Yes S.I.R. joins boycott of cancer charities
2005-05-21
by Lesli Bales-Sherrod
of The Daily Times Staff
A Blount County group is boycotting cancer charities that use donations to lobby for smoking bans.
Yes S.I.R. (Yes to Smoking in Restaurants) is one of 18 organizations in nine states that have signed on to the boycott of the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association and American Lung Association. The boycott was started by Audrey Silk, founder of New York City's Citizens Lobbying Against Smoker Harassment.
``No more,'' Silk said in a press release May 11. ``We will stop contributing to Big Nanny. Why do we want to donate to groups that are out to ruin our businesses and demean us as human beings?''
Yes S.I.R. founder Bob Pritchard of Maryville said in a telephone interview Thursday that Silk sent him an e-mail asking for the group's support after seeing Yes S.I.R. listed on the Smokers Club Inc. Web site, which he noted gets 12 million hits a year.
Pritchard said he made the choice to support the boycott and then told the other 24 members of Yes S.I.R., the only Tennessee group to sign on to the boycott.
``I haven't had any negative responses,'' he said. ``People give money for them to do research and wouldn't want it going to lobbying for smoking bans.''
Judith Byrd, communications director for the American Cancer Society in Tennessee, said a lot of people do not realize the organization does work in four different areas: research, patient services, education and advocacy.
``We know second-hand smoke causes cancer, and our mission is to eliminate cancer,'' she said in a telephone interview Friday. ``We believe contributions will still come in.''
Michael Holtz, communications specialist for East Tennessee, agreed.
``We have an obligation to look out for the health and welfare of the community,'' he said Friday. ``Second-hand smoke kills people.''
Pritchard said he will spread the word about the boycott by writing a letter to the editor, encouraging others to stop giving donations to the charities.
Meanwhile, Yes S.I.R. will hold a meeting at 2 p.m. Sunday in front of the amphitheater in the Greenbelt Park. Pritchard said he will be handing out ``thank you'' cards and ``sorry'' cards that Yes S.I.R. supporters can copy and leave at area restaurants.
``We need to let restaurants know that we appreciate them having smoking and we will be back or sorry, until they allow smoking we won't be back,'' he said.
Pritchard said he also would like to schedule a positive demonstration outside a restaurant that allows smoking, thanking the restaurant for doing so, but that he has not found one yet that will allow the group to demonstrate.
That has not deterred Pritchard, however.
``I have had a lot of e-mails from people wanting to help,'' he said.
Yes S.I.R. will meet at 2 p.m. Sunday in front of the amphitheater in the Greenbelt Park.