The city council won't take up Dwaine Caraway's proposal to outlaw single-cigar sales in the city of Dallas today. But if you think this is the end of it, you're dead wrong. Caraway vowed today during the council's meeting to take the issue to "Mr. Obama, to Ms. Hutchison, to whoever it takes." Indeed, just as he did with the Pull Up Your Pants campaign, Caraway is looking to launch what he calls "a national appeal to the manufacturer of Black & Milds to stop the poisoning of our community." The cigars are made by Pennsylvania-based John Middleton, which is owned by Altria Group -- which also owns Philip Morris USA.
Calling the issue "bigger than I thought," Caraway waved off those with their "typewriters" who scoff at his passion for this issue. Said the deputy mayor pro tem, "Those who just wanna type or think I am stupid, that's too bad." So get ready.
"I'm gonna deal with this issue because it affects the community --
primarily the African American community, the southern sector,
Hispanics and everyone else," he said. "I'm going to
appeal to the retailers here in this city to recognize what they're
doing,
and, councilmen, I'm gonna need your help, because this is a really big
fight. It's killing families."
Caraway
did indeed receive a few words of encouragement from a handful of fellow council members,
among them Ron Natinsky. Said Mayor Tom Leppert to Caraway, "I don't
think is an issue most of us knew about till you brought it forward."
And there's no going backward now.
