2008 Woodie Awards
Letters to the Editor
Issue date: 3/10/08 Section: Opinions
Animals need our help
I was glad to see the article "Ins and Outs of Animal Rescue" (Feb. 25). There's a huge stray population in Murfreesboro and it's really confusing to try and fix. But if you want to help out, volunteer at the Humane Alliance of Rutherford County. It's a great organization and is only 2 miles from campus. Their number is 615-907-7093. Also, come out to see Earthlings April 14th at the KUC theater to find out more ways to put an end to animal cruelty.
Kenny Torella
Murfreesboro, TN
Smoking is no laughing matter
In regards to Michael Cannon's recent article about the smoking ban (Feb. 25), I had to chuckle a little bit. It was really laughable all of the things that he compared the ban to: totalitarianism, the sole vanguard of southern hospitality, legislative terrorism, Nazis, and Pearl Harbor. Are you kidding? You're sitting there puffing away and killing your lungs and you're going to compare banning that to Pearl Harbor? I doubt Michael knows what all goes into cigarettes. More than 4000 chemical compounds are created by burning a cigarette, one of which is the same that batteries are made out of. Have you ever considered that maybe when people walk into buildings they don't like having to hold their nose because people are standing there smoking? I lost a grandfather to lung cancer because of those cancer sticks and it's about time that it was banned in places, especially restaurants. Now i can go to Toots without having to worry if my clothes will reak of smell or not.
Marc Hall, junior
mass communication
Lack of smoking is not a killer
Michael Cannon's article in the opinion section of Monday's paper was melodramatic and not worth the paper it was printed on. I have several things to say to Cannon. First of all how many years did the non-smokers have to endure the smoke infested restaurants and bars? Are we not entitled to a smoke free surrounding to eat in? Second, many other states and cities, including New York and Philadelphia, have gone smoke free and guess what, people aren't dropping dead from the lack of nicotine. Third, I know many smokers and they can all go a meal without having a cigarette. Does he know that smoking kills taste buds? This is all without mentioning that his article is entitled "Smoking ban unjust, unfair to younger people" and he doesn't even around to mentioning the under 21 crowd until 2/3 of the way through his ridiculous opinion piece. If Cannon would really like a cigarette he can go outside and have one--no one is stopping him from killing himself, but the law is preventing him from contributing to the death of others. While he was busy complaining about how high taxes on cigarettes are did he stop to consider how much money smokers cost the US? I would venture to say that a lot of tax payer dollars go toward the treatment of illnesses caused by cigarette smoke. Lastly I'd like to give Cannon a few numbers to think about. Second hand smoke causes 430 sudden infant deaths and 50,000 adult deaths per year. Do you want to contribute to the death of children--should people have to avoid eatting out in order to avoid breathing in an EPA group A carcinogen?
Courtney Crane, junior mass communication
I was glad to see the article "Ins and Outs of Animal Rescue" (Feb. 25). There's a huge stray population in Murfreesboro and it's really confusing to try and fix. But if you want to help out, volunteer at the Humane Alliance of Rutherford County. It's a great organization and is only 2 miles from campus. Their number is 615-907-7093. Also, come out to see Earthlings April 14th at the KUC theater to find out more ways to put an end to animal cruelty.
Kenny Torella
Murfreesboro, TN
Smoking is no laughing matter
In regards to Michael Cannon's recent article about the smoking ban (Feb. 25), I had to chuckle a little bit. It was really laughable all of the things that he compared the ban to: totalitarianism, the sole vanguard of southern hospitality, legislative terrorism, Nazis, and Pearl Harbor. Are you kidding? You're sitting there puffing away and killing your lungs and you're going to compare banning that to Pearl Harbor? I doubt Michael knows what all goes into cigarettes. More than 4000 chemical compounds are created by burning a cigarette, one of which is the same that batteries are made out of. Have you ever considered that maybe when people walk into buildings they don't like having to hold their nose because people are standing there smoking? I lost a grandfather to lung cancer because of those cancer sticks and it's about time that it was banned in places, especially restaurants. Now i can go to Toots without having to worry if my clothes will reak of smell or not.
Marc Hall, junior
mass communication
Lack of smoking is not a killer
Michael Cannon's article in the opinion section of Monday's paper was melodramatic and not worth the paper it was printed on. I have several things to say to Cannon. First of all how many years did the non-smokers have to endure the smoke infested restaurants and bars? Are we not entitled to a smoke free surrounding to eat in? Second, many other states and cities, including New York and Philadelphia, have gone smoke free and guess what, people aren't dropping dead from the lack of nicotine. Third, I know many smokers and they can all go a meal without having a cigarette. Does he know that smoking kills taste buds? This is all without mentioning that his article is entitled "Smoking ban unjust, unfair to younger people" and he doesn't even around to mentioning the under 21 crowd until 2/3 of the way through his ridiculous opinion piece. If Cannon would really like a cigarette he can go outside and have one--no one is stopping him from killing himself, but the law is preventing him from contributing to the death of others. While he was busy complaining about how high taxes on cigarettes are did he stop to consider how much money smokers cost the US? I would venture to say that a lot of tax payer dollars go toward the treatment of illnesses caused by cigarette smoke. Lastly I'd like to give Cannon a few numbers to think about. Second hand smoke causes 430 sudden infant deaths and 50,000 adult deaths per year. Do you want to contribute to the death of children--should people have to avoid eatting out in order to avoid breathing in an EPA group A carcinogen?
Courtney Crane, junior mass communication
Be the first to comment on this story