The Smoking Ban Is Great

The Smoking Ban Is Great

21 July, 2008
by: Joe Harrod

To a charity event last night, in aid of Medical Justice. With poetry, speeches, and the opportunity to sign up for direct debit contributions, this is the kind of event I dread. In fact, it was uplifting and inspiring, and along with the music and the message, I learned to love the smoking ban.

Medical Justice is a charity set up to provide legal support and basic medical attention to thousands of immigrants currently detained in centres around the UK. Many of these immigrants are victims of torture, or scarred by their experiences of war and flight, and their very detention contravenes international human rights law.

To celebrate the full launch of the charity, we were invited to an evening of poetry and music at Cargo. Right on! The poetry came first along with an introductory speech by a Zimbabwean gent who had endured 30 days of hunger strike rather than face deportation by the Home Office a sobering moment. Immediately after, came the uplift, courtesy of Congo sensations the Zong Zing Allstars.

With three lead guitars, a bass, guest singer and a front man possessed of irresistible, humble charisma, this is a band worth listening to. Check out their myspace. They were followed by some awesome acts including Yungun, the Heatwave DJs and the Asian Dub Foundation, all giving their time and energy for free.

Two lessons from the evening. First, nobody has too little time or money to help out. Second, smoking outside is cool. In the course of one evening I struck up conversations with three total strangers. A lawyer from Archway, two gay beat poets from Hoxton and a group of kids organising an Amnesty International mini festival in February. I can't remember the last time I spoke to anyone except my mates in a pub. It may never have happened.

I don't know. Ask me again when the weather gets cold. Wait! Ask me again if the weather stays cold. If the sun doesn't come out soon, I'll get bored of dancing to beautiful music, bored of giving to charity, and distinctly bored of making friends over cigarettes in the garden.

Click here for things to do in London.

Joe Harrod