MAILBAG - June 15, 2009

Smoking arguments are laughable

I’m going to assume that Armineh Hovanesian is relatively new to the Glendale-Burbank area. If she weren’t, I can’t believe she would have trotted out so many tired, old, disproved addict-cliches with which she filled her June 6 Community Commentary, “Anti-smoking campaign is just that.”

Over many months of letters in the Burbank Leader and Glendale News-Press, and many talks to both City Councils by many people, her position that “the smell of cigars and cigarettes does not travel” was proven false again and again by both anecdote and science.

And smokers stopped proffering her stance that smokers should be allowed to contaminate the common air with their toxic gas — because some people overeat, eat meat, drink alcohol or use cell phones — when the smokers finally got tired of being laughed at for the absurdness of the comments.

And they finally stopped using the inflammatory “H” and “N” words when they were repeatedly shown that the only time a debater resorts to calling his or her opponents “Hitler” or “Nazis,” is when they have already lost the argument; when they have absolutely nothing of value to say.

It’s time for Hovanesian to realize that the overwhelming majority of people don’t want to inhale tobacco smoke — their own or anyone else’s — and that despite her unobservant accusation that preventing her from smoking near other people is tantamount to being in a “police state,” we in fact live in a democracy.

The majority has voted, and it has said that she can remain cruel at heart, if she wants to, but she may not express that cruelty physically against other people with her tobacco smoke — indoors or out.

ROBERT PHIPPS

Burbank

Small Wonders is a wonderful column

I want you to know how much I am enjoying your new column Small Wonders by Patrick Caneday. In tough times like these, we need to be reminded of the “small wonders” all around us. Patrick does that with charm and wit. Go Patrick!

MARILYN MCGINNIS

Glendale

Caneday is a welcome addition

Thank you so much for including columns by Patrick Caneday. He really brightens my day.

I so enjoy the articles about people and things around town, and the ones about a day with his girls. Please keep his column in your wonderful paper.

BARBARA EDWARDS

Burbank