Louisiana at it's best

2009-10-10T05:32:00.001-07:00

Hello ....people This is me Mr Rowley I would just like to let ya'll know that we are doing so,so and that we are one of the lucky ones that got floodied for Hurricane IKE and is having to redo do my home all over, I had over 6 foot of water over 3 foot in it, This time we didn't get any help from any body like we did for the others hurricanes,somebody didn't like what I had to say about all the bullsh-t that was going on here in Louisiana, I would like you to see the water we got for hurricane IKE and you tell me what you see,I would also like to know if there is anybody out there that reads this because if I'm wasting my time doing this then I'LL stop,You know we go to war we send kids to die and the government call it freedom I call it bullsh-t we don't have much freedom any more. government can do
what they want but when it comes to you,you have to pay tax on it.

2009-06-11T05:33:00.000-07:00

I would like you people to read this.......

Hello....all
I would like ya'll to read something that I put on a web sit ,I take it some of you don't like what I have to say,
I don't like what I'm having to do like redoing my house refixing it, we got over 6 foot of water for
hurricane Rita then to top it off we got over 6 foot of water for Hurricane Ike, but who cares right
this is Louisiana at it's best, help the ones that don't need help.

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Roy & Lori Rowley
To: candyman_726@yahoo.com
Sent: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 9:12:31 AM
Subject: Fw: Fema Campers

----- Original Message -----
From: Roy & Lori Rowley
To: mrrrowley@yahoo.com
Sent: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 9:08 AM
Subject: Fema Campers

I would like to know what will it take for people to understand
what the hell is going on. I got over 6 foot of water for hurricane Rita
and we were waiting for the Road Home to send us the money to elevate my house. They sent us the money 2 weeks after we flooded for Hurricane Ike, with another 6 feet of water. We had been living with my Mother-in-law for 8 months. We had been tring to buy a fema trailer with Fema because they wanted to put a park model mobile home in our yard which would have been too big and in the way when they come to elevate our home. We ended up spending over $5,000.00 of our insurance money to buy a x-Rita camper from someone who bought a bunch from the auction for cheap. He is doing minor repairs and making a killing. Instead of Fema helping the ones who need it the most they are lining the pockets of those that don't need any help at all. We could have bought one ourselves through the auction but had no way to go get it. We were left with no choice, other than stay with my Mother-in-law for however long it would take to get our home liveable again. We got minimal help from Fema. We really don't think we will get much help, if any for the next storm. But, as usual, will had to take it upon ourselves to do what we had to do.
Hopefully, we will have enough warning to be able to get this camper our of our yard before the next storm hits us with even more water.'
We live in Terrebonne Parish, La. and south of the Intercoastal waterway. Our government can seem to find money to bail out the rich, and the foreign countries, but when it comes to us and natural disasters, WE HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN.

2009-05-15T19:45:00.000-07:00

Why is the government taking away the people’s rights?

I'm 53 years old, I'm not a kid. It’s the kids that are dying in this damn war, so why are they doing it, if not for our freedom and rights?

2009-05-14T06:05:00.000-07:00

hello ....
People
This is another one of Louisiana at it's best,when it come down to you
knowing what is happening you have to look and see what is going on
the law makers like to take away your rights but when it comes to taking away your taxes you don't see them doing that,when you need them they look for way to get
out of helping you.
just to let ya'll know I'm talking about I got floodied for hurricane Rita 3 years later I got floodied for Hurricane Ike we didn'tg get much help for Hurricane Ike
no body came and help us what is going on with this.
can anybody shine some light on this.

2009-01-09T03:26:00.001-08:00

Hello...
People
I would like to give ya'll a note
I got flooded again for hurricane IKE and did the good old
USA give a RATS ass about me and my family NOT much,
I will have to fix and redo my home myself the cost of getting somebody to do it will cost to much.
fema is a joke.
So remember when the time come and you need help
you may not get it from them.

2007-08-26T11:51:00.000-07:00

I like you to read this.

75 percent of Americans overweight by 2015. "Obesity is likely to continue to increase, and if nothing is done, it will soon become the leading preventable cause of death in the United States."

I would like to say this it's not about caring it's about money
"Obesity is one of the thing that will kill people,guns kills
but do you see them talk about all that, all they talk about
is smoking, smoking is going to kill you we will all die one day
and it will not matter if you did smoke are if you didn't smoke.
Right now they are talking about going up on the price of cigarettes
is this the salutation to what needs to be done, if smoking is so bad then why don't they stop selling them,I think you know and I know why.
If they don't give a rats ass about the kids that are dieing in this dam war,what makes you makes you think they care about you are me smoking a dam cigarettes. I don't know about you ,,,,,,,,,but I'm not a kid.

----- Original Message -----
From: The Smokers Rights Newsletter Issue
Sent: Thursday, August 02, 2007 9:21 AM
Subject: The Smokers Rights Newsletter Issue

The United Pro Choice
Smokers Rights Newsletter
August 3, 2007 - Issue #444

"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible
will make violent revolution inevitable."
- John F. Kennedy
Lighting up at the movies. By Jacob Sullum. If anyone is making smoking seem cool, it's self-righteous busybodies like Stanton Glantz.

In the Name of “Public Health.” By Jacqueline S. Homan. In the rush to pound the public health pulpit, Antis would have the public at large in a panic over the “dangers” of ETS. Let us analyze a few real threats to public health that are not based on junk science and fuzzy math, and see how they stack up...

75 percent of Americans overweight by 2015. "Obesity is likely to continue to increase, and if nothing is done, it will soon become the leading preventable cause of death in the United States."

Tobacco may help fight cervical cancer. The tobacco-based vaccine still in the works would cost an estimated $3 for three doses, compared with $360 for three doses of Gardasil. This would make it affordable for developing countries like India, where the disease is the most common malignancy among women.

Glaxo in Nicotine Drug Pact. The agreement gives the European drug maker access to Targacept's neuronal nicotinic receptor compounds, including an experimental drug in midstage Phase II clinical trials for acute postoperative pain.

Anti-Smoking Campaign Achievements Exaggerated. Korea. "It's excessively political to only emphasize decrease in men's smoking rate since the recent trend is that smoking rate amid women and teenager is on a significant increase,'' Choi said.
From The International Mailbag
The Canadian Smokers Rights Newsletter.
Australia: 14 smoking mums fined for smoking in cars.
Western Australia: Outdoor smoking ban inevitable.
Bahrain: Malls ban on smoking is stepped up.
Demark: Against Ban, 700 bar owners legal challenge.
Germany: A ban comes into force in three of the 16 federal states.
India: Delhi High Court reserves order on smoking in films.
Scotland: Plan to ban 'traditional' cigarettes in drive to cut fires.
UK: Government "duped by fake and twisted science."
From The USA Mailbag
IA: Des Moines Smoking wars move into condo complex.
IL: Tax bill has shown true colors and why there is a rush on it.
NV: Smoking foes questioning Nevada tax breaks.
SC: Issac J. Bailey, Smoking ban not the way to go.
TN: State updates on Congress, tax, ban, drinkers.
USA: Federal Tax, SCHIP, update on cigarette tax.
Defiance And Ban Damage Hurts Everyone
DC: Late-night noise at Jack's draws neighbor protests.
NV: Barkeeps ways to keep smoking without running afoul of the law.
TX: Beaumont Smoking ban has many businesses in the hot seat.
UK: James Oyebola dies by gunshot while enforcing the ban.
UK: Call Paul Toole for the Protest March on August 11.
The Slippery Slope After Tobacco
Alcohol: 100 a day admitted to UK hospital over drinking.
Office printers health risk, should come with a health warning.
New Gallup Poll Reveals that Nearly Half of Smokers Feel Discriminated Against As a Result of Smoking Restrictions.
The Club Forum is now 96 Forums listed on one page.

