Barbara Horter – 4/5/09

This page was last updated on April 10, 2009.

Smoking is a long way from ‘fun’; Barbara Horter; Beaver County Times; April 5, 2009.

Both live in Daugherty Township, so it’s possible Ms. Horter is William G. Horter’s wife or some other relation.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“I read the lament of one Beaver County gentleman who complained about the lack of fun in life now that there is higher tax on tobacco and tobacco products.

“In answer to this gentleman, I would like to express my ideas about where else there is a lack of ‘fun.’

“There is a lack of fun in an ambulance that has been called to assist a patient struggling to breathe because he is suffering the last deadly stages of a lung disease.

“There is a lack of fun in seeing children suffering asthma and needing emergency breathing treatments because the adults who are supposed to be nurturing and protecting them are, in fact, adding poison to the air they breathe.

“There is a lack of fun when a person comes away from an area that saturates his clothing with the smell of cigarette smoke that promotes use of water and energy to clean constantly.”

[RWC] Who’s forcing Ms. Horter to visit places that permit smoking?

“During the 1940s and 1950s, many people smoked cigarettes. But those times have passed.

“Breathing problems would lessen considerably if all smoking ceased. Smoking is passé.”

[RWC] Deaths by car accident “would lessen considerably if all [driving] ceased.” Deaths would also “lessen considerably” if we made alcohol illegal. Oh right, we already tried that.

“Now, back to fun: air with no pollution, healthy humans, fewer trips to emergency rooms, more money for research to fight diseases humans don’t bring on for themselves. That’s fun.”

[RWC] Don’t get me wrong. If you’re familiar with my previous work, you know I don’t smoke and believe smoking is a terrible habit. That said, I’m really tired of anti-smoking fanatics.