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Alcohol: Absurd Comparison
Sir,
It is good that a public-minded person points out the damage done by alcohol
abuse (PM 23/05), but I cannot fathom out why anyone has to bring smoking
into the picture as there is no logical connection. One might as well
compare alcoholism with malaria, which kills even more innocent people, or
amphetamines, for example, which are taken by many drivers and undoubtedly
kill innocent people.
The real difference is that most people who drink alcoholic beverages imbibe
reasonable amounts and do no harm to anyone. It is only the abuse of alcohol
that is damaging; as is the abuse of drugs or gambling. Even one puff of a
cigarette damages the delicate tissues of the lung and almost all smoking
causes harm to everyone in the vicinity.
Jesus Christ drank alcohol and it is claimed that when everyone had drunk
all the wine available miraculously conjured up some more! One can’t help
wondering if he approved of occasional drunkeness? At least a drunken
chariot driver would have been a lot less dangerous than a drunken car
driver. It is natural and normal to drink but completely unnatural and
abnormal to smoke.
Dr. M
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No one is dying from second hand smoke
Editor;
“Alcohol vs Smoking” - Joe McCardle, May 23 Mailbag. Joe, I’m not certain of
what you were trying to prove, but I feel compelled to correct you on one
point in your letter. Joe, no one is dying from second hand smoke. That
belief was born out of the false report of the American Surgeon General a
few decades ago. People looked into the polluted skies and knew in their
heart that the claims were false, but because smokers annoyed them, they ran
with it anyway.
I defy you to find, anywhere in the world, one death certificate stating
“second hand smoke” as “cause of death”. You won’t, because it is impossible
to prove.
Ever since the smoking inquisition started there has been a slowly
decreasing number of smokers in America. Further, the current laws keep
smokers away from non-smokers. But despite these facts, there has been an
increase in the number of non-smokers dying from cancer. There is evidence
everywhere that the great smoking inquisition was conceived to appease
people who find it annoying and to allow government to tax the hell out of
cigarettes. And now, some organization of so called “academics” is calling
for yet another tax increase on cigarettes.
In sheer numbers, smokers outstrip any ethnic, religious or educated groups
that have ever been oppressed or persecuted. Maybe the oppression has not
been as severe, but it has been constant and lasted longer than all the
others. How can we get these people to stop?
John Arnone
Yasothon
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One man’s opinion regarding military takeover
Editor;
I am a farang (non Thai) living full time in Pattaya, Thailand. I support
the 2014 military takeover of Thailand. I understand I am a foreigner in
this country and although I have financially supported many Thai families, I
will always be a foreigner in the eyes of Thai people. Sometimes this makes
me sad because of my love for this country, but to be honest, this is how it
should be.
If farangs stopped and thought a little, most would begin to think the same
as I do. Every time I talk to a farang, they become angry with the
government of their home country for selling them out to foreigners. They
feel like second class citizens in their own country. The Thais do not feel
as we do about their own government. They have fought for their country for
a long time and unlike most other Asian countries, have managed to prevent
Thailand from being ruled by a foreign country.
As I understand it, amongst many other corrupt doings, Thaksin began to sell
some very large Thai companies to foreigners. Thaksin planned to become
supreme power. I believe this would have been a disaster for Thailand as did
many Thais. From what I have seen, the Thais have uncompromising love for
their King. The people do not share the same political views, but they all
share the same love for their King and why not. From the stories I have
heard, he is a wonderful man and has undying love for his people. He is the
longest serving monarch in history and now as he’s getting along in years,
people fear for Thailand when his reign ends.
Over the years, Thaksin has bought off many Thais followers with programs
like ‘easy financial loans’ to poor farmers. I have seen it in my home
country of the past. Get people in debt, keep them there and you can
maintain power over them. This is easy to achieve because most people will
always take the easy option of borrowing money or living off the monster
credit card. It seems tax evasion brought about the deportation of Thaksin
so he simply arranged to maintain power through his sister, the now ousted
Prime Minister.
Obviously, corruption has become a way of life in most countries and
Thailand is no exception. I guess, as is with most things in life, there has
to be certain tolerable boundaries and it seems that Thaksin and his ‘team’
has crossed those boundaries. From the information I have received, the
various factions (will not mention names), could not come to a compromise
and so for the well being of Thailand, the chief for defence had no option
but to intervene and take control. All defence forces in Thailand support
their King whole heartedly and I believe, as with other countries around the
World who have a monarchy, should fight for their respective monarchy for
the well being of that country.
I wonder how many farangs living in Thailand would support the demise of
their respective monarchy in their home country. Very few, if any I would
think. As a result of the factions within Thailand, I understand many people
living in Thailand will find living difficult for a while and I sympathise
with them. Thailand will receive financial hardships along with many people.
However, the difficult and unpopular options need sometimes be taken for the
betterment of that time in history and I believe this is one of those times.
I hope I am correct when I say, in time, Thailand will be the better for
this temporary military takeover. I only wish a long time ago someone stood
up to the government of my past home country, instead of sitting on our
hands and letting that government slowly gain too much power through the
daily passing of restrictive rules and regulations. I am only stating my
opinion and I will stand corrected if someone can convince me otherwise. I
hope I have not offended anyone by this report and everyone - have a nice
day!
Charlie Cox
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The only sin is hurting
someone else unnecessarily
Editor;
Re: Alcohol vs smoking (PM Mailbag Friday, 23 May 2014) On the contrary. I’m
very much a Libertarian. My reply was meant to show the irony of the
original message. As far as I’m concerned, I subscribe to Heinlein’s
definition of sin “the only sin is hurting someone else unnecessarily”. If
you’re not hurting someone else, you should be able to do what you want. You
want to smoke? Go for it. You want to smoke *in public*? Now you’re hurting
someone else.
John Nielson
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