Post at topics with everyone, and in geographical areas to talk with other local smokers.
Join FREE - Home - Events - Forum - Videos - Please Help - ©

2007-08-10T06:22:00.000-07:00

Read this people.
The E-mail address that you see is people I sent this too.
Sammantha is with smoker rights.
Some of you may not like what she is doing and what I'm doing
But I like to add this I don't like what the government is doing we are paying taxes
and it's like we are paying them to tell us what we can or cannot do.
we send kids to war and die for freedom and this is what freedom is, taking away your rights, I fine something wrong with that.
Now I know government worker smoke what do they get for smoking a pat on the hand
when they get stop.

Hello....
Samantha
I don't know how much good this will do but anything is better than nothing.
They do like we are kids not taxs payer,I think if they are going to take away people rights then take away the taxs we pay.
They are sending kids to die and fight for freedom and this is
what they call freedom.
----- Original Message -----
From: Roy & Lori
To: hinesd@legis.state.la.us ; Hebert, Rep. (District Office) ; fieldsc@legis.state.la.us ; fontenoc@legis.state.la.us ; gautreauxn@legis.state.la.us ; dardennej@legis.state.la.us ; Cook, Colby ; contact@la.gov ; cainj@legis.state.la.us ; Burrell, Rep. (District Office) ; Burns, Rep. (District Office) ; Boasso, Sen. (District Office) ; barhamr@legis.state.la.us ; adleyr@legis.state.la.us ; websen@legis.state.la.us ; boassow@legis.state.la.us ; lasen15@legis.state.la.us ; smithcheek@legis.state.la.us ; duplessisa@legis.state.la.us ; Reggie Dupre ; ellingtn@legis.state.la.us ; lasen21@legis.state.la.us ; heitmeierf@legis.state.la.us ; hollisk@legis.state.la.us ; jacksonl@legis.state.la.us ; kostelka@legis.state.la.us ; lentini@legis.state.la.us ; malonem@legis.state.la.us ; lasen17@legis.state.la.us ; lasen29@legis.state.la.us ; lasen23@legis.state.la.us ; lasen27@legis.state.la.us ; murraye@legis.state.la.us ; quinnj@legis.state.la.us ; romeroc@legis.state.la.us ; schedlet@legis.state.la.us ; smithmi@legis.state.la.us ; theunisg@legis.state.la.us
Sent: Sunday, July 15, 2007 9:06 PM
Subject: House Bill 1010

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 11:13 pm Post subject: URGENT/ALERT: LA Senate To Vote On Smoking In Car Ban

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

House Bill 1010, that seeks to ban smoking in cars should there be a child on board, passed the house 66 to 31! Outrageous!

I would like to add this, If you are going to take away my freedom
my wife freedom and my rights, then maybe you need to start paying my bills and taking care of my family, we didn't vote you
in office so you can dictate to us, we or not kids.
Who will give a ticket to the people that works for the state the parish or government enforcement officers that smoke?
Because just like the seatbelt law you pass we see them not wearing it, when they are in their policecar.

Below is what I wrote. You can use as example or just send the same thing... Do try to add your own stuff at the front and inbetween so they look different.

I am writing to express my deep concern in regards to HB 1010.

I feel the bill infringes upon several rights. One being the rights of a parent. Another being the rights of a smoker.

This bill is taking away the rights of parents and how they choose to raise their children. Most unsettling is the thought of where this bill will lead. To make it a crime for a person to smoke with his or her child in their own car will open the door for it becoming a crime for a person to smoke within their own home in the presence of their child. What is to stop that from happening? This is where it all starts.

Even in the car alone! I am outraged that this bill passed the House. Already I have wrote everyone in the House who approved this bill expressing my extreme disappointment. Likewise, those who didn't approve it with praise. It is troubling to me that such a bill that infringes upon the rights of parents even passed.

Equally troubling is the purpose of this bill.

The baby-boom generation was raised mostly by smokers. Parents who smoked at home. At work. In the car. Around their kids. Those of the baby-boom generation have lived the longest. As children, they weren't plagued by any adverse health issues.

Today... Today most people don't smoke. Most children are raised in smoke-free cars and homes. Yet, today's kids are suffering from diabetes, obesity, laziness, heart disease and more.

So where is the logic behind this bill?

Let's also look at scientific facts.

The World Health Organization launched an extensive study to find the health affects of ETS (Environmental Tobacco Smoke). What did they find? They found that children raised in a home where both parents smoke are at a 22% less risk of developing lung cancer.

It must also be noted they failed to find any adverse health affects related to ETS among adults. ETS is virtually free of threatening the health of anyone, both young and old, according to their study.

Of course their findings were not exactly what they were hoping to find so they concealed the study from the public until the British press got hold of it. Unfortunately for that reason, they do not offer the study on their website but I can offer you an abstract on the study found here.

Another, much more extensive 39 year study done by the British Medical Journal shows there is no risk to anyone's health from ETS as well.

A quote from the two who conducted the study says it all: "No significant associations were found for current or former exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, before or after adjusting for seven confounders, and before or after excluding participants with pre-existing disease." -- Enstrom & Kabat, British Medical Journal, Vol. 326

To view that study in it's entirety you can do so here.

Looking at the scientific evidence, and simple logic in comparing today's youth to yesteryears, I can not even begin to comprehend the reasoning behind this bill other than to take away the rights from parents. Already parents have lost many rights in raising their children... We have young girls being escorted out of state by their teacher to have an abortion without their parents being notified. Parents living in fear of ever disciplining their children due to political correctness run amuck and the term "child abuse" being exploited. Public schools not allowing packaged lunches from home containing foods that have been deemed "less than ideal" by the government. And so forth... The list is endless.

It comes down to, simply said, the bill is unconstitutional. Wrong. Disgusting... Goes against everything America stands for. Un-American sums it up best.

How many more rights of parents must we steal before we can be content? And for those without kids who smoke... Knowing they can no longer smoke around their kids, and not just in the car as we both know should this pass it will stem to the home as well, who is going to even want a child? Not to say the pleasure of smoking comes before raising a child but.... Why would I want a child in this country knowing I can not raise him or her how I see best?

The decision for a parent to smoke around his or her child needs to be left up to the parent. Not the government. Especially considering the lack of scientific evidence to back any claims of justifying this bill of stealing parent's rights as Gary Smith, the one who proposed the bill, likes to say, "I'm just trying to protect those who cannot protect themselves." Care to back that by any scientific evidence Gary?

I urge you to strongly consider the repercussions of this bill. How this measure will eventually stem to the home and other areas outside the car. How this measure will take away rights from parents. Other rights too that soon may be infringed upon of both the parent and smoker should this bill pass.

I thank you for your time and consideration on the matter.

-- NAME

2007-05-15T03:57:00.001-07:00

I would like you to see this and read.

May 3, 2007

[recipient address was inserted here]

[recipient name was inserted here],

Please make sure Mr. President Bush reads this !

