Friday
Jul152011
Join Dick Puddlecote in Stony Stratford
Friday, July 15, 2011 at 10:05 Whatever you are doing tomorrow, postpone – unless you are going to Stony Stratford.
I can't speak highly enough of this initiative by blogger Dick Puddlecote who has organised, off his own bat, a protest against the proposal to ban smoking in all outside areas in this small Buckinghamshire town.
Idle chatter – on blogs, websites etc – is not enough. If you live within two hours of Stony Stratford I urge you to support Dick's effort.
This could light the fuse for a genuine grassroots revolt against excessive tobacco control. Over to you.
Protestors will gather from 11.00am at the Vaults Bar, High Street, Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire, MK11 1AQ. Speeches around midday.
Reader Comments (8)
My secretary (who also acts as my wife on occasions) has just this minute booked our rail tickets. See you all there tomorrow!
This story was a big feature on Talk Sport last night, it practically dominated the whole show hosted by Duncan Barts of whom is a very good radio presenter. First Dick Puddlecote came on then eventually councillor Paul Bartlet answerd his phone, then came on air. Clearly this indivdual is some king of control "freak" and the word NUTTER springs to mind, I would think it's a good job he's an independent councillor to save any political party any further embarrassment, to be honest he showed himself as a total "PRAT" and everybody who rang, text,emaild,or tweetet the show, totally disagreed with this outdoor smoking ban. Personally i can't see many of the other councillors voting for this, well i hope not. Unfortunately i can't make tomorrow but i would if i could, good luck. Regards Gary.
@Peter Thurgood. Wife and secretary eh, you got it all, havn't you. Don't forget she's much more than that however, have a good day out at Stony Stratford.
I taped the interview with Dick Puddlecote and the errant councillor who made sure he didn't go toe to toe with Dick and when he eventually came on he just went bananas, very incoherent he was, and no mistake.
It eventually came out that it was not about litter but about smokers and his dislike of them, even his own father who used to smoke a pipe.
He came over as a sad, sad man.
""After years of passive acquiescence, the nation's smokers are slowly beginning to fight back. I don't mean armchair activists commenting on blogs such as this. I'm talking about people who are willing give up their time and take to the streets (or even the Houses of Parliament) to make their point.""
""Idle chatter – on blogs, websites etc – is not enough""
Simon, what you say above cannot really be your true thoughts, can it? Is serious argument about the truth of SHS harm 'idle chatter'? Are 'armchair activists' useless?
Not everyone who would like to go to SS can do. There are all sorts of reasons. It is not reasonable to expect everyone who would like to go there to actually go there.
Months ago, I suggested that Forest should organise. I deliberately left the word 'organise' uncertain. But, months ago, I suggested that Forest should identify one person per constituency, in order to have at least one person per constituency who is willing to pester his MP, and, therefore, to have at least one person per constituency who is prepared to assault MPs intellectually. We must be aware that ASH employ EMOTION rather than INTELLIGENCE to get their way. Their 'studies' show only a minuscule risk, but their propaganda enhances this minuscule risk out of all proportion.
Please remember that some of us can think. And it is those of us who can think who describe the failings of ASH ET AL.
But I am sure that I must have misinterpreted your statements. I feel sure that you do not really think that 'armchair activists' are useless.
So are you going to try to get at least one person per constituency?
Junican
Simon doesn't have time for those that he doesn't consider important. Many of us that comment from time to time have added to the debate enormously, and do contribute on other sites and forums when asked to leave a comment.
I put a suggestion to him on the 'DAY AFTER THE PARTY THE NIGHT BEFORE' thread but got no reply, nor have had replies to several other questions over the years.
Quite frankly when he asks again to leave supportive comments on other sites - then he can stick his request where the sun doesn't shine!
I've long said that we need to be taking to the streets to make society aware that there is protest and I hope that Lincoln and Stony Stratford mark the beginning of a visible fight back.
Yes, armchair activism isn't enough but if it weren't for people giving up their valuable time to read and comment on blogs, neither Lincoln nor Stony Stratford would have happened at all.
Nothing that I said was intended to be offensive. I think that we all have to contribute as best we can in our own way.
If the title say so, who I am to change it but it is a pity that I couldn't go there. I have to assist to a viagra online conference.