Blogtrek

Cancer City

Yesterday the headline in the Richmond, Virginia newspaper read "TOBACCO TOWN". This is because Philip Morris, known best for selling cigarettes and other tobacco products, is moving its headquarters from New York City to Richmond. This irked me a bit because I am not a smoker and I know that smoking can, among other things, cause cancer. I then heard a radio talk show host ask if this is an appropriate term to use, as Richmond is more than just a mere "town"; maybe Petersburg is a town, but not Richmond. I thought he was leaning towards "Tobacco City". But that is not very catchy and still unrepresentative of Richmond; further, it does not fit in songs readily. But I found an alternative that does fit readily in a song that already exists. The song goes:

I'm going to Cancer City,
Cancer City, here I come.
I'm going to Cancer City,
Cancer City, here I come.
They got some cancer sticks they're sellin'
And I'm going there to smoke me some.
So I'm going to Cancer City. . .

Yes, I know that you don't have to smoke. You could just pass the cigarette stand by in the local 7-11. If everyone did that, Phillip Morris would go out of business. But still, having a major corporate headquarters here in Richmond be that of a tobacco company town is not going to give Richmond a good image. The tourism bureaus and the local Chamber of Commerce have a tougher job now convincing people to come to Richmond and they will have to emphasize the other fine things that Richmond has to offer. The best way of dealing with Phillip Morris is if you smoke, quit.