I would like to know what the excuse is this time for the price of gas
going sky high again. First they blamed it on the storms (hurricanes) now
they are blaming it on the demand. I would like to know why, if the
majority of our oil is imported from foreign countries, how can this be?
We live in Louisiana, one of the states that produces alot of the oil for
the country. But yet we are paying almost $3.00 a gallon. I wouldn't be
complaining if I was getting $100,000.00, $150,000.00 or $780,000.00 (like
the Bushe's) a year. We live on a fixed income and paycheck to paycheck.
The majority of the people in the United States are in the same situation.
We don't have the pleasure of having "fringe benefits" that go with your
jobs. Like car expenses accounts, paid vacations, etc., etc. paid for by
the tax payers. Mr. Bush, you don't have to pay much of anything out of
your pocket, we pay for it. As with most of the politicians in our
Country. When are you going to make youself concerned with what is best
for the common people of this country? Why are you more concerned with
what is going on in other countries? Why do you let YOUR people suffer,
struggle and beg? We were not all born with silver spoons in our mouths
or with the slightest chance of getting half way "up the ladder". What
will it take for changes to be made to make life a little less dramatic
for all of us. We have suffered and struggled enough. Maybe we should
hire Mexicans in place of our politicians because they like to work cheap.
Being they are flocking here to take our jobs. A response from YOU,
personally, would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

2006-11-01T13:07:00.000-08:00

This is a copy of a letter we sent to the one sitting government office.

Dear Mr. Representative,

I don't know who you and everyone of the representatives that voted for this ban think you are. I think ya'll need to change your title to House of Rulers, instead of representatives.
What gives ya'll the right to make up laws without the peoples vote? What is happening to our freedom? We don't have much of any left as it is.
I recently quit smoking over a year ago. Not because I had to or because someone made me. I chose to stop on my own. I understand smoking is bad for you, and others around you. But when will ya'll stop trying to tell us fully grown, law abiding adults, how to live?
If ya'll want to stop the "sickness's" from smoking and second hand smoke, then stop the production of tobacco altogether. But oh no, ya'll would never do that. The government makes way too much money from the sales of tobacco. And the other killer, alcohol. Don't hear ya'll trying to stop that either. The government would go totally bankrupt without it.
And considering we just buried my 27 year old nephew because he was drinking and driving, ya'll have your priorities all wrong. A person who smokes or is around smoke has a good chance of living a pretty decent life, to a good age. But a person who drinks and drives, either kills themselves or some innocent people. It is a traumatic death. Something very hard for their loved ones to overcome for a long time. I don't know if you have had someone in your family die like that. My sister is not taking it too well. When a smoker dies, they usually go peacefully.
But back to my subject. I am upset at all these laws that you are making,making hard working law abiding citizens criminals. Any little thing they can make a law on to collect on fines and court fees is just fine with ya'll.
Back to our freedom. We are supposively fighting a useless war in Iraq for our "freedom". How can you honestly send our sons, daughters, fathers and mothers to die for our freedom while ya'll sit here at home and take away ours. It's not about the Iraqi peoples freedom anyway..It's all about the oil.
Any smoker in their right mind will always open their drivers side window while they are smoking, the smoke gets pulled out as they are driving.
I would like to know who will give the police officers, public officials, etc..etc. a ticket? I see police officers all the time without their seatbelts. But let us get caught without it. I see them speeding and making improper turns all the time.
I feel that if ya'll want to tell us how to live and what is right from wrong, being you think "we the people" are too stupid to know better, then you should start paying my bills. Maybe my car insurance, house/flood insurance, life insurance, etc. Maybe take away all the taxes we have to pay for you to tell me how I should be living. I'm 50 years old and have not been in trouble for anything. Now you are going to make a criminal of my wife because she smokes.
How many of ya'll have been to a funeral of a young person that got killed drinking and driving? How many of ya'll have gone to a funeral of someone who smoked? In case you haven't I can tell you the difference. A person who smoked will look pretty much the same as they did before they died. A person killed because of drinking and driving will not look the same as they did the day before. There will be cuts and bruises and heavy makeup used. The damages from drinking far outweigh the damages from smoking or second hand smoke.
I feel you don't really give a damn about the people or the kids. All you care about is the money.

P.S.
This letter is not intended for those few that beleive in the rights of the people. And let this be a reminder of who pays your salary.

2006-09-18T17:35:00.000-07:00

Why?

To Everyone Concerned,

I put my plywood sign out at the front of our street a couple days after we flooded from Hurrican Rita. It read in big red letters, "Have we been forgotten".
I feel we have been forgotten of by all forms of govenment for long enough. When we flooded for Hurrican Juan 21 years ago in October, they did nothing. All this time they have done nothing but study after study. Now that we have flooded again, they want to try to do something that will take 15-20 years to do.
I feel that the people of South Louisiana have been forgotten about when it comes to getting anything from the State or Federal Government.
We have been through enough. We have waited too long. With the increase in the price for gas, insurance, lumber, utilities, groceries, etc. etc., how much more do the want from us. When we can't get much of anything from them.
Now they want to burden us with this one cent sales tax for our levees. I don't feel that the money will be spent on our levees and that the HNC lock is only going to protect the west side of Houma. That water will have to go somewhere.
It seems to be a loosing battle. We are undecided if we want to sell out or stay and put up with it. We shouldn't have to be making that decision. We cannot afford to move, yet we cannot physically or mentally keep going though this.
I feel that if the Federal Government can send/spend money in Iraq, Afganistan, Indonesia, etc.,etc., then they can give us the money to build the levees and locks to protect us. Why do we have to fight tooth and nail to get anything from the government when all these other countries do nothing for us and they sure don't pay their fair share of any taxes. They get a handout and we have to beg.
I don't think President Bush even cares about what happens to the people of South Louisiana. His oil buddies are more important. He will never walk in our shoes or worry about any of the things we have to worry about.
I don't know if my letters are getting through to anyone, but as long as the government keeps wasting our money I will keep wasting my brain cells and my wifes time writing these letters.

2006-08-27T18:52:00.000-07:00

I like you to check this out.

I will never understand why the people are letting this happen. I keep writing letters and posting messages and it's getting us nowhere. I send letters to all the state reps even the President, not one of them replies to me.
This link is to an article that I think sums up our rights issue pretty good. Please read:

: http://www.houmatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060805/OPINION/608040335/1031/OPINION03

To me this is only a money matter, not a health issue. The government wants to get every nichol and dime out of law abiding citizens that they can. By making laws like this thats what they are doing. If you are not a criminal they will make you one. What will be next?

2006-08-27T05:52:00.000-07:00

They waste, we pay
Need a trip to hawaii, why not?
Need a new truck, why not? tax payers are
paying the bill.
Need a house, need a camp, need boat,need a big pay check,why not?tax payers are paying, what else is the tax payers paying for?

This was in the news paper as you can see back in May.

I like to say this we don't need somebody that sit on there ass talking about
doing work, we need somebody that will do the work.
They like to make cuts and take away jobs from people that do work,when it comes
to them all they look for is more money for sitting on there ass.
Terrebonne Parish looks to help only the rich.

Louisiana Press Association's Newspaper of the Year | May 11, 2005

April 27. 2005 3:13PM

Parish Council takes trips; others lose jobs

How can the Terrebonne Parish Council afford to go to Hawaii but can not afford to send kids to a summer camp along with saying that the parish is in a big budget cut right now?

