Here's the scene: an antiquarian bookshop in Brighton. The owner has run it for decades, he's the only employee. I saw him a few days back, standing outside his own shop, cold, in order to have a fag. If he stepped inside his own shop, he could be liable to arrest.
Here's another: some old ladies used to meet downstairs in a local greasy spoon near the bookshop, to have a cup of tea, a fag and a gossip. Since last July, I've not seen them. Where are they? Where do they go now?
Most people I know might be reasonable enough to say 'that's a shame', and mildly lament the fact that the law penalises people who are merely enjoying themselves, and not forcibly hurting anybody else (nobody has to shop in that bookshop, and there are about 30 other cafes in the same area). But the same people were all for the law in the first place, adopting a haughty 'I don't want my health damaged by these people' attitude, without stopping to think; 'Do we need legislation?'; 'Can't we have a law whereby some establishments - one in ten pubs for example? - could apply for a smoking license, thus allowing some people the right to enjoy their vice?'; 'Wouldn't that be the sign of a civilised, decent society'.
No, the self-righteous got their way, and in the process managed to divest more power to the executive, whilst eschewing the virtues of tolerance and accommodation that one might hope decent people would favour. It's a small but indicative example of how New Labour has got away with so much legislation; rather than deal with the diversity and complexity of human relations, too many people just want a law, and to feel looked after and 'governed'.
A shame on all of them. I was all for banning cigarettes in most pubs, and all public places where people might gather - gig venues, theatres etc - where a decent smoking area couldn't be provided; people do have a right to avoid secondhand smoke. But why are people so keen to go further, and ban others, anywhere, from congregating and doing what they like, in full awareness of the danger to their own health? The generous answer might be that they didn't think the implications of the legislation through - which makes them stupid. The less generous answer is that there is a - possibly subconscious - fascistic urge in an awful lot of people - which scares me just a tad.
(photo by superfantastic on Flickr)
3 comments:
hey there john my husband john just what he sent you,hell he dont mean it ,i said to him you're probably related to him he was called john riches afore he married me plain old irma blog after all. perhaps theres a family resemblance the arkansas riches have bright red skin big old noses and a penchant for pipe smoking.if you have a picture of you smoking a pipe that would be helpful. Thanks honey, Irma x
is smoking the new fox hunting? are there more important things we should worry about.
Yes, like foxhunting, smoking has taken up far too much of our time, which is why I question bothering us all with more legislation.
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