My sentiments exactly, but expressed by Rodney Hide in today's Herald on Sunday. On the govt's attempt to tax smokers out of existence
"Taylor's proposal would see a packet of cigarettes priced at a $100 by 2025.
I suspect that would achieve the Government's target. New Zealand would be smoke free. Taylor would not be seeing any smokers. The job would be done.
That would be because we smokers would be holed-up, out of sight, hidden in the hills, puffing furiously on our home-grown weed - bandits and outlaws, but free.
I hope I would be with them. I would prefer the fun and the freedom compared to the prissy lot we have become."
Risk-free living is a relatively new most unwelcome religion.
After the tragic recent spate of drownings we are being told
"Never swim alone and only ever swim at patrolled beaches."
How realistic or desirable is that?
Alcohol causes cancer. Take the law into your own hands and refuse to serve a pregnant women.
Meat causes cancer. Don't barbecue.
Speed kills. Fine the bejesus out of minor offenders. And again wrest keys of suspect drivers if you like.
Gambling is an insidious addiction further encouraged by alcohol sponsorship. Ban it like we banned tobacco sponsorship.
And while you are at it ban it from all sports. Young minds are too impressionable.
Facebook is a fiendish scourge on young minds too. It drives people to suicide.
Quad bikes. More dangerous than a loaded gun. Guns!! A horrible symbol of animal exploitation and male dominance. Ban them.
I could go on and on. But in the interests of my own safety and sanity ...well it's just too risky or I'll end up in Them Thar Hills too, swinging off the branches of some nasty non-native tree. Or holed up in my non-consented tree house.
6 comments:
` Or holed up in my non-consented tree house.'
Smoking pot because cigarettes will be too expensive!!!
I was thinking similar thoughts as I drove back from Wellington at 95km/h on a road where at one time people (me included) regularly drove at 120. Cowed into obedience, we are regularly urged to ensure our speed doesn't exceed some arbitrary determined number. Such social conformity must bring pleasure to someone's heart, it doesn't to mine.
Mind you I am grateful for the absence of smokers from buses.
I think the most reassuring thing is that people will ignore rules and forced thinking when they become too oppressive. The more oppressive the state becomes the more people tend to rebel. After some 40-50 years of propaganda in schools about the Treaty we have a widespread suspicion about such things and try as they might the population increasingly suspects it's being lead into a dangerous place. People understand the concept of personal responsibility even if the left doesn't.
I think we have crossed a line where we have lost sight of what reasonable freedom looks like - the young have no idea how relaxed much of life used to be. Banning discussion of religion (Christianity in practice) from school grounds needs to go on the list. All because I feel bad that my kid feels left out because I won't let kids go and see what its about because I'm insecure that kids may come to a different conclusion than the one I like. A safe space for controlling and insecure adults.
3:16
Mind you I am grateful for the absence of smokers from buses.
and planes. especially planes.
even though banning smoking is communist.
"and planes. especially planes.
even though banning smoking is communist."
What was actually banned was passengers lighting small fires on aeroplanes. Dammed smart those communists.
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