What Fresh Hell Is This?

I've been away again.

Yes, there are still plenty around. I can heartily recommend this website, so do bookmark it for future reference, it may come in very handy.

While I'm on, Mudgie has highlighted a remarkable piece at the Sunday Telegraph.

Two mothers were refused alcoholic drinks in a pub because the barman said it would "inappropriate" for them to drink in front of their children.

Now, you can be as cynical as you like about the story being reported by two women who run a PR company, or that one of them is married to an actor with a new film out. But that's not the aspect which is particularly scary here.

The comments beneath are, though.

"Drinking alcohol is not a good thing. Being in charge of children after any amount is not a good thing. Good on the barman! Why cannot these people exist with a soft drink only? Are they alcoholics - cannot go without ANY alcohol for one month?" Markus Petx 7:11am

"Quite often, parents will address their craving for alcohol and 'forget' the existence of their offspring who, being understandably bored in an adult environment, charge round the place annoying the responsible drinkers. Well done that barman, standing up for responsible parents who don't go on the booze with their children." jimmyclaret 8:00am

"Could it be that the barman was merely trying to avoid the situation where an adult will buy alcohol for "themselves" and then let the child drink it once out of sight of the bar staff?" katb 8:46am

"Should you drink during the day in front of your kids for no reason other than refreshment? Probably not." Stephen Le Mansell 9:30am

So many excuses and wild hyperbole, and that's without the two Alcohol Concern stooges with their cut and pasted soundbite.

"There is some logic to the barman's attitude. You are not allowed to be drunk in charge of a motor vehicle, so why should it be acceptable to be drunk in charge of children??" by Mogulfield 8:08am and KOKO at 10:38am

There were, happily, some people who kinda get how this is going.

"If the 2 mothers whilst sitting outside drinking their soft drinks had lit up cigarettes, would he have chastised them for smoking in front of their children too?" jpotter 9:11am

Because this really is another side to the same coin. The same denormalisation template is being used, after all.

The reply was prompt and highly telling, horrified exclamation mark and everything.

"We can only hope so!" Stephen Le Mansell 9:12am

Divide and conquer/rule. Call it what you like, but the anti-smoker movement has afforded every single issue nutjob carte blanche to interfere in any aspect of your life that they don't personally agree with.

All funded generously from your taxes.

Next time any politician talks of 'anti-social behaviour', you might like to remind them that their own policies and grants shovel cash towards the most spiteful, mentally-unbalanced, and anti-social people this country has the misfortune to accommodate.

Let the buck stop where it belongs, eh?