Changes afoot
Dear Readers,
Let me begin by reminding you that Dining Out For Life has changed their date to April 24. You can read on the front page the reasons behind this change. If you have not made plans, I want to encourage you to join the Vital VOICE @ Bar Italia in the Central West End for some fabulous food!
As many of you know, the Vital VOICE has been a sponsor of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure for the past three to four years. We are sponsoring the event again this year. In honor of the race’s 10th anniversary, we are organizing “Team Vital VOICE.” Philip Deitch is assisting me in organizing our team. It would be wonderful to have as many of you as possible to join Team Vital VOICE by signing up at www.komenstlouis.org. If you have any questions, please email me at pschneider@thevitalvoice.com or Philip at plloyd@aol.com. Let’s come out in a really way and make a huge showing this year!
Something very exciting is happening at the Vital VOICE! Within the next couple of weeks we will be unveiling our new and improved website! I think our readers will find it well organized, informative and interactive. Readers will now have the opportunity to make comments and discuss articles. We will also be unveiling a blog that will provide current information relating to news, entertainment and other events. I am extremely excited about how this will benefit our readers. We will have a formal announcement soon, but keep checking our site at www.thevitalvoice.com and soon, you will see the changes for yourself.
Til next issue,
Pam Schneider
I was shocked by the recent barrage of voices claiming to support LGBT [The Lesbian Gay Bi Trans gender Community] Expressing support for the Public Health bandwagon leading the charge against smokers in bars. As a society few understand the value of personal freedom and choice. That value ultimately is gaged by how many restrictions we place against it. Common sense should dictate any restrictions should be of the smallest amount possible in order to maintain the maximum of freedom and liberty possible. One has to ask; what was so wrong with a sign on the door and freedom to choose?
It was not that long ago the anti smoker industry [and you can trust me this has grown to the status of a huge for profit industry sector empowered almost entirely by fear and emotional blackmail] told us; smoking sections in restaurants and bars would suit all in society. That fair exchange of common courtesy didn't last long. Soon we were seeing the support for accommodation and community unity, being unceremoniously ushered out the door, with the herald of the healthcare reform movement and disease management in place of finding the cause and the cures.
More recently we hear calls for parents being charged with crimes of child abuse for smoking in a car where children are present. In some states laws setting restrictions right in peoples homes. Prominently the claims of abuse are from people who were born in hospitals with nervous fathers to be, smoking right outside the door or curtain as was the norm for centuries,.
Oh yes we have all heard the claims of harm which grows by the day to the point now they claim second hand smoke to be more deadly than even smoking. The exaggerations and propaganda in the tabloids, will not subside until the day full prohibition is put in place, although the Public health community seem to be the largest opponents of that act as well. A leech has to keep it's victim alive after all;.
It is surreal to see one of the most affected groups in society who should understand oppression by stereotype, to be supporting exactly that oppression aimed at another group in society. How soon we do forget. Freedom is never free.
Public Health has targeted many groups in society looking for partners by bribe and emotional blackmail. I was struck by the statement of Jeanette Mott stating three of five LGBT youth smoke.
That fact in itself should be telling her, Disease management is a failing strategy,. Public Health authorities are treating real people, like a detestable disease which needs to be curred.
The same LGBT community, should also recognize that treatment all too well, and today they stand proud as living proof, it doesn't work. Hatred is never a cure because it is a disease and the results as history demonstrates time and time again are devastating.
The loss of personal freedom in any measure is the genesis of genocide.