Re: Salinger's bad influence

Mike42082@aol.com
Wed, 05 May 1999 23:05:18 -0400 (EDT)

...I have to respond here too.

I read Catcher the first time when I was 13.  I never picked up a cigarette 
from reading the book, and still, 4 years later and after reading the book 3 
times again, I still haven't picked up a cigarette.

Not all teenagers are as stupid as you may think.  Granted, I agree that 
we're stupid, lazy, irresponsible, nosey, snobby, egotistical, 
you-name-it-we-got-it.  However, give us a little credit.  According the the 
patterns of history, our generation will decide what practices are acceptable 
and what are not for the next century.  Who knows?  With all of this 
prophetic campaigning by boomers to discourage smoking, we might just be 
driven to the edge of banning it at like age.

Anyways, the whole point is simply to say that changing all the "cigarettes" 
to "lollipops" is nothing short of desecration.

Mike