My co-worker Michael just came into my office. He was quite proud of himself as he told me he had just stood up for his non-smoker rights at the airport.
“Normally, I never say something, I just get annoyed but I keep my mouth shut,” he said. “But I remembered you and your fight against the smoke and I decided to say something this time.”
Here at the airport, smoking is prohibited except in small designated areas. When some airport employees started to smoke in a non smoking area, he complained to them and asked them to please move over to the smoking area. They declined, until he mentioned that he would call security. Grudgingly, they stood up and left for the smoking area.
After they had disappeared, other people around him commended him. “I wish there were more people with your courage to say something about such things.”
So, I feel pretty good now that my shining example of standing up to bad things has had some effect. It confirms my opinion that if everybody would just stop taking crap from others, defend their rights, and accept no nonsense, then the world would be a much better place.
