Occupy Chicago

by **l1legend** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 5:18 am

Get air filters in the area. Help support clean air. Might as well use technology to clean the local air? OR is this too extreme?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F.....e_radicals

Our air is already dirty as it is. Burning engines releasing gas. Cars everywhere. But the sound of people sounding off with their horns is uplifting.

Quit smoking. Instead I would recommend smoking pot. It helps prevent cancer. Yum.

by **l1legend** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 5:33 am

"The two most important oxygen-centered free radicals are superoxide and hydroxyl radical. They are derived from molecular oxygen under reducing conditions. However, because of their reactivity, these same free radicals can participate in unwanted side reactions resulting in cell damage. Excessive amounts of these free radicals can lead to cell injury and death, which results in many diseases such as cancer, stroke, myocardial infarction, diabetes and major disorders.^[7] Many forms of cancer are thought to be the result of reactions between free radicals and DNA, resulting in mutations that can adversely affect the cell cycle and potentially lead to malignancy. Some of the symptoms of aging such as atherosclerosis are also attributed to free-radical induced oxidation of many of the chemicals making up the body. In addition free radicals contribute to alcohol-induced liver damage, perhaps more than alcohol itself. Radicals in cigarette smoke have been implicated in inactivation ofalpha 1-antitrypsin in the lung. This process promotes the development of emphysema."

-wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emphysema

by **MrHawkerz** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 8:32 am

We have more important things to worry about.

by **chicago kitty** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 8:53 am

This proposal is unnecessary. We are outside, for crying out loud. If you ask me to move while I smoke, I will. The notion that I am "forcing" my "will on another" is utter nonsense. If the other you speak of is too timid to ask me to move, like a reasonable adult, that's not me being oppressive. They should simply assert themselves.

As far as you just posting a sign, without the GA approving it, I would not abide by it, since you don't make the rules. Since this came up at GA, I have made every effort to smoke on the periphery of the group. People can be reasonable. You don't have to get bossy or accusatory to get a thing done.

by **MrHawkerz** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 2:11 am

The Saftey and Security committee has decided not to endorse this proposal.

by **MrHawkerz** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 2:14 am

Voted on at the Oct 12th meeting of Saftey and Security. Unanimously.

by **relampagos** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 6:23 am

Even though my opinion is apparently too late to count for anything on this matter since it's already been voted on....

I understand that as a smoker, it can be tiring to hear people complain about your smoke all the time. I used to be a smoker, I get it. But now, I've developed severe asthma (thanks, Pilsen coal plants! thanks, cigarettes!), and can see the other side.

Yes, we are outside. Yes, I can (and do sometimes) ask people to please not smoke around me. Yes, I can (and most often do) just move. However, cigarette smoke carries a long distance. And when there are several people in a group (like at GA) who smoke, it is often impractical, if not impossible, to move to a place where no one is smoking. Down at LaSalle & Jackson, the issue most often arises that I move from one area near a smoker to a different area, only to have someone else light up, and I have to move again. And again, and again.

Yes, we're outside. But the nature of the work we're doing is that we need to be collaborative. We need to be able to stand near each other, to have discussions, and to literally stand in solidarity.

I am already on 3 different medications to control my asthma. But at every general assembly, I have had to use my inhaler at least once so that I can breathe. Now, I am privileged enough to have access the health care, so I've decided that I can afford to take the risk and will try to continue to participate in Occupy Chicago. However, there may be some other people out there who don't have that privilege, and may choose to not participate in the interest of their health.

I guess I just ask smokers to be considerate of those who have severe smoke allergies and asthma. We're not being picky. We're not hypochondriacs. We have legitimate health issues. You can control when and where you smoke. I can't do anything to control my lungs' propensity for bronchospasm.