Smoking and Bowling ....
WHAT?
On Saturday I took Abigail to a birthday party for a little boy in her class. It was a bowling party and she was excited to see her classmates on the weekend. We walked in and I was immediately reminded of why we never go bowling. Lung cancer. There weren't many people there but the joint was still smoky. We looked around for her party and headed that way. Parents had been asked to stay to help their kids bowl so Cooper and I looked for a spot to plant out bag and our coats (BTW, it was snowing out.) I asked the boy's mom and she showed me a table near to, but not pushed together with the main party table. We moved the ashtrays off the table, sat down and got settled. We changed Abby's shoes and got set to knock a few back ... uh, down.
Next thing I know, there are about four or five adults standing around the table MY stuff is at smoking. Now, I understand that if I rent a lanes at a bowling alley for my kid's party, I can't walk over to Bob the Bowler four lanes down and ask him not to smoke. But I could ask my own father not to light up while he's leaned back against SOMEONE ELSE'S WINTER COAT!!! (Of course, my dad wouldn't light up against anything, so it's a mute point.)
Cooper was cranky and we didn't stay for the whole party. When we got home, we all stripped down in the mudroom and washed out clothes and our coats. The kids got baths before naps and I took a shower to get the stink off me.
I just don't get smoking. Next week on our ballot will be two conflicting issues.
Issue 4 is for a Smoke Less Ohio. This proposed amendment would prohibit smoking in enclosed areas except tobacco stores, private residences or nonpublic facilities, completely separate, enclosed areas in restaurants, most bars, bingo and bowling facilities, separated areas of hotels and nursing homes, and race tracks. The amendment would invalidate retroactively any ordinance or local law in effect, and would prohibit the future adoption of any ordinance or local law to the extent such ordinance or law prohibited smoking or tobacco products in anyplace exempted by the amendment.
Issue 5 is for a Smoke Free Ohio. This proposed law would prohibit smoking in public places and places of employment. No major exceptions.
I know that individuals have the right to smoke, but how do we deal with your right to smoke and my right to breath?
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3 comments:
I hear you squawking, big chicken. How is it that smokers have the right to slowly kill themselves AND the right to kill the asthmatic I am married to. Maybe smokers should have to wear a bag over their heads while they smoke to collect the carcinagens and the stink! No offense to the individual smoker - just please do it FAR away from me and my children. And get your own bowling alley!
BUH-leave me, I agree!!! When I go in a restaurant and I'm asked "Smoking or Non?" I say, "As Non as possible!" I hate it.
I think, for me anyway, it's also a struggle that effects my ability to "Go Fish" (as we are talking about in our Sunday morning class.) This kids' family probably needs the message of Christ, but I don't want to hang out with them because I don't like to be around smoking?!
That is tough. Maybe you could get together with them outside? In the snow? Truly, most people are sensitive to others when it is obvious. For instance, they probably wouldn't smoke in your home if you invited them over, since you all don't smoke. I have to remind myself that Jesus made himself pretty uncomfortable in order to minister to folks.
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