On Saturday, May 29, 2004, at 08:26 PM, Michael Atherton wrote:
I don't understand why people like Network Television, McDonald's, Bowling, Golf, Spectator Sports, Gay sex, Christianity, etc.
The problem with making moral decisions for people other than yourself is that if you fail to respect the rights of others to choose for themselves, you should be willing to forfeit your right to do the same.
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It's disingenuous to put smoking, network television, and gay sex in the same group of "moral decisions." There is no question that gay sex, for example, is not a moral decision. Sex is clearly part and parcel of the human condition. Perhaps you are thinking of those who choose not to have sex for religious reasons. Otherwise, sex is a natural, normal part of human existence. And gay sex is part of natural, normal human existence.
However smoking is a matter of health -- public health. Smoking is a private choice, yes. But smoking in public where others' health is endangered, is not private choice. It is putting the public at risk. So if you are in an establishment that can be sued for putting you at public risk, then that establishment takes on that risk.
I don't think this is about the question of the right to smoke. There is no ban on tobacco proposed. Adults can choose to smoke as a private matter. The imperative is we know enough about the health risks and we know enough about the business risks that there is not much else to debate about in Clean Air Act Minnesota.
We just have to get on with it and do it.
Laura Waterman Wittstock MIGIZI Communications, Inc. 3123 East Lake Street Minneapolis, MN 55406 612.721.6631 ext 219 [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.migizi.org http://laurawatermanwittstock.blogspot.com/
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