Puff

Two news items in the last week, both relating to smoking, at opposite ends of the spectrum, but both showing how intolerant a society we have become.

Incident 1 - One morning a woman is pushed from a station platform 2 minutes before a train arrives. She is pushed because the day before she asked two young men (I was going to say gentlemen but that would clearly be wrong) to stop smoking. As it is illegal to smoke on the station this can't be considered a bad thing to do.

Incident 2 - Ofcom receives complaints because Marco Pierre White is seen smoking on his TV programme. The fact that it is after the watershed, and therefore no impressionable children should be watching, doesn't seem to matter.

I find it hard to believe that anyone could consider pushing someone off a station platform. To come close to murder becasue someone asked you to stop doing something illegal. But not only is the act itself shocking but society hasn't all spoken against the thugs. Oh no, a number of people have derided the woman. Asked who made her station master, who does she think she is, why can't she mind her own business? Comments that give credence to the act and encourage further acts of violence.

But intolerance also in condemning a TV programme for someone doing what is a common act. Smoking is not rare. Granted I don't like smoke in my face. Granted I don't want my food to smell of cigs. But he wasn't cooking. It just happens he smokes. Normal behaviour. And not something to condemn someone for.

A society that can no longer see the other point of view. No longer recognise that we are individuals. That we have a right to our view. A right to live a life and to express ourselves. Not a society I can be proud to be part of.