Yes, all smokers are rude and all smokers are offensive. Way to lump everybody together because there are obviously no differences between smokers; they are all exactly alike.

All blacks like chicken and watermelon. Is that an acceptable stereotype? Because if the smoking one is, then so is the black one.

Maybe you could just ask the smokers nicely to use an ashtray cause you don't want your puppy poisoned. Of course if you're asking an advice woman about something this simple, maybe you're not really mature enough for that puppy to begin with.

Good point!

Well, I can tell you that white people (northern european caucasions, not those other white and near-white races) sunburn badly and have no natural rythm.

So where would it all end? Would every identifiable group get a couple of disparaging words that can be used to summarize all members of the group?

How about Slate columnists? I'm not going there but it might be fun.

I fit that sterotype. Northern European who sunburns easily and has no rythm. I OWN it baby!

My rythm is SO bad, that while playing Dance Dance Revolution on my Wii, I did so badly that the Wii Dance Judge told me, "You need more black in you."

(no lie, the Wii actually said that to me!)

It's worth noting that stereotypes are an entirely different issue when applied to something inherent (race) rather than a freely chosen behavior (smoking).

Many smokers chose to start because they hoped it would give them a better "image" - and you have to take the good with the bad. Sorry that society has moved in the past decade from "smokers are cool" to "smokers are jerks."

brymulder:

It's worth noting that stereotypes are an entirely different issue when applied to something inherent (race) rather than a freely chosen behavior (smoking).

Many smokers chose to start because they hoped it would give them a better "image" - and you have to take the good with the bad. Sorry that society has moved in the past decade from "smokers are cool" to "smokers are jerks."

So all smokers are image concious!

just kidding. ;)

Thanks for pointing this out brymulder. I mean, I feel sorry for people who have to listen to sanctimonious speeches all day but I hardly think it's a hop, skip and a jump away from racial stereotyping/profiling. The stop signs go up for me on that one.

brymulder:

It's worth noting that stereotypes are an entirely different issue when applied to something inherent (race) rather than a freely chosen behavior (smoking).

Yeah but being a judgmental ass really is in poor taste no matter what you are judging. If it isn't directly affecting you or an innocent victim, mind your own business.

Naturally - which is why we get to be judgmental here, where it is affecting an innocent victim!

An entire category of people (smokers) are affecting an innocent victim? Or one person who belongs to that category is affecting an innocent victim? Would you be ok with us bashing all school teachers because the litterer was a teacher?

yes we choose to smoke, but we also choose to litter or blow it your face or to go outside so we don;t smoke around non smokers. I don;t think smoking is cool in any way, but to say things like that is just wrong. no matter what reason anyone chose to smoke, the fact of the matter is we all have rights and one of those is to smoke or not to smoke. I chose to smoke.

You only have to share that stereotype with a few hundred million people.

Hemlock3630:

My rythm is SO bad, that while playing Dance Dance Revolution on my Wii, I did so badly that the Wii Dance Judge told me, "You need more black in you."

"Dance Dance Revolution" WTF? You need a life as well.

I'm assuming you're joking about the DDR thing telling you that you need more black in you, right?

I don't know, it sounds to me like saying, "Use an ashtray because we don't want our puppy poisoned," isn't very tactful. I mean, did you remember the letter-writer from a few months ago who got into a tiff with her neighbor over the placement of a bench in the hallway? Neighbors can get huffy with each other over seemingly tiny things. And as for writing to Prudie about the topic in general....um, it's an etiquette column? Morals AND manners? You would think it would be "simple" for people to deal politely with their wedding arrangements, but those are some of the most entertaining letters Prudie gets.

I don't know from DDR but i probably wouldn't take it seriously even if knew what it was.