TAKING MEANINGFUL ACTIONS

We are often asked what a person as an individual can do against the constant government and ‘’busy body’’ intrusion and bullying in their life.  We always come back with the same answer:  The best way to counter this ever increasing meddling in our private lives is to consistently fight for one’s beliefs and convictions, to express it loudly and clearly and to never surrender to bullying and disrespectful attitudes from both government and other citizens.  Joining and backing civil rights organizations has merit because the bigger the membership of groups such as ours the more of a menace our movement becomes, but unless one is willing to also fight this on a personal level, bringing balance and civility back to our society will be a lengthy painful process

When it comes to smoking, with the blessing and encouragement of our elected officials and unelected lobby groups, some fellow citizens are finding it perfectly acceptable to insult, denigrate, harass and bully people who smoke.  One such citizen and her employer has been shown a lesson in civility.  Indeed, Michelle Gervais from our sister organization Citizens for Civil Liberties in Ontario, had an unfortunate experience when checking in at the Bells Point Beach camping grounds in Sault Ste-Marie.  Contrary to some people, instead of becoming apologetic for being a smoker, she did exactly what everyone who is being harassed in similar ways should be doing.  The following self explanatory correspondence between Mrs. Gervais and the Bells Point Beach employee illustrates that meaningful actions such as the one Mrs. Gervais has taken can and will eventually bring back courteousness and respect.

 

To:  info@bellspointbeach.com

Bell's Point Camp Grounds

158 Highway 17 East

Garden River First Nation, Ontario

P6A 6Z3

Phone: 705-759-1561

Fax: 705-759-9084

Toll Free: 1-866-292-9902

Good day

I am the lady who had a reservation for 8 people last Thursday.  Upon our arrival, we were immediately greeted by a lady who threatened to call the police because we were smoking in our cars with our kids.

Ultimately I chose to leave the camp site rather than be harassed by a neurotic zealot during my vacation.

Please be advised that this incident, as well as your campsite location will be advertized on pro-choice websites across the world (Cage Canada, Citizen's for Civil Liberties, Freedom to Choose, Smoker's Club) in order to warn smoker's not to attempt to stay at your campsite.

Smoker's do not go on vacation in order to have other people tell them how to raise their children (I presume even non-smoker's don't go on vacation for that reason either).

I find it laughable that people at this park were so concerned about smoking in cars with kids but are willing to make a profit selling firewood that will be burned and envelop children in smoker.  Please feel free to google the chemical constituents of wood smoke and compare it with the smoke created by burning a handful of dried leaves.

I also find it laughable that you are so willing to "enforce" Ontario law in regards to smoking but still have your dog running loose without a leash or a muzzle and sell fireworks.

I wish you no harm but smoker's should know that you somehow feel qualified to tell them how to raise their children.  Even smoker's deserve to live free of harassment.  By advertising this incident, you will have the pleasure of operating a smoke-free campsite, as that is obviously your choice, and smoker's are free to choose to stay at a campsite where the operate behaves in a civilized manner and does not attempt to raise the children of their camper's.

Yours truly

Michelle Gervais, Director
Citizen's for Civil Liberties

From:  info@bellspointbeach.com 

Mrs. Gervais, you are absoultly right, I am deeply sorry for my behavior,
I have no right or excuse only regret, please be assured that I have
learned a valuble lesson on respect and how NOT to conduct my self from
both my employer and you, again I am very sorry. This is not how Bells
Point Beach conducts buisness.


Good day