They cut 18 firefighters and still today we get threats about more cuts. Parish Administrator Barry Blackwell said that the cuts were just as even with the Police Department, but we’ve yet to see it. The parish administrator has been cutting everyone under the sun, and now they do some crazy stuff like this. They even want a raise.

Well, we want our fire department positions back, but that will not happen. I guess the parish officials will take another trip at our expense.

Lanny -------
Houma

2006-07-30T22:39:00.000-07:00

Terrebonne Parish government

I am writing concerning the lock they are planning on putting in the Houma Navagational Canal. I do not feel that this will benefit the whole parish. I feel they are putting it where it will only benefit the City of Houma itself and not the low lying areas that flood.
I feel that the Parish should have done something 20 years ago when we flooded for Hurricane Juan. Instead they felt that it was more inportant to have a Civic Center, the Bank One building, and a state of the art Library. The highest cell phone bills and trips to Hawaii. I live in Upper Little Caillou. We are only 7 miles from Prospect St. We flooded for Juan and had one foot of water in our home then. This time, for Rita, we had 3 feet in our home. What about the people in Montegut that have flooded four times in the past 20 years? How is this lock going to protect them?
Every time the Parish of Terrebonne wants something they pass a tax. They put the cost on the tax payers. Who do we pass the cost onto? Who do we pass the cost of rebuilding our homes on to? Who do we pass the cost of replacing all our funiture and appliances on to? Not to mention all the things we lost that cannot be replaced. All we get is higher insurance cost and wishfull thinking that it won't happen again.
I feel that they are only looking to protect the city of Houma, especially the west side, and all the fancy camps along side the deep water channel, down Dularge and the condo's across from the Civic Center. They must not let Martin Luther King Blvd. or Hwy 311 flood. But who cares about us dumb coonass's down the bayou. The hard working, low and middle income families who cannot afford the insurance and cannot afford to move either. We are expendable. But they sure want our tax money.
Why don't you tax the oil companies that are using the Navigational Canal? We are taxed enough and our money is not being spent as it should. Terrebonne Parish should have gotten it's priorities straight a long time ago. We cannot even get the parish to fix our school bus turnaround much less protect us from flooding again.
Terrebonne Parish Government keeps forgetting who they work for? They work for us, the tax payers. We pay their salary. We pay for all their fringe benefits. Yet we keep getting the short end of the stick.

2006-07-08T05:58:00.000-07:00

Louisiana at it's best

2006-07-08T05:29:00.000-07:00

I like you people to take a look at this.
Take a look at these pic,we took for the flood.

This is what we got but it was a lot wrost in other parts
of south Louisiana.
You know, We can send money to other countrys but
who check to see where the money is going
but when it comes to us we have to go to so much bullshit and that isn't no lie

2006-06-25T19:15:00.000-07:00

I like you to read this.

Louisiana at it's best.

Don't all these politicians have anything better to do with their time than make all kinds of stupid laws that infringe on the rights of the people? This law is just another dollar in the pockets of the criminal justice system. Making crimianls out of law abiding citizens. Smoking is legal (freedom of choice). It's only going to give the cops another reason to stop women and try to seduce them. It's going to take their time away from tracking down the real crimials. Who is going to give the cops a ticket? They break the laws all the time. Or is it they lost their camp down the bayou and need more money for a pay raise to fix it?
How much more can you squeeze out of the people?
I'm sure the Governor will not read this email because she has never responded to a single one I have sent her. But this will be sent to every Congressman and Senator in Louisian and posted on as many web sites as I can.
If you are so concerned about our children, why aren't you fighting tooth and nail to get us the money we need to fix our levees so our children don't have to worry about having to move away because our land is washing away. You are more concerned with who's smoking where? This is not the time to be wasting time on such a freedom of choice issue.
Governor Blanco, you seem to only be worried about New Orleans. What about us in Terrebonne Parish? Do we not exist? We flooded just like New Orleans. We are struggling to fix our homes as best we can. Terrebonne Parish floods every time there is a storm to our west. Not once in 75-80 years like New Orleans.. Our lower part of the parish floods with a South wind. We have been fighting for years and years and getting no where.
If they have so much time to waist then why don't they come here and help fix our house. Instead of having volunteers from out of state coming to do it.

Roy

2006-06-01T21:34:00.000-07:00

Is this a good one.

Can anyone tell me what is going to happen if the price of cigarettes keeps going up? I feel this is what will happen.
Besides getting people to quit because they cannot afford it, it will cause more people to start stealing them. Or stealing anything they can to sell to buy a pack.
Is this what the Federal, State, and Local governments are banking on? That way they will be able to put more people in jail and collect on the fines and fees. So they will have more "trustees' " to pick up trash on the side the roads?
Are maybe they don't want to say it free labor
is slave labor and by pasting them law that is what they are doing.
One more thing we have to obey the Laws but they don't.
You sure don't hear them talking about going up on the tax for alcohol and that kills more people than smoking!
I have been emailing Senators and Representatives for a long time now and none of them EVER answer my questions.
Maybe someone can shed some light on my concerns.

Roy Rowley

2006-05-24T19:37:00.000-07:00

I like you to check this out.

Sender's Name: Roy ROWLEY

Message:
I would like to know how many people can tell me what would happen if you take 10 people and put them in a
room with 10 smokers. How many will die?

Now If you to take 10 people put them in a room with a car or a truck running and tell me how many will die.

Ok one more time. You take 10 people stand them in a room and you get somebody with a second hand gun and shoot at them,(they may get lucky, they may not ) What you think.
Is going to happen?

Another one, if you take 10 people stand them up in a line facing a car or a truck with somebody that has been drinking driving. Can somebody tell what can happen?
I'd like to say I don't have anything bad to say if you drink at home.
There are little kids out there on the road don't kill them. thanks

Now if you send our kids, Fathers, Mothers,etc, to war, How many do you think will die?
If you think that only one will die,..........NOT....... Not going to happen.
So now with this being said I hope you can understand where I'M coming from.

There is a lot of other things that can kill
but having the government looking to make more money from you because of it is sad.

I think some of them look to do it just to see how much power they have telling people what they can or cannot do....... So I like to say this I'm not a kid I'm going to be 51 years old and I pay taxes and my kids pay taxes.

