Smokers find unlikely ally in Catholic priest
BY DEB GRUVER
The Wichita Eagle
Posted on Tue, Dec. 11, 2007
As each customer walked into Mort's Cigar Bar in Old Town on Monday night, the Rev. H Setter quickly opened a wooden box and held out a Chateau Real cigar.
"Are you here for the rally?" he'd asked each patron, dampened from the rain.
If the answer was "yes," he'd hand out a free cigar.
The priest at All Saints Catholic Church, Setter held to his promise to advocate for smokers' rights by holding a rally at Mort's. He plans to be there next Monday, too.
Dozens of cigar smokers showed up despite the weather to voice their support for smokers' rights as the city considers a ban on smoking in places such as restaurants and bars.
Setter, who realizes some may see him as an unlikely advocate for such a cause, is against banning smoking for two reasons.
"No. 1, tobacco products in the United States are legal, and business owners should have the right to make decisions about whether they're smoke-free or smoker-friendly" without government regulation, Setter said as cigar smoke filled the bar.
Second, he believes a ban on smoking would effectively kill a charity dinner he's sponsored for 11 years. Father H's Annual Benefit Cigar Dinner has raised more than $150,000 for local charities since 1997, according to Setter's Web site, www.holy-smoke.com.
Frank Whitmer, owner of Mort's, said he's worried about how a ban would affect his business. About 10 percent of his business comes from the sale of cigars, but he doesn't know how much overall business he'd lose if people could no longer smoke at Mort's.
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