Now this (see
http://www.isleofman.com/News/details/61583/smoking-ban-in-cars
) is one debate in the Wedding Cake madhouse I might actually follow
next week.
It will be a litmus test, firstly of who in the
House actually bothers to research health issues and secondly whether
the Liberal Vannin project is finally dead in the water – or should
at least have the decency to drop the world 'liberal' from their
name.
If your only references to this smoking in cars
issue are the BBC and some of what are laughingly described as
'serious' newspapers you won't have a clue. So try reading Chris
Snowdon at http://velvetgloveironfist.blogspot.com/
and Dick Puddlecote at http://dickpuddlecote.blogspot.com/
to get the real back story.
Also, you need to know that when the BMA first
peddled this atrocious bit of 'research' to the press and TV three
years ago the BBC had to take down the original piece within hours
and every newspaper which used it printed a retraction in the next
issue. This was because the BMA spokesman 'forgot' to mention that
the research was a computer model (not a physical experiment) based on a
stationary vehicle with the engine and air conditioning off and all
the windows closed. In other words, a hypothetical situation which
was not physically possible in the real world.
Despite those numerous, often badly placed,
retractions after the original story, the only 'results' from the
'experiment' that have since been quoted by the BMA , various
state-funded 'public health' bodies and tub-thumping populist MPs are
the sensational (and physically impossible) ones. While I am a
lifelong non-smoker I think it important to point this out.
For one thing because the demonisation of any
subculture without objective proof of harm or wrongdoing is simply
not on.
For another because it is a worrying sign that a
self-interested pressure group is persuading politicians to
introduce measures which weaken the family and interfere with the
ability of responsible parents to raise children in a decent,
life-affirming way (not to mention giving police and other government
agencies increasing power to barge into people's houses on the
off-chance of catching them doing something that Stepford stiffs
don't like).
A pressure group of Stepforders, by the way, which
is often dishonest, increasingly even worse educated than their
predecessors, but who gain jobs for life and fat final salary
pensions when their complaints are taken at face value.
Having once briefly been at the same workplace as
Zac Hall, back when he was earning money for flying lessons, I have
serious doubts about him. He was a bit of an automaton even then, and
nothing in his political 'career' has caused me to think he has
loosened up since.
The tests will be (1) if Hall wants the statement
in order to see fair, open and informed debate or if this is just
another dog-whistle issue he thinks will get him elected again and
(2) if his fellow MHKs (and especially Liberal Vannin) will cluck
like headless chickens until the state grants itself yet more powers
to kick in doors and pester grown adults doing things they have
(unlike Manx politicians)made informed choices to do, responsibly and
without bothering anyone else.
If the answers are 'No' and 'Yes' respectively
then the only honourable thing for Liberal Vannin to do is disband or
rename, and the only sensible thing the public can do is to happily
and relentlessly disobey and mock such a cretinous piece of
legislation until the police find something more useful to do.
10 years ago
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