Thank you for your time.
Roy Rowley

2006-05-12T07:28:00.000-07:00

Louisiana Dictators

Dear Mr. Representative,

I don't know who you and everyone of the representatives that voted for this ban think you are. I think ya'll need to change your title to House of Rulers, instead of representatives.
What gives ya'll the right to make up laws without the peoples vote? What is happening to our freedom? We don't have much of any left as it is.
I recently quit smoking over a year ago. Not because I had to or because someone made me. I chose to stop on my own. I understand smoking is bad for you, and others around you. But when will ya'll stop trying to tell us fully grown, law abiding adults, how to live?
If ya'll want to stop the "sickness's" from smoking and second hand smoke, then stop the production of tobacco altogether. But oh no, ya'll would never do that. The government makes way too much money from the sales of tobacco. And the other killer, alcohol. Don't hear ya'll trying to stop that either. The government would go totally bankrupt without it.
And considering we just buried my 27 year old nephew because he was drinking and driving, ya'll have your priorities all wrong. A person who smokes or is around smoke has a good chance of living a pretty decent life, to a good age. But a person who drinks and drives, either kills themselves or some innocent people. It is a traumatic death. Something very hard for their loved ones to overcome for a long time. I don't know if you have had someone in your family die like that. My sister is not taking it too well. When a smoker dies, they us usually go peacefully.
But back to my subject. I am upset at all these laws that are making hard working, law abiding citizens criminals. Any little thing they can make a law on to collect on fines and court fees is just fine with ya'll.
Back to our freedom. We are supposively fighting a useless war in Iraq for our "freedom". How can you honestly send our sons, daughters, fathers and mothers to die for our freedom while ya'll sit here at home and take away ours. It's not about the Iraqi peoples freedom anyway..It's all about the oil.
Any smoker in their right mind will always open their drivers side window while they are smoking, the smoke gets pulled out as they are driving.
I would like to know who will give the police officers, public officials, etc..etc. a ticket? I see police officers all the time without their seatbelts. But let us get caught without it. I see them speeding and making improper turns all the time.
I feel that if ya'll want to tell us how to live and what is right from wrong, being you think "we the people" are too stupid to know better, then you should start paying my bills. Maybe my car insurance, house/flood insurance, life insurance, etc. Maybe take away all the taxes we have to pay for you to tell me how I should be living. I'm 50 years old and have not been in trouble for anything. Now you are going to make a criminal of my wife because she smokes.
How many of ya'll have been to a funeral of a young person that got killed drinking and driving? How many of ya'll have gone to a funeral of someone who smoked? In case you haven't I can tell you the difference. A person who smoked will look pretty much the same as they did before they died. A person killed because of drinking and driving will not look the same as they did the day before. There will be cuts and bruises and heavy makeup used. The damages from drinking far outweigh the damages from smoking or second hand smoke.
I feel you don't really give a damn about the people or the kids. All you care about is the money.

Sincerely yours,

2006-04-25T03:50:00.000-07:00

This letter is in red because of the blood that was lost when my nephew was kill this morning.
They say smoking kills will so does alcohol.
Antoine C Verret died this morining because of it. At 3;29 am monday he lost control of his car and I'm sorry to say but he may have been drinking.
So with this in mind, I would like to say that smoking didn't have anything to do with it.
This is what is left of his car.
The loss of this young man, may or may not mean any thing to some people, and what he did was wrong. But this is what he got for doing it.
What he got for doing this (he will not do any more).
But the ones selling it will go on.
So the taxs that the state gets is more important than life.
Maybe one day your kids will find out what Alcohol can do to them.

2006-04-20T21:00:00.000-07:00

I like you to read this.

outrageous gas prices

I am writing to you concerning the extremely high gas prices we are paying. I don't know about ya'll but I don't live on a $100,000.00 a year salary. No where near that. President Bush and all the other Senators and State Representatives in Washington and Baton Rouge make that or even more. They don't feel the bite in their wallet when they fill up their vehicles. They fill up their vehicles at the tax payers expense anyway. We live on less than $20,000.00 a year. My wife works and I'm on disability. We have family that have to live on that much or less. My Mom is stuggling since my Dad passed away. My Mother-in-law is stuggling since her husband died. It makes it real hard for a person working a minimum wage job to be able to afford to even go back and forth to work.
The government claims it's because of the storms that hit the Gulf. But all we hear about is that we are so dependent on foreign oil. If we were so dependent on foreign oil then why do they want to blame it on the loss of production in the Gulf? If the U.S. Government would stay out of the foreign countries business than we wouldn't have to worry about them cutting us off. They have us where they want us. If the Govenment would stop controlling the flow of oil from the Gulf States, there wouldn't be a shortage or a reason for oil to be so expensive. The Gulf States produce the most oil, but we suffer the most. Why was the U. S. Government paying $1.50 a gallon and selling it to the Iraqi's for .05 cents a gallon???? What made them more important than our own people?
Business's can pass their rising cost onto us, the consumers. But who do we pass the cost onto?
With the HIGH cost of gas, insurance, utilities, groceries, etc. How much more do you think you can squeeze out of us less fortunate people.
I just read a letter written by Johnny Adriani, a candidate in the New Orleans mayor race. Even though he is discussing the levee's in New Orleans he makes a very good point that the U. S. Government is more concerned with a Democratic Government in Iraq and the illegal immagrants than for it's own citizens. Check the letter out yourself.....
: http://www.bayoubuzz.com/boards/philboard_read.asp?id=1646
I know ya'll probably don't like what I have to say, but our tax dollars are paying your salary and your retirement benefits. Your kids education, your camp down the bayou, your luxury vehicles, million dollar mansions...etc..etc..etc.
We are here in South Louisiana trying to recover from two major disasters and ya'll can't find any way to help us with the extra burden of the the gas prices? It's not enough we have to pay high prices for the lumber and appliances and furniture that we have to replace, lets get them on the gas too.

Sincerly,

2006-04-09T20:03:00.000-07:00

Louisiana at it's best

2006-04-04T20:56:00.000-07:00

I'm desperately looking for someone willing to donate (or sell cheap) an old truck. I have a 1980 Ford F100 that is on it's last leg. It looks like crap but kinda still gets me where I want to go...to an extent. My wife thinks I love my truck more than I love her...hum....she hates it and says it has to go. It don't have to be in the best of condition but I'm looking for one that doesn't have much rust and no holes in the floor boards...must have matching dash and seats...widows that don't rattle and a tail gate that opens easily...and one that she can drive without the cops thinking she's drunk (she don't drink)...she even threatens to put a paper bag over her head when she rides with me. SHe said she is going to bury me in it too, after she gets it smashed into one of those square shapes...lol
Please help me !!

This is it.

2006-03-31T20:42:00.000-08:00

Please read....
This is a letter I received from FEMA. They feel like they have given me so much money. They are wasting more money than they are giving to the people who lost so much. THey are paying the people working for them more money in a month than they give to us. I had to buy new tools to fix my house myself because I lost all my tools in the flood and the contractor wanted $69,000.00 to fix my house.Our damages were estimated over $45,000.00 by our insuance company. FEMA only gave us $11,000.00 for contents,loosing everything under 3 feet in my house. Not counting everyting we lost that was outside and in our shed. The bank is holding $12,000.00 until the house is 90% complete. How are we suppose to pay someone to help me? Sometimes I feel like giveing up, not knowing if it will happen again next hurricane season. I know some people who have received more money from FEMA that had very little damages and didn't loose nearly what we lost.
I'm hurting and we are tired. But what are we suppose to do?

Dear Ms. Rowley,

Your case has been reviewed and you are not eligible for home repair from FEMA. Your insurance settlement is $32,200.00 and the FEMA maximum grant is $26,200.00 therefore you are ineligible for assistance with home repair.

This does not include assistance for rental if you are unable to stay in your home while repairs are made.
The following documentation will be required Recertification for requesting continuing Rental Assistance:

1) A letter from you stating why you have a continued need for Rental Assistance
2) A submission from you outlining a realistic Housing Plan to indicate your plans for self sufficiency
3) Documentation of appropriate use of previous Rental Assistance, i.e. verifiable rental receipts with the landlord's contact information

If you should you have additional questions about your registration you can also call FEMA’s toll-free helpline number at 1-800-621-3362.

Thank you for your inquiry.

