AWESOME trip I just made, 3,000+ miles - and finding van makes a GREAT billboard.  Not sure how many others would like to try it, but have had a great experience so far.  I did some of the lettering with that flat foam craft stuff - made myself stencils with MS Pub in a size 480 font, and cut them out.  Painted them with glow in the dark, neon, and sparkly fabric paint (WATERPROOF : ),  Attached to windows with carpet tape.  I drove through some of the worst weather I've ever encountered on this trip - torrential rain on the way up to NY, a blizzard with gale force winds on the way from NY to VT, and more torrential rain and gale force winds between CT and DE.  The lettering held up fairly well for all of that, except did have to check them, and replace a bit of tape from time to time, and did replace a couple of them.  I'd brought the foam stuff, some paint, and tape with me.  Didn't have time to do all in that fashion, so did the rest with a huge magic marker on contact paper.  That works pretty well too - taped edges with the carpet tape - but not as water resistant as the foam.  Had to replace some of the contact paper banners a couple of times, but was quick and easy to make another one and stick it on.  But none of it seems to hurt the van's paint.

 

I went up to PR of NY (People's Republic of NY : ) a week ago Fri. to take two of my girls (canine) to someone who's taking them to Korea. Then from there up to PR of VT to see my grandkids.  Then decided (since I already had the van 'decorated', and already getting wonderful responses - waves, thumbs up, and even some applause! - as well as some 'stunned' looks - NOTHING negative though : ), decided to tour all the rest of the NE People's Republics.  For those who are not sure exactly what I mean by People's Republics, http://www.aalf.ws/smoking/smokers-BOYCOTT/.  I visited most of their State Houses, too - at least parked in front for awhile, giving time for some folks to write down the web address.  The URL I used for the van is the same as my regular www.aalf.ws/smokingmad/, but I shortened it to www.aalf.ws/smad/ for the van so it would fit better, and to make it easier for folks to write down.

 

Handed out flyers which includes airport piece by Mike McFadden (author of Dissecting Antismoker's Brains

Flyer page 1: http://www.aalf.ws/free-graphics/smoking/flyerAntismokingScamPAGE1.gif

Flyer page 2: http://www.aalf.ws/free-graphics/smoking/flyerAntismokingScamPAGE2.gif

plus the

New Year's Resolutions

Page 1: http://www.aalf.ws/image/SmokersNewYearsResolutionsPRINTpg1.gif 

Page 2: http://www.aalf.ws/image/SmokersNewYearsResolutionsPRINTpg2.gif. 

(by the way, HELP YOURSELF to ANY of this stuff you can use - flyer, resolutions, ban map, etc.  Copy away - permission granted to share)

 

When I pulled up in front of the State House in Augusta, Maine, a few poor folks were outside smoking in 10 degrees, and they cheered - and came to talk to me, so I gave them some of the flyers too.  I toured MA, CT, RI, & DE too, and visited most of their state houses - except with construction and traffic I was not able to get to the one in MA, so just drove around Boston for awhile.  Then went to Washington, DC. 

 

I managed to spend almost NO $ in the PR states.  I gassed up in PA just before entering NY. Carried food in my cooler, etc.  Gassed up again in NH (only had to buy 2 gals in VT - 0 in NY).  LOVE NH - their state's motto is 'Live free or die' <G>.  I bought some t-shirts there.  Bought 2 gals of gas in CT, and 2 gals in DE - filled up in the free state of VA on my way to DC.

 

On Thursday, 1/19/2006, I parked in front of the Capital in DC for several hours, while I went in and chatted with the folks in the office of my rep, and gave him flyers as well.  Also visited as many other offices as I had time for, passing out the flyers and New Year's Resolutions - all states I could say I visited frequently - or have relatives in.  Discussed variations of: Private property is one of the fundamental differences between our country and communists.  It is the primary reason USA has produced more wealth than any other country in all the history of the world.  I asked them all to please protect individual private property rights with respect to legal activities from states, city councils, and voters.  This is a constitutional republic, NOT a democracy - voters should not be able to vote away a minority's individual private property rights.  Also told some of them (who seemed to want more info) that I know smoke, smoking, and health is being lied about to gain monopoly for pharmaceutical companies http://www.hosanna1.com/smoking/BIG-PHARMA/ (FORCES link), and stuff the coffers of lawyers and the anti-smoking Industry.  Pointed out the link to report on cost of CA smoking ban (http://www.aalf.ws/smoking/bancostsCA100billiondollars.html Mike McFadden& study link) to a couple of the CA reps.  Not sure if any of them will do anything - but hoping maybe at least one or two will investigate. (privately wondering if Big Pharma and/or anti-smoking lobbyists have managed to pay them ALL off?).  Maybe they'll all ignore me - but maybe I'll go back again, with more time, and maybe a bunch of help.  Didn't have time to do Senate house - husband wanted me home several days before I got here.  Did drive all over DC for a couple of hours, too - hoping some would get IDEAS, and at least be encouraged. 

