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Monday, May 11, 2009

Smoking

Hi there. There's something I need to say to the administation of Lake Superior College in Duluth Minnesota. Just up the road from me, in fact.

I had planned to enroll in a program at your school.

I've been smoking for the past 30 years, longer than many of your students and some of your teachers have been out of diapers. I have no plans to quit.

Since I would be treated as a criminal at Lake Superior College, due to a ban on smoking anywhere on College property, indoors or outdoors -- as of August 24, the day before my 51st birthday -- it appears I won't be attending school there. Damn shame, too. There's a program I'd get some good out of.

I'm sure the administration will have no trouble imposing the rule, since most smokers are older, low-income people, and usually people of color. (I manage two out of three.) And this from a College that purports to teach adults? I think your administration must be overpopulated with former K-12 teachers & such.

I'm perfectly willing to compromise. I'll accept the ban on smoking anywhere on campus, as long as they apply the same ban to the equally dangerous operation of petroleum powered internal combustion engines anywhere on campus. Don't they still have programs wherein they -require- such operation inside the building? Doesn't that fail to provide for a safe and healthful school environment, even moreso considering the use of dangerous accelerant chemicals like gasoline?

Legislating morality never works. You just turn law-abiding people who aren't like you, into outlaws who don't like you.

As I will not let you make me an outlaw, and refuse to be treated like one, you won't be seeing me there. As I said, a damn shame, too.

But hey, you want to accept my reasonable compromise about the policy, we can talk.

Griz

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