Polar33 wrote: I overheard a Security CM tell a guest who was smoking to put it out and move to a smoking area and then she said to the guest "personally, I'd like to see smoking banned from the park completely". I was rather shocked that she would say that to the guest...now, that's someone who might be discriminating against smokers.
I would have to agree with you on that one, Polar. It's so easy for some people to cop a self-righteous attitude about smoking if they've avoided the habit. I kind of think good for you, but please don't be a jerk about it. As it is, sometimes we feel our power, being in costume, having a nametag on and being able to tell people what to do - some of us take ourselves a wee bit too seriously in the guise of giving direction. I've done it myself, getting more caught up in the task of getting guests through the crossover quickly, forgetting that they are human and curious and wanting to see the show that they didn't bother to line up early for.
Yes, it is private property, yes there are now injunctions against smoking in a lot of places, but smokers are people first - not sinners, not defilers of you or your children. You can maneouver around someone to avoid the smoke in the downdraft. It's not like you're permantly roped to their airstream! Save your outrage for the next oil company that manages to loose millions of gallons of oil in some ocean or bay. Like Polar said, if you treat the person with pleasant good humor, it's most likely that they will not get too upset with you. The human brain automatically wants to cancel out any negative word tossed in it's direction. The minute you tell someone "you can't do that" or "don't do that," the brain hears "you do that" and "do that." It's hardwired into us. I believe they cover that little tidbit in Psych 101. ;)