Cigar Persecution.

[El Presidente]

This subject was raised in another thread where many members appeared down hearted the intolerance of others.

It is a subect we have discussed amongst the local chapter and over the past three years have enacted a strategy which appears to be working.

A. Be respectfull of where and when you light your cigar. Not around people eating, not around children (unless outdoors in your own home or invited to at a friends)and not in a group situation where there are people you do not know.

B. Outside of point A......tell them all to go and get Rogered.

C. Establish a group and arrange your own events particularly those where restrictions do not apply: Camping, Boating/Fishing, Wine or Whiskey nights etc. Actively invite community/opinion leaders (establish first that they are not tossers) who are known cigar lovers to attend. Make them feel welcome. Once you have established your own chapter, you need to establish an annual event calender that is practical and affordable for all members.

D. Spend dining money only with those who make the effort to make you feel comfortable and welcome....then let them know why you as a group are spending your money in their establishment.

E. Run or be part of a charity event. It is good for the soul. I mean....if it works for Hells Angels then it can work for anyone.

F. Cultivate media friends who enjoy a cigar. There are plenty of them.

It is important to remain visible, to remain jovial and to remain positive.

To us a cigar culture is one that celebrates hard work and living life to the fullest. No apologies needed, no excuses given.

[Colt45]

I also always try to remember that my rights end where the next person's begin (in life overall). How we conduct ourselves definately makes a difference. In a recent thread, one member made light of the fact that he threw his nubbed cigar over a railing on the heads of the people below - not the way to win people over.

Cigars are more of a personal thing for me. I actually prefer to smoke when there aren't many people around, or even alone. But if I'm somewhere that allows it, I'll still usually ask those around me. Once lit up, though, I'm not overly concerned about what people may think.

[CIGARHead]

» In a recent thread, one member made light of the fact that he

» threw his nubbed cigar over a railing on the heads of the people below -

» not the way to win people over.

In my defense, they were tourists...they deserved it.

[dragon]

Hmmmm........well since I have no friends, rarely attend social events or go out to eat, never have people to my house, and don't like being around others in general......I typically never have issues with sitting on my porch alone and smoking cigars.

And as a point of reference, my girlfriend bought me a gift certificate from CigarCzar last Christmas, and told me not to forget to inhale deeply. :-|

[El Presidente]

That Karla is a good woman

[Ginseng]

Great post Rob.

A democratic society is a complex experiment. Consideration and unselfish consideration of rights is integral to the ongoing success of the experiment, at least at the personal level.

Well said.

Wilkey

[jay8354]

That is great advice, El Prez.

I try to follow most of those rules already. Though I do make an exception if the establishment does allow for Cigar Smoking after a certain time. (You have never see diners clear away so fast!)

I am not sure if I agree with the Cigar nub tossing...Since if I came to visit, I am by definition a tourist. Won't mind if it was a brand new Cuban. :-D

I think that it is important to respect others as you would like others (non-cigar smokers) to respect you (cigar smoker).

[mgillett]

All good advice. I just accept that a large proportion of society do consider cigar smoking as being anti-social to a degree (not too dissimilar to what cigarette smokers in NSW are copping at the moment).

I live fairly well out in the sticks so not a big issue for me really. Can usually manage a bbq or camping/fishing trip a few times a month to sample some of my cigars without upsetting anyone.

[Loki]

Good advice Rob. Some time ago I was taught that cigar smoking was a gentleman's pastime and we all should be gentlemen.

Btw going camping over the long Thanksgiving weekend. Beer, Bourbon, Cigars, and a good chance of snow.

[TR]

this is why you are our fearless leader!

[strayvector]

Great post. Always good to have a reminder once in a while.

[longash4me]

Surely common sense suggestions that I doubt anyone would really find fault with. My objection targets those that go out of their way to insult/castigate those that are purposefully following those guidelines. Social conscience is one thing, political correctness is not a free reign license to blatantly complain, without recourse. That's just how I feel about it!

[davidmanning]

» Surely common sense suggestions that I doubt anyone would really find fault

» with. My objection targets those that go out of their way to

» insult/castigate those that are purposefully following those guidelines.

» Social conscience is one thing, political correctness is not a free reign

» license to blatantly complain, without recourse. That's just how I feel

» about it!

Well, not political correctness so much as a self-righteousness that goes beyond the pale.

I'm so glad to see that people on this board have the common sense to treat the rest of society as human beings. There are "other boards", shall we say, where the rights and comfort of the person next to you don't mean a thing, and I think that's sad.

Out of the city for a few days = many cigars on a back porch in the middle of nowhere, weather permitting...

[Mel]

Like Dragon I smoke alone most of the time. I have my own room in the house that is all mine. I also have a cabin in the woods which I am the sole ruler of.

I do like the guidelines that the Prez. has outlined and respect for others should be given always.

I do not like smoke where I am eating so I understand those who object to smoke. They have their rights and so do I. We are going on an out of town hunting trip and it has been established by one of the guys driving that I get one cigar on the way down and one back. We are in his truck so I agree. I feel a Monte "A" coming on.;-)

[hazleem]

Same here. ...I think some of my best cigar experiences have been alone at home... personally it's a very calming experience...

but I do enjoy smoking with fellow enthusiast whenever I get a chance....:-D

Anway, great advice El Prez...

-Haz-

[guilow]

What gets me is that I get crap from people when I smoke outside at the beach. I mean, I'm 20 yards for the nearest person and I still get the evil eye all the time. When I get one I usually just smile back, wave, or even blow them a kiss. Everyone gets too worked up about "preserving rights". You're not suppose to "offend" anyone. Yet some 250 lb woman in a bikini has the right to say that I'm offending her? The mere site of the her in that bikini is offensive to me, but I don't cast an evil eye.

Face it, smokers are doomed to a life of scorn. No matter how you package it, people will hate us just the same.

[^nsmoke]

Don't you just hate the looks they give you when your standing in line to buy cigerettes instead of spending it on them, there for my wife damnit!!!

[mgillett]

At least you can smoke on your beaches guilow. They have pretty much banned it here in Oz. Probably not a bad thing, lots of butts were being left behind by cigarette smokers. Kids were picking them up and stuff...

[smokeswirl]

I try not to offensive in any manner. I know I used to despise smoking ,especially cigarettes, while I was eating. Before the NYC smoke free laws I would ask patrons of diners and restaurant to extinguish their cigs while I was eating. It made me nauseous. So I can understand it if people do not want to smell my cigar smoke. So I wont unless aboslutely no one minds.

Another thing is for me I smoke to enjoy and not out of a habit. I can wait to have my smoke on my terms without distraction and enjoy the total experience. I tend to enjoy cigars with other smokers anyway. SOem of the best cigas I have everhad was with close friends.

[Lemon]

Good topic. When I smoke cigars around people, I sometimes ask them if it bothers them. If I'm around cigarettesmokers, the cigarsmoke doesn't usually bother them. But somehow it annoys me if someone complains, in a rude way, when I'm smoking a cigar in a restaurant in the smoking area. And if I'm smoking a great (expensive?) cigar, I'm gonna have to be in a really special mood to sacrifice the smoke.

I hate it how many people seem to think of cigarsmoking as something fancy. I smoke it because I like it, not at all to create some kind of image. That just goes straight against my principles.

[El Presidente]

No smoking on beaches only between the beach patrol flags.

It has finally dawned on the Nazi's that they have no way of enforcing all the laws they have implimented :-D