Connie ID#7384

2006-03-25T09:33:00.000-08:00

I LIKE YOU TO CHECK THIS OUT IT'S THE LOCACL NEWS PAPER.

http://www.houmatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060324/NEWS/603240330&SearchID=73239543103134

2006-03-25T08:29:00.000-08:00

I like you to read this

To All it May Concern,

We received another letter from FEMA today. They are denying us for any other assistance. We were told that FEMA was going to cover what our insurance didn't. We had almost $45,000.00 in damages and only had $32,000.00 in insurance, which didn't cover our contents. We were told that FEMA would cover the differance, which is $13,000.00. When we called about the letter, we were told that they never received a settlement letter from our insurance company. We sent them everything we had received from the insurance company. We were never told we needed a settlement letter. We never even received one. We received a claim summary and we sent that to FEMA. It states on there how much we received from the insurance company. It also shows how much we had in damages.
What upsets me most is that we personally know people who are getting money left and right from FEMA and had little damages. We had almost three feet of water in our house. We know of people who lied their butts off to get money from FEMA and they got it. We are not lying about anything and are having to go through 3 kinds of hell to get anything. We got $32,000.00 from our insurance but the bank is holding $12,000.00 until the house is 90 % complete. We have done some of the house with the $20,000.00 but funds are getting low and the bank won't give us the rest until then. We had a contractor come out and give us an estimate. They wanted $69,000.00. What are we suppose to do?
I know a lot of people lost everything they own and don't even have a house to go home to. We flooded just the same. Is FEMA going to do the same to them just because they had insurance?
How many letters am I going to have to send before I get any answers? I send and send and send, but no one answers my questions. I keep getting the run around.
Any response would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You,
Roy Rowley

PS Maybe they need to see this pictrue so that they know what high water is.
And this is my house

2006-03-21T20:00:00.000-08:00

I LIKE YOU TO SEE THIS ONE

2006-03-19T05:57:00.000-08:00

This was sent too as many senator that I can sent it to.
And to the News paper.

To Whom it may concern,

We have been hearing a lot of stuff about the insurance making threats to not write anymore flood or homeowners insurance policies here in South Louisiana. We heard that they weren't going to write any more policies for 10 years or until they ( the parish or state government) fixed the levees. I was wondering if they are doing the same in Texas, Mississippi and Florida? As far as I know they don't have any levees. I may be wrong but I don't recall seeing any in Mississippi. What makes us any different? As long as the insurance companies are making money and not having to dish any out. it's ok. We just received our renewal for our homeowners policy and the premium has almost doubled for the same amount of coverage we had before. We were told they were approved for an increase way before the storms hit here. This company received a 159% increase. We did not make any claim on our homeowners policy, just on our flood. We have not received the renewal on that one yet. They are trying to pass the cost of these storms onto us. Who do we pass our cost onto? We only had $32,000.00 in insurance and had almost $45,000.00 in damages. Who is suppose to cover that difference? It's not our fault we flooded. It's the Governments fault for letting the oil companies come in and tear up our marshes and coastline. Not to mention the government should have done something about our levees 20 years ago when Terrebonne Parish flooded for Hurricane Juan. I believe the parish government busted the levees to stop Houma from flooding for Juan. I believe they did it again for Rita. What are we suppose to do. If we get dropped by our current insurance because we cannot afford it and we cannot get insurance anywhere else we will lose our home because we have a mortgage and are required to have insurance. Is this their way of taking our homes from us? What is it going to take for the Government to wake up and see how this will impact the people who have been hurt the most already. We cannot afford this increase. We live on less than $20,000.00 a year. We were having a hard time before the storm and now we are having to fix our house on what little money we got from the insurance. We could not afford to get a contractor, so we are having to do it ourselves. Thankfully we have a few volunteers through the United Houmas Nation that are coming to lend a hand.
Will all our hard work be for nothing if we have to drop our insurance and the bank gets our house from defaulting on our loan? I have been making phone calls and sending emails and getting no where.
Hopefully one day someone will listen to me and the government will be a little more sympathetic to the people instead of the insurance companies.

Sincerly,
Roy& Lori

2006-03-09T16:49:00.000-08:00

I like you to read this one.

I'd like to say that when Mrs.BLanco didn't get to jack smokers over for her $1.00 per pack tax, now Terrebonne Parish Council
is looking to jack smokers over in fines.
I'd like to say we didn't put them people in office for them to tell us what we can or can not do.
I decided to stop smoking because it was my choice. Just like it was my choice to smoke. I don't think the Federal or local government should be profiting from my choice to smoke. I'd like to know why the money they do collect does not go to health care when people do get sick. Why do they say second hand smoke kills when exhaust fumes from vehicles to factories causes illnesses that kill. Alcohol kills. Not only from drunk driving but causes liver damage, just to name one. If these things are so bad, why don't they just ban it completely. But I know why. They are making too much money from it. Why are they sending our children to die for other peoples freedom, while at the same time taking away our freedoms? I think the bans and laws they have in place now are more than enough to please the non-smoking people. STOP TAKING AWAY PEOPLE RIGHTS.

There is One more thing this is not about smoking this is about freedom of choice
what is next coming in your home and telling you
how to have sex with your wife are when.

2006-03-06T20:40:00.000-08:00

oopps...found another one....

It is sad when the state (and some people) think that paying the Saints to stay in Louisiana is only way things get done In Louisiana. That without the Saints we will go down the drain.
What about the taxes we pay now,sales tax,income tax, property tax, luxury tax, sin tax, gas tax,this fee, that fee, and on and on. The cost of living is going up but the minimum wage isn't.The cost of living is going up but the dollar is going down.
You people think the state cares about you or me
I don't think so.
I think caring about this dam war and them kids
that are coming home in body bags is more important than the Saints. The cuts to health care and sky rocketing health care cost are more important. If they would take the millions if not billions of dollars they are spending to keep the Saints and spend it on health care and teacher pay raises, it would be money well spent.
If the "over paid welfare receipients in Washington and Baton Rouge would take a cut in pay we could afford to keep our hospitals and clinics open. They have the best health care and retirement benefits the taxpayers money can buy while we have to struggle or do without.
I don't have very much education, I have more common sense than some.
I'd like to know what is it going to take for people to realize it doesn't do much good to get a good education and then not find a decent job in Louisiana. Unless we go to work for Mr. Benson.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2006-03-06T20:38:00.000-08:00

How about this one....

I am writing again concerning the smoking ban. I feel that if they pass this smoking ban they are violating my constitutional right to choose. I can think of a lot of other things that are a hazard to your health and they are not being banned. I was unable to attend the meeting Wednesday night to voice my opinion because I am having to do the repairs to my home because of the flood. I think they could be concentrating their attention on more important issues concerning the peoples safety, like the flooding we had to go through because they don't want to spend the money to do what needs to be done to make our levees better. Smoking issues are the least of my worries right now. We had almost three feet of water in our house. I think that is a more important health issue than someone smoking to close to someone else. I guess it's all about the fines they will be collecting from the people they write tickets to. Who is going to give the cops or the parish workers a ticket? Why do ya'll want to treat us like dumb little children? Terrebonne Parish Governmetn make me sicker than the cigarette smoke!

2006-03-06T20:32:00.000-08:00

One more for ya....

