The Amy Winehouse Visa Hypocrisy (updated version)
The off again/on again should-we-let-her-in Amy Winehouse visa saga is...on again! At the 11th hour the US embassy over in GB rubber stamped her so that Ms. Winehouse will - if she chooses - be able to participate in Sundays 50th Grammy ceremonies. There was no official word as to why she originally got the thumbs down, but I would bet it had something to do with her most recent stab at taking the cure after a nineteen minute toke video she starred in was leaked to the UK media.
Ironically, Louis C. Camilleri will have no trouble getting his visa stamped when he leaves the country for Switzerland. Mr. Camilleri is the current CEO of Altria Group which is the parent company of Philip Morris which is the largest tobacco company in the US. And the US is the largest exporter of manufactured cigarettes on the planet, accounting for nearly 20 percent of the world total.
Why is Mr. Camilleri going to Switzerland? Because Altria Group is about to split off PMI - the Phillip Morris International unit - from its domestic parent. The move - according to the Wall St. Journal - is being made to free the tobacco giant's international operations of legal and public-relations headaches in the U.S. that have hindered its growth. And out from under the yolk of oppressive U.S. regulations and lawsuits there's plenty of growing to be done. Currently overseas 5.2 Trillion cigarettes are sucked down each year. In 2006 PMI out earned Philip Morris USA with revenue of $48.26 billion to $18.47 billion for its domestic sibling. And without that pesky PC health crowd monkey on their backs PMI can start slinging some clever new smokes like the Marlboro Intense. About an inch shorter than a regular Marlboro, this high potency cigarette is designed to be fast-smoked by the tobacco addict forced outside into the cold and/or rain by indoor smoking bans. Or, how about the Marlboro Mix 9? High-nicotine, high-tar. 'Cause I guess just shooting yourself in the head doesn't kill you quick enough. And if you still don't think smoking is suicide, the WHO predicts 10 million people a year will die of smoking-related illness by 2030 making it the single leading cause of death worldwide.
Now, clearly, the US can't truly stop Camilleri from leaving the country or PMI from setting up shop in Fencesit-zerland. Smoking tobacco is, after all, legal. But if a guy who makes bank selling cancer is free to travel, comparatively the Gov shouldntve been dithering over Winehouse's entry 'cause she might guzzle a little Cristal and trash a hotel room.
Unless, of course, she kills ten million people in the process.
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More than half of you, as usual, missed the crux of the point that Ridley made and started arguing amongst yourselves about alot of personal issues.
Ridley is right in pointing the finger towards how big business always gets a pass from our government. He didn't say that he wanted AW here, drugged and falling off the stage. He made a comparison about how different "classes" of business are treated.
Grow up, you self-absorbed smokers.
P.S. Amy Winehouse is a helluva lot more talented than Natalie Cole. Google what she said about the awards. I guess her wig was pinching her head/brain.
After Winehouse's sizzling performance via satellite in last night's Grammys, believe me, plenty of American concert promoters and music executives will want Amy on American soil so they can profit from her unique talents.
Bush has proven that a druggy/boozy past can be overlooked given enough money and influence.
I think Amy Winehouse showed the world what all the hubbub was about last night.
She looked and acted like she was loaded (again). A lot of hype about a semi interesting singer. Hopefully she'll say yes yes to rehab.
Well, they let Big Alcohol executives travel freely and they continue to push alcohol even though most of their sales are to alcoholics and alcohol is a poisonous drink that causes death on a mass scale. What of it?
Thanks, embarassing isn't it. Such a country.
John,
It is a shame that you can not discriminate a difference between a crack user and a tobacco smoker. Let's use tweekers (meth is a reasonable substitue) in San Diego county. Girls 14-16 in juvie for prostitution. While they were cleaned up many of them were counting down the days to getting out so they could get a fix. Perhaps I am wrong, but I doubt if many prostitutes started doing tricks to get a pack of butts. Possible, but unlikely. So here comes a crack smoker who is given awards and accolades. Smart move. Most of the girls were from minority populations. They are impressionable victims that get hooked on a drug that results in a dead end life that is short and brutal. Cigs may kill, but they take longer and most people have at least some portion of a productive life. these girls do not escape the addiction of these really powerful drugs they have little of the same opportunities. Shame on you for not seeing the difference.