 

Have had some VERY enthusiastic responses (over entire 3,000+ mile trip) - and surprisingly, NO really bad responses - just the stunned looks from some (I was LAUGHING - they were funny - but I also asked God to Bless them all).  There's a Bible verse - 'The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.' <G>.  I think if more smokers would stand up and be counted, we might find resistance melting - might find we have more public support than we realize.  The general public is NOT getting any message other than what they are getting from the (apparently big pharmacy & anti-smoking industry owned) media right now.  The New Year's Resolutions I made are already proving to be a good educational tool.  For the first time EVER my daughter actually allowed me to smoke in her house - around my grandkids!  She's always made me stay in one room with my cigs.  She had not realized we all eat nicotine all the time - tomatoes, etc... <LOL>  ALso, the arsenic, and airport stuff - and regular exposure to CO while driving - (thank you Mike McFadden for making that info available). 

 

I have a Christian friend who is telling me (after I've been educating her a bit - she got the point from my smoking Christian's page http://www.hosanna1.com/smoking/Christians/ ) about many non-smoking Christians being self righteous and proud, anyway) 'First they came for the smokers' - she 'GETS' the property rights issue!

 

We ARE in the RIGHT!  And a LOT of them know it. I also left my BOYCOTT stickers all over the place, too - the Boycott NY, etc.  http://www.aalf.ws/smoking/Chicago-Ban/page2.html (you  can get them there).  I will be (when I have TIME) enlarging and making the Free Graphics page for Smokers and Freedom Lovers bigger and better. 

 

We NEED to show RESISTANCE - LOTS of it - in a non-threatening way.  The stickers (if they were everywhere) would let them know we are not just going to lie down and let them have it all their way.  I think if there were a LOT more vans & cars on the road - even with bumper stickers - might make a difference.   There are certainly enough (MORE than enough) smokers and/or friends of smokers to make BOYCOTTING effective - especially if we boycott more than only restaurants.  Possible even the THREAT of it might change some minds, if there were enough 'show'.  "THEY" have apparently bought almost all of the major media, and our 'education' system - maybe a lot of our politicians as well.  But most of us have our own 'free' billboard - our vehicles.  I LOVE the First Amendment - what I told all who gave me any kind of 'funny' look - most of them then smiled and laughed along with me.  There do seem to be PLENTY of folks in this country who still believe in FREEDOM (both smokers and non-smokers).

 

More van pics:

 

 

 

The other side is similar, but has Lexington, KY and the other PR states ME-WA.  These all seemed to show up well at night too, was getting responses in the dark from folks who were passing me.

 

Had this on both sides.

 

Really, don't know who else has the nerve to try it, but a vehicle makes a GREAT billboard!  Don't think I would recommend it unless you are not leaving it parked where you can't watch it, though - not sure if I'd left it alone I would have trusted some whacky anti to do something.  Since I usually have dogs with me, I am not in the habit of parking anywhere I can't keep an eye on my van.  And I live in the thing while on the road.

 

I bought some of those sheets of magnet that you can print on a computer to experiment with signs for the side panels.  It would have to be laminated though, as I don't think computer ink would stand up to rain.  Also they are kind of small.  Might work to use my stencils to paint on them, though.  Then could take the signs down when parked, and stick them back on again?

 

pic of my oldest daughter and grandkids I took while on this trip:

I am so blessed : )

 

Last year I traveled about 40,000 miles with this van.  I plan to keep the signs on it this year, and until private property rights are protected from 'government' or voter mandated smoking bans in all of the USA.  I will improve the appearance of the ones I did impromptu for this trip.

 

For those others who would like to try something like this, it is very effective to have a WEBSITE ADDRESS for folks to go get complete information. If you don't have your own site, you are welcome to use mine www.aalf.ws/smad/, or here are some other great ones you could use.

FORCES Int - www.forces.org/ - I HIGHLY recommend joining FORCES - they are a world organization, and setting up to protect smoker's rights as the NRA is doing for those who believe in USA 2nd Ammendment.

Smokersclub Inc.: www.smokersclubinc.com/ - Join this one FREE to get the latest news on this topic every week. This is an EXCELLENT resource!

NYC-CLASH: www.nycclash.com/ - EXCELLENT!

OR follow links at any of those pages to find other great websites that will help you get the word out about this.

More Liberty Van NEWS & PHOTO Pages:  LATEST Photos ~ Liberty Van 1 Year Old - 12/06 ~ 2nd NE Ban States - 10/06 ~ 1st Amendment Ticket & CA 7/4/06 ~ 2 Trips to CA 3/06-5/06 ~ KY 3/3/06 ~ Chicago 2/06 ~ NE Ban States Tour 1/06 ~ The Birth of the Liberty Van - 12/05 ~ As of 12/06 the Liberty Van has traveled about 40,000 miles, all over the USA, since 12/05

 

Lynda Farley        www.aalf.ws/smokingmad/

An American who Loves Freedom http://www.aalf.ws/

Sole 'webslave' of 'The Most Beautiful Pages On The WWW'
http://www.hosanna1.com/

CEO: 3A Home Business Resources
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