I don't think any of you will ever understand why we feel the way we do. There are so many things that are unhealthy for us but there are no laws against them. If smoking was so bad then why don't they ban cigerettes all together? We all know why. The government makes more money from tobacco sales than the tobacco companies do. I'm upset with it because of the fact that our rights are being taken away from us. Not just with the smoking issue. In case I forgot to inform you, I don't even smoke any more. My wife does and I wish she would quit. But it's her choice. Where are our rights as smokers? Who will fight for their rights? We don't have the NAACP to run too everytime something happens that we don't think is right.
The food we eat, the water we drink, the exhaust fumes from cars and factories, etc. is killing us all slowly. What gets me even more is that we are sending our children, fathers and mothers, to Iraq to supposively fight for their freedom, and supposively to protect ours. while our government is taking away ours, little by little.
I think the American Cancer Society is just pulling at straws to find an easy answer to what causes cancer. There are so many things that cause cancer out there they don't even know about. Lets blame it on smoking and second hand smoke.
If ya'll are so concerned about our health and safety why wasn't our levees fixed or improved 20 years ago? Why did we have to flood....again? Why is nothing being done, except study after study? I think ya'll should be more concerned about this problem instead of thinking of new ways to make us criminals.Where were ya'll when we flooded? I didn't see a single one of you on our street to see if we needed anything. I had to put a sign out at the end of our street before we got any help from anyone. I have flooded twice in 20 years. What is going to happen to me next time? Will I be denied help from the government because I didn't move out? Ya'll need to get ya'll priorities straight.

2006-03-06T20:31:00.000-08:00

here's another one....

Making us all criminals

It seems to me that the Terrebonne Parish Council just can't find enough new laws for everyone to break. That way they can collect more fines and fees. First it was the "no smoking in public" law. Now it's the noise law. Yes there are people that make excessive noises. And those people should be fined for it. But some noises cannot be controlled. Sometimes we can here 18 wheelers passing on the highway and we live in the back of a street. A long way from the highway. Our house is right in the path of the helicopters and airplanes. My dog hates helicopters and barks her head off at them. What am I suppose to do? Are you going to give them a citation? The garbage trucks wake us up twice a week at 5 a.m. but they are exempt. And I just love the fact that the government is going to be exemp, as usual.. If it has to be, then what is good for the goose is good for the gander. My Mother has dogs in her yard to protect her being she lives in a bad neighborhood. What is she suppose to do? Put muzzels on them at night when the drug heads and theives are roaming around all hours of the night? Then she won't know anything until they are in her house. We don't live in a perfect world and all these laws are making it harder and harder for us law abiding citizens to stay that way. Just because one or two people complained about a business making excessive noise they have to take it out on all of us. So ya'll want a smoke free, sound proof enviroment and to profit from it too. Guess ya'll need another trip to Hawaii, but to stay a few days longer while yacking on your cell phones. Or maybe to get another pay raise next year. Ya'll are going too far, enough is enough.

2006-03-06T20:17:00.000-08:00

I would like you people to know how much Terrebonne parish Government cares about us.
Not one of them came to see if we needed any thing, We had 5 feet of water 3 foot of it was in my house we lost alot but still not one of them came.
The only thing Terrebonne Parish cares about is money.
We just got flooded and the only thing they can think of is more money and how can they get there hands on it.
They are looking for us to pay more taxes so they
can fix the levees, not better them, just fix them.
So now when you people that smokes comes to Houma better make sure to say 10 feet away from any buisness door opening or you will get a fine. They didn't think of anything better to do with there time so they think of how to jack us over in fines and more taxes.
They can use our tax money for cell phones, buy new trucks, a trip to Hawaii, millions of dollars on buildings, and football teams.
and a lot of other things. But when we need something we have to pay more taxes. What is it going to take to wake you people up?
They send our kids to fight for other peoples freedom
but at same time are looking to take away ours and profit from it at the same time.

This is just one of the many messages I have posted at bayoubuzz.com, houmatoday.com, and am sending letters to our State Representives, Congressman, etc...etc...
Hopefully one day they will get the message!

2006-02-23T21:19:00.000-08:00

This is what I had to say to him.

My point is that they died an early death, too early. And it wasn't caused by smoking.
why haven't you answered my question about who will give the cops, government employees or their friends a ticket if they get caught "breaking the law".
Again if smoking and second hand smoke is soooooooo dangerous, why isn't it banned completely?
Just an example, the State Troopers were checking insurance and licenses the other day. when I stopped to show them my license and insurance card I jokingly said "I didn't do it." The officer said "If I said you did it, it would be your word against mine". My point, if they stop someone from smoking in "public", near an enterance, and they complain, the officer will be able to write them up for anything they want, and it will be their word against ours.
Like I said, ya'll are making law abiding citizens into criminals

2006-02-23T21:16:00.000-08:00

This what Mr.Thibodeaux had to say

what does any of that has to do with your charge that the Terrebonne Parish Council is taking away your rights?

Wayne Thibodeaux, CCED

2006-02-21T20:29:00.000-08:00

I like you people to read this.

I like you people to know how much Terrebonne parish Government cares
about us. Not one of them came to see if we needed any thing, We had 5
feet of water 3 foot of it was in my house we lost alot but still not one
of them came. The only thing Terrebonne Parish cares about is money. We
just got flooded and the only thing they can think of is more money and
how can they get there hands on it. They are looking for us to pay more
taxes so they can fix the levees, not better them, just fix them. So now
when you people that smokes comes to Houma better make sure to say 10 feet
away from any buisness door opening or you will get a fine. They didn't
think of anything better to do with there time so they think of how to
jack us over in fines and more taxes. They can use our tax money for cell
phones, buy new trucks, a trip to Hawaii, millions of dollars on
buildings, and football teams. and a lot of other things. But when we need
something we have to pay more taxes. What is it going to take to wake you
people up? They send our kids to fight for other peoples freedom but at
same time are looking to take away ours and profit from it at the same
time.

2006-02-21T19:26:00.000-08:00

THis is my reply to Mr. Thibodeaux:

WHY DON'T YOU ASK Mr.Diggs'family how he died.
He died from smoke all right but from the policeman gun. Ask my sister how my neice died at 18 yrs old. It wasn't from smoking. Ask my wife's sister how her foster son died. It was fighting a stupid war in Iraq. Ask the families of all the people coming home in body bags, if they smoked or not.

2006-02-19T19:44:00.000-08:00

This is my letter back to him....

Considering my dictionary is pack up because of us having to remodel our house from the 3 feet of water in it, I cannot look up the exact definition of extremism at this moment...but I will look it up soon. I will never understand why the majority cannot be morally and civilly correct. There is too much corruption in all forms of our government and you know it. If the government can take the upper hand over the people who voted them in to begin with, they will do it.
Again, my complaining about the smoking issue is not whether smoking is good or bad for you, it's our freedom being taken away from us to smoke where we choose. With the exception of common courtesy.
I still cannot get anyone to answer one main question I have with this ban. Who will give the police officers, parish workers, or their friends, etc. a ticket if they don't follow the laws. I know they don't abide by the seat belt law.
Now maybe my wife will die of phenomonia because she has to go where she is unprotected from the cold wind and rain to smoke at work. Then what? Where is the smokers rights?
If you want to take away the smokers rights, then take away the taxes they have to pay.

2006-02-19T19:40:00.000-08:00

This is another copy of Mr.Thibodeaux letter to me

You are right! I'll never understanding those who selectively choose what is morally and civilly right. From the onset of the history of our Country, the rule makers have made the rules. That is why, I believe, we live inside the greatest country in the world. We have free will and the majority has ruled since its birth. Again, extremism, whether selective or not, has no place in America! Your wife and all other smokers in Terrebonne Parish has and will always retain the right to smoke in this parish.