If tomorrow a blanket ban on all tobacco products were passed, shaman, you can bet your ass that there would be many, many people in jail not only for smoking it but also for performing illegal acts in order to get their fix. What you're arguing is not the inherent addictiveness of one drug over the other (since study after study shows that nicotine is one of THE most addictive drugs available)- you're arguing that our current drug laws need to be revamped and perhaps ultimately discarded. I know that wasn't your INTENTION, but I salute you for it nonetheless.
You worked so hard to crowbar your theory, you left out she was arrested twice recently in Europe. Maybe that had something to do with it?
People choose to smoke, they are ultimately responsible for any health issues. The dangers associated with smoking are well publicized
Immigation and Nationality Act of 1952 as amended, Section 212 A 1 a iv: "Any Alien . . . who is determined (in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services) to be a drug abuser or addict, is inadmissib
Blame Congress for the law. At least it appears the Embassy in London recommended a waiver for her. Otherwise, it would be no visa.
But don't blame the Embassy for a law from 1952.
Remember when something similar was done to John Lennon? Nixon didn't want him to play a concert tour during 1972 because of his anti-war message and its influence on new young voters, so he tried to get him kicked out of the USA. Here is a website with a history of similar government actions, including Picasso and Charlie Chaplin:
http://www
I think they might have not wanted a wasted Brit roaming around in the middle of the night in her underwear,crying and crawling under fences.
As opposed to our own "wasted Brit" running over papparrazi and getting her own children taken away from her and not even bothering with ANY underwear! THAT'S perfectly acceptable - MORE than acceptable! That's front page news and hit record fodder - stuff everyone is forced to be concerned about every day all day by our wonderful "news" outlets!
Okay,if yopu find that acceptable,more power to you.The point I was making was this:with the idiot celebrities we have already,why in the hell would wat to let more in?
So calm down,Skippy.
If she were British I would hope that we ask her to leave just like not lettng AW in.
I say 'good riddance' to the music biz as we know it today, and all their more flamboyant bad actors.
The thing about being onstage is that, like it or not, you're setting an example for others. So, if you run around unclothed, coked to the eyeballs, and so forth, you're also going to draw the criticism of the general public.
Some people do this stuff to deliberately set themselves up with a bad reputation, some have NO other claim to fame. Everyone wants to be famous, right? Well, maybe not. Music is the stuff they teach in school, the formatted production stuff you get subjected to daily on the radio is not that. They're mainly a big beer commercial. Buy a saxophone and get busy.
They should call that award the 'scammys'. Even dear ol' Metallica sold out, in the end...or was it Alcoholica? I forget. I kind of quit listening after the first 2 albums.
You listened to TWO albums?? No wonder you quit...LOL
Oh, I think Amy Winehouse's example is a great one. She is a poster child for drug abuse.
Amy Winehouse is an effete intellectual SLOB who should be banned from the US permanently for her exceedingly bad taste, lack of decorum, inability to contribute to culture & general malaise inducing attributes. We've got so much Bullshit in the American Music Industry here already that we don' need no mo'. Period. tired of this story. She can walk off a cliff for all i care. Let's talk about who we should expel on similar grounds.
I think the EPA and CDC were behind this. They were legitimately concerned about our risk of exposure vis a vis Wino, a Superfund site if there ever was one. I'm glad they put the welfare of U.S. citizens first.
Yolk is the middle of an egg.
Yoke is something oppressive or burdensome.
Good ideas in the article though.
I'm sorry Ms. Winehouse had trouble on her end. I'm not a supporter of any multi national corp.
But I frankly don't think it is any of your business I smoke- away from others-even outside.
Are you so sure that htese death are solely the result of smoking- how about air pollution, work and home exposure to toxins...
Over Gov't is killing our environment in mass qualities, they are gambling our money way on our futures, they fail to provide proper health care to the citizens..
John I'm hedging my bet- cancer, heart attack or massive stroke....
And I've got a pretty good chance of one big one to take me- Dad & Granddad.
Don't tell me how to live and don't tell me how to die!
Let's focus on the shit that really matters- stop buying the Gov't and Corp Buck passing,so their monumental failures are obscured by focusing on the most miniscule part of the picture.
Mind your own personal unhealthy habits!
Ridley, finally a decent column.
LOL!
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