Chris Carter Update…
Smoking for Freedom
Martyrdom always comes at a price. That is a sad, but inevitable truth. Not long ago we had the ‘metric martyr’, so dubbed for his stance against metrication involving weights & measures. He maintained that his customers could not understand grammes, litres, kilo’s etc over and above the old pound (lb) of sausages they usually had. Criminal persecution followed until finally, after being proven guilty of such a heinous crime he died of a heart attack brought on by the extreme stress caused by such meaningless prosecutor practice. The guilty verdict was posthumously overturned – some consolation that was!
Now, we have another totally bizarre situation whereby a man has fallen foul of a law that is wrong, a law that was brought in on the back of highly dubious junk science, statistical manipulations, bought consultations and the ‘fear factor’ spread through the media – at our own cost!
Chris Carter, a quiet, unassuming character lives his life ‘out in the sticks’, as he is wont to remark, some 14 miles from Belfast. He doesn’t want interference from others’, he doesn’t want to interfere in others lives either; live and let live is his ethic. However, Chris has fallen foul of the law, not a galaxy of star-studded high profile crimes I might add, but the newly implemented ‘smoke ban law’. His crime, as equally heinous as the “metric martyr’s crime”, was to smoke a simple cigarette where, apparently, one should not smoke anymore!
Sure enough, Chris was prosecuted for his action but has appealed the judgement and penalty. Having gone through the legal process single handedly, to the point whereby important questions can be thrust at ‘senior members of public service’ he has come up against the brick wall of shielded beaurocracy as the decision by Judge Piers Grant not to give Chris the opportunity of questioning a laws credibility, by the action of denying his right to question (call witnesses in his defence) is a disgrace. If these government officials are so sure of their correctness why are they hiding behind a judge and the legal system?
Chris Carter is not a “loony smoker”, in fact he is a highly intelligent human being, well versed in law, who knows that fundamentally, this law is wrong.
Chris Carter has been threatened with 47 days incarceration in one of Her Majesty’s Prisons for his crime of objecting to a totally unjust and unfair law. 47 days for smoking a cigarette. 47 days for standing up for every smoker in the ‘free world’. When you think that Chris’s father and grandfather probably fought either/both World Wars to retain our freedoms over Nazi dictatorship it truly makes you wonder at the credibility of our present day governments!
This law has caused financial ruin for 4,000 businesses. Pubs, clubs & Bingo halls have all seen their customer base shrink to unsustainable levels – and that is only in England!
Ireland has seen 1,000 businesses close. The north, another 650 – and counting!
Scotland is suffering similar carnage, as are our Welsh compatriots.
Holland, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy, in fact mainland Europe all have smoke-bans but they provide something our imbecilic government dare not for fear of upsetting ASH, CRUK & Big Pharma. That something is CHOICE. Whether it be separate rooms or glass partitions it matters not, there has been compromise, smokers have not been ‘leperised’ as they have been by our governments. The continent has quickly realised the financial devastation smoke bans bring!
To treat the most heavily taxed part of our society the way smokers have been treated is as criminal as it is ridiculous. Smokers tax pays for the NHS treatments of smokers, drink related problems and all those weighty problems we now seem to be having – with plenty to spare!
But, back to the soon to be “Martyrdom” of the humble Irishman fighting for his rights and the rights of all smokers for the day they imprison Chris Carter (May 4th is pencilled in) is the day the ban will start to crumble. Chris has lost his livelihood, his savings, and has been bankrupted fighting for what he believes in. Chris has suffered severe heart problems yet still he faces the ultimate threat of all – imprisonment for daring to stand up and fight against prohibition.
Chris Carter s case being heard fairly has the full support of freedom2choose.info, the only organisation in this country dedicated to amending this spiteful, restrictive and socially devastating ban, now with 5 million voices. The socio-economic damage caused in only 20 months is inconceivable. Homes have been lost, life savings gobbled up, bankruptcies rife, unemployment rocketing yet our government clap themselves on the back at the ‘compliance factor’ and ‘great success’ the ban has been. When they wake up to the real world ‘out there’ perhaps they might think of Chris Carter, a humble soul of the real world – but ‘in there’ for believing in the rights of man.
You can help by donating to the “F2C & CC Fighting Fund”, c/o Phil Johnson, 37,Windley Road, Leicester, England. LE2 6QX.
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These are the men called as defence witnesses but refused by Judge Piers Grant:-
Shaun Woodward-Parliamentary Under secretary for State for NI (and underlings)
Paul Goggins-Criminal Justice Minister (and underlings)
Michael McGimpsey-Health Minister (and underlings)
Irish Parliament:- http://www.oireachtas.ie/members-hist/
