Prop. 10

I am dismayed by your endorsement of Prop. 10 and your glib dismissal of it as a tax on tobacco (Oct. 18). It is a tax that is being imposed by the majority (nonsmokers) on a minority (smokers) who happen to be the politically incorrect pariahs du jour. Is this a new tactic, I wonder? Have the majority ever been asked to rationalize discriminating against a minority before?

If smokers were the cause of all the ills that befall society’s children I could understand your point of view, but as it is, don’t you wonder what group will be next when some other, yet-undetermined organization decides to find another minority to fund another “good cause”?

This proposition burdens smokers only, with taxation that is patently without representation.

GEMMA ROMANI

Claremont

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Prop. 10 has resurrected concerns that an increased cigarette tax is unfair to an aggrieved “minority,” to the poor, etc.

Putting aside the question of whether smoking does or doesn’t pollute lungs, I think it’s time to address the environmental pollution caused by the zillions of cigarette butts scattered all over the landscape. If Prop. 10 passes, rather than a tax, we could justifiably call the increase a littering fine.

JIM TROMBELLA

Santa Barbara