equality and discrimination, an overlooked group

[shootthebandit]

i was thinking about all this emphasis on discrimination and i discovered that smokers are a group which suffers alot of discrimination. my dad was at a major airport and after he checked in and went through security there was nowhere to smoke BUT thier was an islamic prayer room. i wouldn't take away a muslims right to pray but i also think its shocking that a smoker must wait hours for a delayed flight without a smoke. i also dont see why a smoking room is not allowed, surely you would only go into the room if you were a smoker otherwise your just an idiot.

i can understand not smoking in a public place or public transport, but when facilities are not provided then its not fair. considering the majority of the worlds population smoke. why is such a large group victimised

 

[NeedAUserName]

Smokers harm others around them as well as themselves, if smoking only harmed the smoker I imagine the laws would be different.

 

[acolyte]

Smokers harm others around them as well as themselves, if smoking only harmed the smoker I imagine the laws would be different.

Shootthebandit clearly specified about a special facility for smokers...they wouldn't harm any1 if they had such a room...It would actually be a win win situation for both sides...
I guess because of the people's mentality towards smokers..."OMG YOU MONSTER! I MAY HAVE CHILDREN ONE DAY!"
Also it could be because some use they're tongues to pull people from afar and claw them with they're claws and when killed they dissipate the accumulated smoke from they're lungs...jk ^^

 

[Matt_LRR]

just putting this out there, but (particularly in western cultures) smoking is becoming progressively less and less socially acceptable, with governments and health authorities actively seeking to discourage people from doing so. This includes making it more expensive and less convenient to do.

Call it discrimination if you want, but smoking is a totally optional activity, (at least, prior to the addiction setting in) and I can't imagne you'll find that many members of the non-smoking population willing to shed a tear for he fact that smoking is on the decline. Nor are any businesses or facilities in any way required to provide you a venue to smoke. In fact, in many places they are required not to.

There's an argument to be had about whether it's the government's business to direct this kind of activity, but you're doing a disservice to actual instances of dicrimination and real equal rights causes by claiming the lack of accomodation of smokers is some great social ill.

-m

 

[shootthebandit]

Smokers harm others around them as well as themselves, if smoking only harmed the smoker I imagine the laws would be different.

Shootthebandit clearly specified about a special facility for smokers...they wouldn't harm any1 if they had such a room...It would actually be a win win situation for both sides...
I guess because of the people's mentality towards smokers..."OMG YOU MONSTER! I MAY HAVE CHILDREN ONE DAY!"

THIS^

i suppose an arguement would be when the militant non-smokers (fortunatly a minority) decide to have a "non-smokers room" the same people who stand outside with the smokers saying "we're entitled to a 5 min break too" then proceed to cough and splutter.

 

[shootthebandit]

just putting this out there, but (particularly in western cultures) smoking is becoming progressively less and less socially acceptable, with governments and health authorities actively seeking to discourage people from doing so. This includes making it more expensive and less convenient to do.

Call it discrimination if you want, but smoking is a totally optional activity

isnt religion also? yet most buisnesses have a prayer room

 

[PunkyMcGee]

considering the majority of the worlds population smoke.

what evidence do you have that a majority (51% or more) of the population smokes?
not trying to be an ass but i think is a lie.

 

[Nimcha]

just putting this out there, but (particularly in western cultures) smoking is becoming progressively less and less socially acceptable, with governments and health authorities actively seeking to discourage people from doing so. This includes making it more expensive and less convenient to do.

Call it discrimination if you want, but smoking is a totally optional activity

isnt religion also? yet most buisnesses have a prayer room

What if I don't want both groups to have seperate rooms?

 

[PeePantz]

BUT thier was an islamic prayer room.

Smokers harm others around them as well as themselves, if smoking only harmed the smoker I imagine the laws would be different.

The same can be said about all religions... I kid. I agree with OP. It's all because people are made to think smokers are terrible people. It's really asinine the amount of glares and fake coughs smokers get when people pass by them.
As far as a Muslim prayer room in airports, it's only a way to group them together and makes them easier to spot when they go through security. I don't think I've seen a Muslim not get pat down at the airport. (hopefully people will get that this is a joke)

Also governments would be screwed without smokers. The amount of money that is generated through tax and tobacco related jobs is silly. I say, let them smoke in airports if you secretly want them to keep smoking.

 

[KiKiweaky]

just putting this out there, but (particularly in western cultures) smoking is becoming progressively less and less socially acceptable, with governments and health authorities actively seeking to discourage people from doing so. This includes making it more expensive and less convenient to do.

