Re: Gore's speech re civil liberty

 Posted on 11/30/2003 by jmsatb5@aol.com to rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated


>(Jms at B5) wrote:
>>>Do US planes have a total no smoking policy yet? Because once
>>>such a policy exists cigarette lighters will have no valid use.
>>
>>Yes, but the tobacco industry's argument in getting the lighters on-board
>was
>>to say that when flyers land, the first thing they want to do is light up
>>immediately.
>>
>>Don't blame me, that's what they said.
>>
> And this is suprising exactly how? I don't smoke, but I have been run
>over by people trying to get to the smoking areas after a flight.

Kurt, you're missing the point. I don't know if you're deliberately missing
the point or not, but either way that ain't the point. The POINT is that the
Bush administration, while making a big deal about keeping off planes things
that were NOT used by any real or potentail enemies (like nail clippers) has
allowed ON things that WERE used (a la a Bic lighter by the "shoe bomber," as
silly a sobriquet as you're apt to find)...which tends to suggest that their
concern really isn't about keeping people safe as keeping people *controlled*
while not annoying friends like the tobacco industry.

jms

(jmsatb5@aol.com)
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