John CapuchinoA Call to Arms Someone has taken our benches. I can only assume that it was done under the administrations authority. I understand that it’s ridiculous to have cigarette butts lying on the ground, everywhere except in the ashtrays. I understand that certain people in power feel that smokers have given up their rights due to their misbehavior. The word misbehavior is apropos. It’s often used when addressing children’s inappropriate actions. In this case, those in power have taken the role of disciplinarian and are attempting to punish us smokers for our rebellious ways. Ok, ok, I get that society has turned its back on us and that the transition from smoking is bad, to smokers are bad people is complete. Now I think its time for negotiations. First to get the attention the authority figures; I propose smokers smoke wherever they want on campus for one week. I propose that they put their butts out on the ground and leave them in conspicuous places. The key is numbers. If all smokers strike at the same time, it becomes impossible to enforce the no-smoking policy on campus. There will be hardships. Certainly many of us will get smoking tickets. This is a price that must be paid. At this point the administration will be ripe to negotiate. Then the question that needs answering will be, “what do smoker’s at De Anza College want?” Our requests cannot be outrageous. In fact we should not even ask to rescind the smoking ban on campus. Our goal should be basic human rights. If the administration wants to push us to the parking lot, then they should provide benches and ash trays at every parking lot connection to the campus. The benches should not be rickety or falling apart. Every other bench should have an umbrella to shelter smokers in the rain. All drinking fountains should be fixed and working, distributing a properly pressured stream. And parking spots should be widened in all parking lots. I know that some of these requests don’t relate to smoking, but while we have the upper hand we should use it. In return smokers will smoke only on grounds next to parking lots where ash trays are placed and they will put their butts in proper receptacles. I can guarantee that De Anza smokers will never dispose of their cigarettes properly unless some demands are met. At this point, to punish the rebellious is only making the situation worse. This should all be done in a public forum and smokers should some how be notified of the terms. The conditions should be that if a smoker breaks the truce agreed upon by smoking where their not supposed to, or by littering, that smoker should be fined some reasonable amount. The point is that there has to be a give and take. Some tables were a nice gesture. Now we want more. Accommodate us. We should not be treated like leapers cast out from society. After all, you probably smoked when you were 20 too, and not just cigarettes