March 1999
2 Commentary
Smoke
This!
Joe Raymond
On College campuses
there are many problems and
issues that must be dealt with.
While we try to settle the
situations that have an immedi
ate effect on us, we often leave
other issues on the bottom of
the pile. What we don’t realize
is that the material postponed
until later still affects us until it
is dealt with properly. Cigarette
smoking is one of those issues,
for it is killing us as we speak,
and yet we are not dealing with
it. We must become more aware
and active on this issue by
learning about tobacco, its
poisons, industry and their
untruths that lead to misconcep
tions. Then see what is wrong
on our campus.
I’m sure we’re all aware
of the issues in smoking
tobacco, but one issue that
doesn’t seem apparent enough
is the presence of environmental
tobacco smoke (ETS), or
second-hand smoke. Involun
tary smoke is a cause of disease,
including lung cancer, in healthy
nonsmokers.
Exposure to environ
mental tobacco smoke occurs
anywhere where smoking is
permitted. In fact, according to
Science News, “Nonsmoking
adults chronically exposed by
the cigarettes of a spouse or
coworkers face a roughly 20
percent increased risk of lung
cancer.”
Because of the
discovery of ETS and its harms,
the Surgeon General points out
that it is up to us as parents,
employers, employees, friends,
smokers, and nonsmokers to
prevent the exposure of ETS.
For smokers, it is their responsi
bility to assure that their
behavior does not jeopardize the
health of others. Smoking is
related to a variety of illnesses,
including lung cancer, cardio
vascular disease, coronary heart
disease, and chronic obstructer
lung disease.
Society is finally letting
go of the decade when smoking
was considered a harmless
foible. Society is now helping
create the real picture, the
picture that shows smoking as a
socially inappropriate and
dangerous behavior.
Society’s view a
decade ago was socially
reinforcing of smoking, a view
which still lingers in the air like
stale smoke. In fact, the
acceptability of smoking in
certain circles is an important
reason why people continue to
smoke. However, if society
embraces the idea that smoking
is dangerous, the number of
smokers will shrink because
smokers will be viewed as social
menaces who endanger not only
the themselves, but also friends,
families, and others in general.
The idea of quitting
smoking first dawned on people
after they realized just how
harmfiil and deadly smoking is.
However, many still smoke at a
time when smokers should be
even more inspired to quit given
the medical studies on illness
and deaths caused by smoking.
As the Surgeon General points
out in Article 26 of the USDH, it
is the responsibility of smokers
to assure that their behavior
does not jeopardize the health of
others.
For these reasons, I am
glad students abide by the rule
of not smoking in the classroom
buildings, but I wish students
would not smoke in the dorms
for the health of fellow students.
Additionally, I personally wish
smokers would concern
themselves with the hazards of
environmental smoke and not
smoke outside of classroom
buildings. Wanting to finish the
cigarette that they can’t take
inside, smokers too often flock
there. For me, I know that as I
go to class I must dodge my
way through a cloud of smoke
contributed to by at least a half-
dozen smokers.
Added to these facts is
the additional reality that the
aesthetic beauty of our campus
is ruined by the infinite amount
of cigarettes lying around. They
are around all of the buildings
on campus. They ruin the look
and smell of the New Village.
Why is it tolerated? What kind
of example are we setting? We
are a place of higher education,
how educated are we if we don’t
learn from and act on our
mistakes?
I realize that smoking
is a problem that will not be
dealt with over night, and that
cigarettes won’t be “extin
guished” for at least the next
couple of decades, but I do want
this problem to be solved. I ask
that smokers keep others in
mind, and put filters in the
trash. I do not consider myself
selfish, though I do care about
my health and my loved ones. I
care about Mother Earth, my
children, and their children.
IN THIS ISSUE
Commentary
2
Around Campus
3
News
1/4
Sports
5
Entertairmient
6
Environment
7/8
Classified
9/10
Petri On Recorder
Wows Full House
Jeremy Christian
Brevard recently had the
privilege of witnessing a stun
ning concert by world-renowned
artist Michala Petri. Known for
her expertise on the recorder,
Petri performed with The North
Carolina Symphony, under the
direction of Gerhardt Zinimer-
rmarm. Performing before a ftjll
house at The Paul Porter Center,
Petri wowed the excited crowd
with her amazing notes and
lightening quick fingers.
Born in Copenhagen,
Petri studied music at the
Hochschule fur Musik and
Theatre in Hannover. She made
her professional debut in 1969
and frequently performs with
ensembles in Europe including
the English Chamber Orchestra
and the Academy of St. Martin-
in-the-Fields. In the US she has
appeared nationwide and world
premiered a work by Malcolm
Arnold at Carnegie Hall. She has
numerous recordings and six
concerto albums with the
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-
Fields. She has also recorded an
album with her guitar playing
husband and recital collaborator,
Lars Harmibal.
The NC Symphony is
one of 34 major U.S. orchestras.
With 65 full-time musicians, it
performs over 200 concerts a
year. Conductor Zimmermann,
also director and conductor for
the Canton Symphony Orchestra
in Ohio and the Breckenridge
Music Institute in Colorado,
commanded with enthusiasm and
exuberance. Zimmermann, for
merly Saint Louis Symphony’s
Associate Conductor, was
selected as one of the Exxon Arts
Endowment conductors.
Combining these talents
made for an unbelievable show.
The anxious crowd waited for the
show’s beginning and was
delighted upon Zimmerman’s
entrance. Following the first piece
performed by the Symphony,
fans realized their money was
well spent. As for BC students,
no pennies required, so if you
didn’t go, you truly missed out!