So, Hawaii has a law that just took effect: No smoking until age 21.
Gotta tell you... I hate smoking.
It killed both my parents and, no doubt, was a major cause of my oldest brother's catastrophic stroke and my middle brother's death from the same.
In theory, one might believe that I'd be thrilled by this law.
And I am... except the military is so overjoyed about it that they are allowing THIS state law to take effect on military installations in that state.
And that, of course, is absurd.
Odd, isn't it? The fed throws a fit over Arizona HB1070, their effort to do what the Fed won't do, namely, enforce the law against illegal aliens. The fed claims that states have no jurisdiction in federal matters.
Unless, of course, they like what you're doing. Then, of course, they can change their minds on a dime.
Look: smoking is a bad habit. Militarily, troops have been killed because they smoke, violating light and smell discipline.
But you are going to look at some grunt in Hawaii who has completed a combat tour or two in Afghanistan and tell them they CAN'T SMOKE?
That makes no sense. None.
We can tell these kids they can go out and get killed for their country... but they can't have a cigarette?
We can tell them they have to charge that cave where automatic weapons fire is pouring out on them... but they can't have a beer?
Seriously?
Look, if I could wave a magic wand, I'd make it illegal to consume any tobacco product anywhere generally and the military particularly... given how they reduce the fighting capabilities of the Armed Forces.
But it is idiotic to separate the military into two classes: those who can smoke/drink and those who can't.
A bullet, you see, doesn't care. And the morale issues resulting from all of this are simply not going to be worth it.
Death in the military doesn't discriminate between ages. And neither should the Armed Forces.
Gotta tell you... I hate smoking.
It killed both my parents and, no doubt, was a major cause of my oldest brother's catastrophic stroke and my middle brother's death from the same.
In theory, one might believe that I'd be thrilled by this law.
And I am... except the military is so overjoyed about it that they are allowing THIS state law to take effect on military installations in that state.
And that, of course, is absurd.
Odd, isn't it? The fed throws a fit over Arizona HB1070, their effort to do what the Fed won't do, namely, enforce the law against illegal aliens. The fed claims that states have no jurisdiction in federal matters.
Unless, of course, they like what you're doing. Then, of course, they can change their minds on a dime.
Look: smoking is a bad habit. Militarily, troops have been killed because they smoke, violating light and smell discipline.
But you are going to look at some grunt in Hawaii who has completed a combat tour or two in Afghanistan and tell them they CAN'T SMOKE?
That makes no sense. None.
We can tell these kids they can go out and get killed for their country... but they can't have a cigarette?
We can tell them they have to charge that cave where automatic weapons fire is pouring out on them... but they can't have a beer?
Seriously?
Look, if I could wave a magic wand, I'd make it illegal to consume any tobacco product anywhere generally and the military particularly... given how they reduce the fighting capabilities of the Armed Forces.
But it is idiotic to separate the military into two classes: those who can smoke/drink and those who can't.
A bullet, you see, doesn't care. And the morale issues resulting from all of this are simply not going to be worth it.
Death in the military doesn't discriminate between ages. And neither should the Armed Forces.
No comments:
Post a Comment