EXISTENTIAL QUESTIONS

WHO IS LESS DANGEROUS TO THE SECURITY OF OUR COUNTRY - A VEGETARIAN WITHOUT CHILDREN OR A CARNIVORE WITH KIDS?
THE MEAT EATER, OF COURSE, BECAUSE THE PACIFIST AND SELF-CENTERED MARRIED VEGETARIAN OBVIOUSLY HAS NOTHING TO SACRIFICE IN A TIME OF TRIAL SAVE HIS EGO.
WHO IS MORE DANGEROUS TO THE SECURITY OF OUR COUNTRY - A QUASI-CELEBRITY WHO DESCRIBES THE MUSLIMS' JIHAD AGAINST THE WEST AS "GNARLEY BRO," OR A WOULD-BE CELEBRITY WHO DESCRIBES OUR WORLD CONDITION AS THE "PERFECT STORM" BEFORE WORLD WAR III?. THE JIVE TALKER, OF COURSE.

WHAT IS MORE DANGEROUS - SMOKING ITSELF OR AN AGENDA TO ATTRIBUTE HEALTH CONDITIONS TO SMOKING THAT COMMON SENSE ALONE SAYS DON'T EXIST? A RECENT STUDY 'REVEALED' THAT ONE THIRD OF ADD (ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER) AND ADHD ( ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER) ARE LINKED TO A MOTHER OR BOTH PARENTS SMOKING BEFORE A CHILD'S BIRTH. A CONCOMITANT FINDING 'SUGGESTED' THAT CHILDREN FROM HOMES WITH SMOKERS ARE TWO AND A HALF TIMES MORE LIKELY TO GROW UP WITH ADD AND ADHD. ENTER COMMON SENSE WHICH REMINDS ME THAT THIS EPIDEMIC OF OUT OF CONTROL YOUNGSTERS SHOULD HAVE RAMPAGED IN THE 1920'S, 1930'S, 1940'S, 1950'S, 1960'S AND 1970'S WHEN VIRTUALLY EVERY HOUSEHOLD 'LIT UP' AT SOME TIME AND TOBACCO WAS THE 'IN THING." COME TO THINK OF IT, TOBACCO HELPED AMERICA WIN TWO WORLD WARS AND PUSH US TO THE STATUS OF A SUPER POWER WITH THE HIGHEST GDP (GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT OF GOODS AND SERVICES) IN THE WORLD. TODAY'S SMOKERS MUST BE LOSERS FOR OTHER REASONS. PERHAPS 1. THEY ARE POOR DISCIPLINARIANS COMPARED WITH PARENTS IN THE PAST, OR PERHAPS 2. AN AGENDA EXISTS WITH ACADEMICS, SCIENTISTS, ACTIVISTS AND ENVIRONMENTALISTS GEARED TOWARDS THE ELIMINATION OF SMOKING IN SOCIETY. I VOTE BOTH 2. AND 2.

THE COGENT EXISTENTIAL QUESTION SHOULD BE, IS LIFE WORTH LIVING WITHOUT CIGARETTES? IF THE ANSWER IS NO, EVEN BISHOP FULTON SHEEN WOULDN'T DISAGREE. THE REITERATED THEME SONG ON HIS POPULAR TELEVISION PROGRAM FROM THE 1950'S, WAS THAT "LIFE IS WORTH LIVING." WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? LIFE, LOVE, GOD, TOBACCO, DRUGS, CHARITY, HOPE, FAITH, GOOD DEEDS, DEEP THOUGHTS, COURAGEOUS ACTIONS - ALL INVOLVE SOME ELEMENT OF PERSONAL DANGER. THE FEARLESS EMBRACE OF DANGER FOR HEAVENLY GLORY MAKES LIFE WORTHWHILE.

I CAN'T BELIEVE I FOUND THIS APT QUOTE FROM A POET (LUMMIS) IN THE LAST CENTURY;
MY CIGARETTE! THE AMULET
THAT CHARMS AFAR UNREST AND SORROW,
THE MAGIC WAND THAT, FAR BEYOND
TODAY, CAN CONJURE UP TOMORROW.