This article mirrors my life as far as having cigar smoking passed down from previous generations and I too have passed it down to my son. There have been times I have been villianized by others for "teaching my son such a bad habit"...and I should be ashamed of myself for doing so. Needless to say, I don't take that ideology very lightly and would bury them in an avalanche of hypocrisies within their own lives....cursing in front of their children, excessive alcohol consumption, absentee parenting, roll models of horrible relationships, lack of discipline....all far worst that enjoying an occasional cigar with one's child.
Like this author, some of the most cherished conversations I have had with my 24yo son have come while smoking a cigar together. Facts comes to light as we speak and relax...the guards come down and Life comes out. Add in the friends I have introduced to my son, which were born from nothing more than a mutual admiration of cigar smoking, and it's hard to argue it's negative aspects. I truly think that most parents (that argue these baseless presumptions) are in fact jealous of the positive impact cigars have brought to my family for over 4 generations. We are all friendly, outgoing, fiercely loyal, and honest...all traits of a true BOTL...but most importantly, traits of a good, well rounded person.
The problems facing us cigar & pipe smokers is that what we do produces smoke from our mouthes...like cigarettes...and the anti-smoking zealots can't differentiate between the three...'SMOKE FROM MOUTH IS BAD AND KILLS', period!...that's their mantra and through their ignorance, we have to suffer their constant legal onslaught. It is inevitable that one day these Socialists will severely curtail or ban our passion...whether it's soon or 50 years in the future...it's sad to say it's coming. A startling observation came to light the other day when my son and I were in our cigar room enjoying a couple of smokes...I had on the latest Star Trek movie on FX and my son turns to me and says, "Dad, you ever notice in a science fiction movie you never see smoking but we still see drinking?" Out of the mouthes of babes...let's all work hard to preserve our rights as Americans and hope that it's not a mirror into our own future.
But then again, WHY do we have to fight so hard to preserve our rights that were written in our Constitution by our founding Fathers so many years ago?