LETTER SENT:
13 February 2001
Mr. Gregory Ian Snell, Senior Lecturer
Department of Medicine,
Alfred Hospital
Ms. Jo-Ann Giovannoni, Departmental Secretary
Monash University,
Alfred Hospital
Dear Sir and Madam,
In view of your new emerging policy to deny smokers surgery, let this
letter serve notice that smokers, in retaliation, are being strongly urged to
no longer donate blood or organs depending on the outcome of the Australian
decision. An International Stand-by Alert has been sent out to all
smokers’ organizations and their affiliates to this effect.
It is unfortunate that we must take such drastic action, but considering
that smokers are paying billions in cigarette taxes for their additional
health care needs, which by the way is being used for such non-smoking related
purposes as roadwork; bailing cities out of debt; the Fish and Game
Administration; Park and Recreation Administration (from which, some feel it
necessary to ban us); and a long list of other improprieties, we feel such
steps are necessary. In reality, we know that much of these taxes are
filling the deep pockets of private interest groups. This constitutes
not only misappropriation of funds, but outright theft from a targeted and
largely voiceless minority.
You have imposed an illegal, unfair and tremendously heavy tax burden upon
smokers and now you mean to deny us the right to medical care for which we
have been exploited and are over-paying. This will not do. It is
not acceptable!
We, as a group, have had to tolerate science being manipulated to fit the
needs of the anti-smokers; harassment by physicians; degradation from all
fronts including the media; segregation from friends and family because of the
scare tactics being used and loss of access to privately owned establishments
as well as out-door areas. We’ve been evicted from our homes and lost
custody of our children. Our children are being taught to report parents
who smoke and frightened by the educational system by being shown fraudulent,
horrible sights and told their parents are going to die, thus abandoning them,
because they smoke. This is a heavy burden to impose upon a child. This
is mental cruelty and child abuse, and all in the name of "for the
children." We have been expelled from Cruise Ships on foreign soil,
not for smoking, but for merely being in possession of tobacco. We no
longer travel by air unless absolutely necessary and are thus confined for our
well-earned family vacations to areas within driving distance, again, because
of fraudulent science. In essence, smokers have been methodically
stripped of their birthrights as citizens.
What ever happened to the Hippocratic Oath; does this mean nothing to
doctors any more? Remember, Dr. Jack Kevorkian is in prison for less
than what is being done here; his victims wished to die.
In conclusion, smokers will do whatever necessary to stop this deliberate
destruction of a minority group of people.
