, smokers, the deadly things, must be eradicated from everyplace she goes and everyplace she doesn’t go (and is not wanted.)
If plain and recognized preference for smoking in hospitality venues is to be disrespected, it should be entirely eradicated, according to a purported representative of the genial hosts.
What barking madness!
The American Cancer Society’s (assuredly well-paid) "Government Relations Director" is in there swinging. Our side needs more guns in this war, more organization, more dollars.
The very biased Associated Press report at least gives passing mention to FORCES. Roger Swafford is quoted voicing our resistance to the statewide smoking ban. He speaks some plain sense. Many Alabamans still believe in plain sense though you couldn’t tell that from reading this prohibition-puffing article.
The bill is slated to be considered by the Alabama House of Representatives on Monday, May 19th, the very last day of session for Alabama legislators.
The representatives are out all this week so cannot be reached by telephone (conveniently for them.) It remains to be seen if this bill actually will be considered on the 19th as there are many others also on the table.
Even if it passes the House there will be a need for a new Senate vote consequent to revisions made by a House committee. SB229 was passed in a recent vote by the Alabama Senate by a margin of twenty-eight to three.
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