Wayne Thibodeaux, CCED

2006-02-17T21:22:00.000-08:00

Mr&Mrs.RRowley said...
here is my response to Mr. Thibodeaux's 3rd email.

I don't think any of you will ever understand why we feel the way we do. There are so many things that are unhealthy for us but there are no laws against them. If smoking was so bad then why don't they ban cigerettes all together? We all know why. The government makes more money from tobacco sales than the tobacco companies do. I'm upset with it because of the fact that our rights are being taken away from us. Not just with the smoking issue. In case I forgot to inform you, I don't even smoke any more. My wife does and I wish she would quit. But it's her choice. Where are our rights as smokers? Who will fight for their rights? We don't have the NAACP to run too everytime something happens that we don't think is right.
The food we eat, the water we drink, the exhaust fumes from cars and factories, etc. is killing us all slowly. What gets me even more is that we are sending our children, fathers and mothers, to Iraq to supposively fight for their freedom, and supposively to protect ours. while our government is taking away ours, little by little.
I think the American Cancer Society is just pulling at straws to find an easy answer to what causes cancer. There are so many things that cause cancer out there they don't even know about. Lets blame it on smoking and second hand smoke.
If ya'll are so concerned about our health and safety why wasn't our levees fixed or improved 20 years ago? Why did we have to flood....again? Why is nothing being done, except study after study? I think ya'll should be more concerned about this problem instead of thinking of new ways to make us criminals.Where were ya'll when we flooded? I didn't see a single one of you on our street to see if we needed anything. I had to put a sign out at the end of our street before we got any help from anyone. I have flooded twice in 20 years. What is going to happen to me next time? Will I be denied help from the government because I didn't move out? Ya'll need to get ya'll priorities straight.

2006-02-16T18:00:00.000-08:00

This is a copy of the email Mr. Wayne Thibodeaux sent me concerning the smoking ban in Terrebonne Parish:

I am sure your observations could have included lots of things you dislike about this government. In a democracy there are laws governing every component of our behavior. Do you reject all of them or just certain ones of them? To suggest these far right theories such as the government will come into a citizens home and prescribed their sexual relationship is about as senseless as anything I've ever heard. Extremism is never a relative practice to draw an analogy to anything!

Wayne Thibodeaux, CCED

This is a copy of the email I sent to Mr. Wayne Thibodeaux, one of our Terrebonne Parish Councilmen, in reply to his email concerning the smoking ban:

February 15, 2006

You're good Mr. Thibodeaux.
But I like to say this I'm 50 years old I'M NOT a kid.You may not like what I have to say and I may not like what you say but
Slave days are over - you are not going to be my master.
My wife and I have been doing our part. We have never been to jail in our life, we have obeyed the laws the best we can, but it looks like it will not matter to you guys. No matter what we do, you will look for any thing you can to make us criminals.
If you guys are looking for criminals go find the ones that are selling drugs, go find the ones stealing, are killing... Oh... I forgot that takes hard work for the policeman.
I take it Terrebonne parish needs more people picking up trash on the side of the road so they can have more money for when they go back to Hawaii, or maybe next time Japan.
Have a good life Mr. Thibodeaux

This is the second response from Mr. Thibodeaux:

My response has nothing to do with slave days or imprisoning you or your wife. I am having a hard time figuring why people such as yourself are condemning the Terrebonne Parish Council for passing a law that science and research proves is in the best interest of the health of all men, women and children. I simply do not understand your opposition to something that is good for everyone, including you and the misses.
Wayne Thibodeaux, CCED

To keep yourself up to date on Smokers Rights please join us at this website:
http://www.smokersclubinc.com
Smokers Rights Chats & Forums - http://www.smokersclubinternational.com

2006-02-16T17:57:00.000-08:00

February 14, 2006

I'd like to say that when Mrs.Blanco didn't get to jack smokers over for her $1.00 per pack tax, now Terrebonne Parish Council is looking to jack smokers over in fines.

I'd like to say we didn't put them people in office for them to tell us what we can or can not do.

I decided to stop smoking because it was my choice. Just like it was my choice to smoke. I don't think the Federal or local government should be profiting from my choice to smoke. I'd like to know why the money they do collect does not go to health care when people do get sick. Why do they say second hand smoke kills when exhaust fumes from vehicles to factories causes illnesses that kill. Alcohol kills. Not only from drunk driving but causes liver damage, just to name one. If these things are so bad, why don't they just ban it completely. But I know why. They are making too much money from it. Why are they sending our children to die for other peoples freedom, while at the same time taking away our freedoms? I think the bans and laws they have in place now are more than enough to please the non-smoking people. STOP TAKING AWAY PEOPLE RIGHTS.

There is One more thing this is not about smoking this is about freedom of choice what is next coming in your home and telling you how to have sex with your wife are when.

2006-02-16T17:44:00.000-08:00

02/16/06

It is sad when the state (and some people) think that paying the Saints to stay in Louisiana is only way things get done In Louisiana. That without the Saints we will go down the drain.
What about the taxes we pay now,sales tax,income tax, property tax, luxury tax, sin tax, gas tax,this fee, that fee, and on and on. The cost of living is going up but the minimum wage isn't.The cost of living is going up but the dollar is going down.
You people think the state cares about you or me
I don't think so.
I think caring about this dam war and them kids
that are coming home in body bags is more important than the Saints. The cuts to health care and sky rocketing health care cost are more important. If they would take the millions if not billions of dollars they are spending to keep the Saints and spend it on health care and teacher pay raises, it would be money well spent.
If the "over paid welfare recipients in Washington and Baton Rouge would take a cut in pay we could afford to keep our hospitals and clinics open. They have the best health care and retirement benefits the taxpayers money can buy while we have to struggle or do without.
I don't have very much education, I have more common sense than some.
I'd like to know what is it going to take for people to realize it doesn't do much good to get a good education and then not find a decent job in Louisiana. Unless we go to work for Mr. Benson.

2005-12-09T19:04:00.000-08:00

Houma Louisiana
This is what you get for living here.
They can spend our tax money on a trip to Hawii
and cell phone bills and $4,ooo.00 for an office desk.They could afford to buy the Bank One building for $7,000,ooo.00 and $3,000,000.00 to fix the dam thing. Something they didn't need. They build a port here in Houma at the tax payers expense to have jobs for the people in Houma. But the companies coming in wants to hire under payed mexicans to work there rather than the local people.
Then the tax payer that may need a job will have to do without or go work at WAL-MART
I like you people to know this is why we have to pay so much in taxes.
They had to have a state of the art library. They needed a civic center.
We need bigger better levees and can't get them.
We need your help. Please call your State Representitives, Congressmen, anyone that could help us. Tell them to help us get the money we need to build our new better levees.
There was plenty of land between us and the Gulf until they redirected the Mississippi and the oil companies came in and tore up our marshes. It's now our fault. We are going to loose our homes, some already have. We are going to loose our lively hoods and our heritage.
If they can send billions even trillions of dollars overseas to rebuild then they should be able to do the same here. Without us having to beg for help.

What is it going to take.
We need to wake up them over payed welfare reciepients in Baton Rouge and Washington.

Thank You,
Roy & Lori Rowley