84mm…
Posted by: Jolvin on: October 3, 2008
Dear Honorable Mr. AR
I’m so stressed the minute I leave the comforts of my home these days. I’m sure I’ll have a nervous breakdown soon as I find people staring at me as though I’m some alien or criminal that people have been wanting to nail down. I don’t know what’s the cash award on my head but it surely makes me feel squeamish when I’m walking on the road. Mind you this is my own country, my own city, and my own street. I’m looking around to see if there are other ‘criminals’ like me around to give me a sense of security – a sense of a fraternity but I don’t see many of them.
Is there someone else with that 84mm thing who is feeling secure at this moment. Lighting up is more a stress inducer than a stress reliever now.
But I like this government, they are making sure the coffers are still full. They will make money from taxation anyways from the producers, manufacturers, wholesales, retailers and people like me at the fag end of the food chain.
I like how they are concerned about my health – an honest taxpayer
- who has to work hard for his present and future
- who spends 40 minutes for a 12km distance
- who doesn’t need to go on a mission to the moon because he has experienced craters here itself
- who believes his country will be a superpower but doesn’t see it anywhere in comparison to the others he has seen
- who hopes his country will not have poverty and hopes that beggars don’t hound him
- who wonders how does his country figures in the top 20 most corrupt countries in the world
- who hopes minorities are not treated like second class citizens
but then who cares about all of that – right now they are busy concerned about my health.
Thank you sire…hope you do get reelected when the polls come in next year. And hope you get a ministry that can do well with your diligence, dedication, and single mindedness.
Yours Sincerely
JR
10 Responses to "84mm…"
October 4, 2008 at 2:44 pm
I really like how you’ve converted this into a satire. And it’s amazing how we all feel the same. Last night, outside a pub, there were 15 smokers on the staircase, in spite of being told to get three floors down and smoke on the road. And they all felt humiliated…
Stage number 1 of any unwarranted change: Denial. Stage 2: Anger, Stage 3: Acceptance.
Eventually, we will all accept this…
Now, if you’re feeling like this, imagine how a solitary woman smoking on the main road would feel…
[...] What would have been perceived as simple disgust before, has now changed to complex hostility. And I am no exception. There may be a few good reasons why the ban was called in — one purpose it has served [...]
October 6, 2008 at 4:42 pm
@Neo – It’s a choice one makes of how you want to live. In any case one man’s food is another one’s poison – so just because someone is in the majority will you run down the minority and make them comply. Where has freedom of expression gone.
@NMED – Thank you. Pubs are still upmarket – I was hoping at least the sidey dim lit bars off the highway would not comply – but comply they sure did. Smoking and Drinking together is now a pleasure restricted within the 4 corners of one’s home.
About a solitary woman smoking on the road I can only but sympathize. Hope there is a resolution soon to this mess.
@shankari – Well – wish there is more defiance.
@gaiza – well a divide there surely is. Have obviously some respite for the next couple of weeks when I’m in a ‘free’ country.
October 7, 2008 at 6:41 pm
An interesting article on the Guardian website related to all this today.
The author makes some very valid points about the persecution of smokers being taken overboard. Even as a pretty active non-smoker I have to take umbrage with the way smokers are so wholly demonised. And whilst I agree broadly with the enclosed spaces ban in the UK, do still think that if smoking is not going to be made illegal there needs to be some sort of middle ground, but haven’t yet got an answer.
What is striking is that overwhelmingly (in the UK at least) it would seem stupid and/or poor people are most likely to smoke; which is interesting given how much the habit must cost them these days; they are actually the people that have most reason to stop (the poor, the stupid are obviously a different kettle of fish). In some perverse logic I now almost expect to see the poorest drivers off to buy the most petrol guzzling cars to add to their environmental and wallet lightening burden; mind you at least they can smoke away to their hearts content in the car.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/oct/07/smoking.health
R,
[...] in persecution I found this article today, and whilst I have commented on it elsewhere felt that I should reserve this comment for my blog as it is rather flippant, but perhaps not a bad [...]
October 9, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Again here (as in Gaizabonts) I would not comment as I am at the other end of the pool and all have their own reason to justify.
BTW I liked the way it was written.
October 21, 2008 at 1:57 pm
i love this satire, jolvin. i’d been wanting to write about it myself, but well, am glad you have, brother.
you know what, you can smoke on the roads, while walking or driving – so even if i don’t need to walk, i just light up and walk up and down!! yeah, a smoke along with a drink is just impossible now, except if you’re gonna do it at home.
November 19, 2008 at 2:49 pm
@ R – Unfortunately they are making things difficult for the end user. People who buy cigarettes from their post taxed income whether poor or rich need something to unwind – and even though it is to each his own – taking away that basic freedom of choice is not done.
@ PK – Thanks. Good you liked it.
@ Dharma – oh the pleasure of a drink and a cigarette.
October 3, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Isnt this more related to the health of others who dnt smoke?
Atleast that’s what i believe.