… But there is a hope for those who decide to embrace the new religion of physical perfection: we can address you to a reformation centre where you can be retrained to see God in a salad and salvation in a nicotine patch.
After that, if you can demonstrate that you have changed your way of life, then we will even encourage you to apply to work for us – but we’ll check you out.
This is what is going on in Ohio with smokers. Michael Siegel reports in detail and comments on this latest act of corporate hatred and discrimination by Fascist antitobacco companies that are using their power to coerce people’s behaviour by blackmailing them over their own livelihoods. As Siegel observes, the lie of the “promotion of healthy living” of employees (that is no business of those thugs anyway) only applies to tobacco products. “Obesity – that’s fine. Alcohol overuse – fine. An unhealthy diet – fine. High trans-fat intake – fine. High cholesterol intake – fine. No exercise at all – fine. The only thing that is not fine is smoking. You can’t convince me that the Cleveland Clinic is solely motivated by a desire for a healthy workforce.” Of course not. They are motivated by hatred and, quite possibly, by pharmaceutical “incentives” …?
“Ohio needs a law to prevent this type of intrusion and discrimination. And it needs it now. As much as I hate to support the idea of government intervention to control this problem and protect people’s privacy and rights, I don’t see that the anti-smoking movement is going to back down. This type of employment discrimination and bigotry is a terrible precedent, and it paves the way for even more serious discrimination.” No kidding, Dr, Siegel. And this is just the beginning. They’ll get to the overweight and to the drinkers, it is just a matter of time. Wait until the crooks of the World Health Organization follow up their meeting is Bangkok. “You ain’t seen nothing yet”.
What is most appalling, however, is the indifference of those who are not the immediate targets and victims of the discrimination: the other employees of those companies. In the name of solidarity and mutual protection the employees should at least strike – because now it is smokers, and tomorrow it will be THEM. It is worth remembering the immortal words of Pastor Martin Niemöller:
First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.
Are we willing to let history repeat itself? What are you we prepared to do about this? Nothing? Then they’ll come for you.
0 Comments