The Fat Guy vs. Skinny Vegetarian

This is in response to the article by Al Martinez (Westside, Feb. 19) on the “Fat Guy With Stogie vs. Skinny Vegetarian.”

We find your critique to be of a bigoted nature and your personal anger toward those individuals who have the courage to speak out against smoking to be outdated. The idea that you correlate non-smoking with some sort of sexual disorientation is a statement that is more revealing about the smoker.

You make the person objecting to a smoke-free environment into a prude with problems when, in fact, he is only concerned with not being exposed to second-hand smoke that could and will be detrimental to his/her health. Each person is entitled to smoke if they so desire. Cigarette and cigar smoking invades the privacy of others and exposes them to health hazards. Don’t we have enough health hazards?

By the way, since when did prime rib affect the environment of another person? We suspect that this was another angry remark.

Cigarette smoking is, in fact, detrimental to the sexual activity of the smoker for the following reasons: Constricting of the blood vessels, it smells gross and cuts lung capacity (for longevity in the bedroom).

Unfortunately, people do not possess much common courtesy, so it forces health laws to have to be implemented.

As a couple who do not smoke, I feel I am more tolerant than the male counterpart.

However, I can attest to the fact that this is no sexual disorientation here.

Quite the contrary.

WAYNE, LESLIE PROVISOR

Santa Monica