Monday 30 May 2011

Hearing Voices

This year's Voices of Freedom debates kick off on Wednesday with one readers here might find of great interest. Simon Clark has the info.

The first discussion, 'Civil Liberties: Up In Smoke', will ask the question "What are smokers' rights in a free society?". Chairman is Mark Littlewood, director-general of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), and speakers include Alex Deane (formerly Big Brother Watch), Peter Hitchens (Mail on Sunday) and Oscar-winning screenwriter Sir Ronald Harwood, an unshamed smoker and a member of Forest's Supporters Council.

Venue is the IEA, 2 Lord North Street, Westminster. Drinks will be served from 6.15pm and the discussion starts at 7.00.

The first debate coincides with the publication of a report by Simon Davies of Privacy International, with a foreword by Joe Jackson, that is also called 'Civil Liberties: Up In Smoke'. I have a copy in front of me and it looks rather good, as it should. It was designed by Forest's own Dan Donovan. Copies will be available on the night.
Definitely worth popping up for, I reckon. These things got quite busy last time round so if you fancy it, best register sharpish by emailing events@thefreesociety.org or ringing Nicky Shepherd on 01223 370091 (office hours presumably).

I've checked the weather too, and it looks like being a fine evening so a post-debate pub isn't out of the question.

Bring cash.

(the full VoF schedule is available here)


4 comments:

thespecialone said...

You know something, I am the most anti-smoking person in the world. I hate everything to do with fags and cigars. However, I truly cannot to this day understand why there is an outright ban in pubs. I went into pubs (errrr frequently) before the ban and understood that was my decision, as an adult, to do so; with the full knowledge that people would be smoking in there.

Dick Puddlecote said...

Join the crowd, thespecialone, as we can't understand how MPs in a representative democracy (as opposed to an ochlocracy) were so dense and unimaginative as to ignore the common sense compromise of separate venues or members only 'smoking clubs'.

But then, their unelected overlords at the WHO had spoken, so they collectively shat their pants and incoherently wibbled. And still do.

And yet they wonder why there is eff all respect for them anymore. Personally, I'm surprised they possess the intelligence to dress themselves in the mornings. ;)

budgie said...

thespecialone - your pro choice belief would make you a pro smoker in the eyes of more extreme antis...

http://dickpuddlecote.blogspot.com/2010/08/cataloguing-psychosis.html

Anonymous said...

"I am the most anti-smoking person in the world."

No, my sister is. Actually, my girlfriend is. And one of them withholds sex if she smells that I've had a fag any time that day.

That's alright, there is always my girlfriend :-)

I am considering having a couple of children in short succession so that I can ferry them the 24 hours to Sydney and then 24 hours back to thank all the people who contributed to the smoking ban.

They can chow down on the waft of soiled nappies and enjoy the symphony of the newly-born. Suck on that, righteous twats!