Aye, we're a dying breed. Only one out of my entire family who smokes, flying from Melbourne to Singapore and onto to Dubai without a smoke was a bit of a pain but I survived.... Smoking bans in pubs and such I have no problem with but not having places for us in some airports is a bit unfair, but then again life could be worse I suppose.

A hospital near me is I think the first place in Ireland to ban smoking in its entire campus, you now have to leave the grounds if you want to smoke. I've seen people standing outside wearing jackets and hopital gowns with cigarettes in their hands, and its pretty cold here at the moment :/

 

[Matt_LRR]

just putting this out there, but (particularly in western cultures) smoking is becoming progressively less and less socially acceptable, with governments and health authorities actively seeking to discourage people from doing so. This includes making it more expensive and less convenient to do.

Call it discrimination if you want, but smoking is a totally optional activity

isnt religion also? yet most buisnesses have a prayer room

Uh, no they don't? I think you might want to consider the definition of "most".

Regardless. For whatever reason, western society elevates religious preference, and considers religion to be a protected element of personal identity. It is protected from discrimination. But religiousity is fundamental to personal and cultural identity and for the most part doesnt pose a risk to the public health. Those elements that /are/ detrimental to the public health, (say, female circumcision, human sacrifice) are certainly not tolerated by society, and are not accommodated for.

Smoking is optional, not culturally or individually enriching, and damaging to public health. Why should that be protected or accommodated?

You want to smoke, step outside.

-m

 

[Oh That Dude]

just putting this out there, but (particularly in western cultures) smoking is becoming progressively less and less socially acceptable, with governments and health authorities actively seeking to discourage people from doing so. This includes making it more expensive and less convenient to do.

Call it discrimination if you want, but smoking is a totally optional activity

isnt religion also? yet most buisnesses have a prayer room

Objection: not over here they don't. Smokers still cry persecution and accuse anyone who doesn't fancy an involuntary lungful of tar of being somehow wimpish and/or tyrannical.

 

[FernandoV]

i was thinking about all this emphasis on discrimination and i discovered that smokers are a group which suffers alot of discrimination. my dad was at a major airport and after he checked in and went through security there was nowhere to smoke BUT thier was an islamic prayer room. i wouldn't take away a muslims right to pray but i also think its shocking that a smoker must wait hours for a delayed flight without a smoke. i also dont see why a smoking room is not allowed, surely you would only go into the room if you were a smoker otherwise your just an idiot.

i can understand not smoking in a public place or public transport, but when facilities are not provided then its not fair. considering the majority of the worlds population smoke. why is such a large group victimised

I think the personal importance of prayer to someone far outweighs the personal importance of smoking o.o This topic seems quite silly, nobody is victimizing smokers, you're taking things way out of proportion and complaining unnecessarily.

 

[Dags90]

Smoking is optional, not culturally or individually enriching, and damaging to public health. Why should that be protected or accommodated?

You want to smoke, step outside.

-m

Seriously. I don't see how it's any less horrible that places don't cater to smoking as any other vice. Should we also have slot machines and "masturbatory chambers" for the people with those vices?

 

[tigermilk]

Aye, we're a dying breed.

The irony of this made me smirk.

 

[Canid117]

considering the majority of the worlds population smoke.

what evidence do you have that a majority (51% or more) of the population smokes?
not trying to be an ass but i think is a lie.

I was about to ask this exact same question.

 

[Matt_LRR]

After a quick bit of research, about 1.3 billion people out of the world's 6.8 billion people smoke.

So, less than 20% - that's decidedly not a majority.

-m

 

[supermariner]

considering the majority of the worlds population smoke. why is such a large group victimised

i do broadly agree with your OP
but i think you may want to revise this statistic

 

[Mcupobob]

I wouldn't expect to get much sympathy I made a thread about the discrimination of smokes a long time back, it was mostly met with well I wouldn't say hate, but somewhere around there. They want to taxs us so they can fund public schools, pave roads, and anti-smoking ads. Years of propaganda have steadily given smokers the image of horrible people who are out to harm themselves and everyone around them. Nothing you can do will be able to get rid of this stigma. So step outside, but on an extra jacket because it surely is going to be a cold winter and let that death stick give you enough warmth to ignore those cold judgmental stares and obnoxious fake coughs.

 

[Nimcha]

I think classifying a bunch of people who have absolutely nothing in common except they like to suck on a stick of burning tobacco once in a while as a 'group' or 'minority' is overdoing it.

At least people following a religion have similar ideas about the world in general.