I Learned It By Watching You

[Protest 2] Holly's post regarding tomorrow's planned body-bag parade helps call into question the efficacy of scare tactics employed by seemingly well-meaning agencies fighting the good fight against tobacco, alcohol and other drugs. I quit smoking nearly two years ago, but whenever I see a commercial depicting someone with a voice box, an intricate map of clogged lungs or other gross attempts to defame nicotine, I want to run down the street to Chevron for a pack of Marlboro Lights. Seeing a bunch of body bags will make me think of death, but I'll probably be more concerned with the ongoing slaughter in Iraq and Darfur than with how many cigarettes my co-workers smoke on the roof. There must be a better way to disuade kids from smoking. Didn't we learn anything from the failed Drug-Free America tactics? I mean, this commerical could easily be followed with footage of stoned skateboarders putting the empty pool to better use:



(Jamie Gadette)

Bag 'Em

[Protest] Let's see. If it's on Main Street, if it requires a long row of body bags for props it must be ... a protest!

OK. We'll bite.

From sponsoring agency Utah Health Department: By lining up body bags "Utah's youth anti-tobacco revolution--the Phoenix Alliance--will show Utahns how many people die from tobacco products every day in this country."

Those kooky kids will line 'em up this Thursday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in front of the TRAX line on Main between 100 South and 400 South. Then again, more body bags from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in front of the Energy Solutions Arena, on South Temple between 200 West and 300 West.

So, just to underscore: Downtown will be lousy with body bags during Thursday's afternoon rush hour. Do not be alarmed. (Holly Mullen)