Dan is merely restating, and in a well thought out manner, what many of us have already known for some time: when citizens in Minneapolis don't like something, they work to get it banned. Last year it was smoking, this year it's already been idling trucks and probably leaf blowers. What else will it be this year?
Many citizens of Minneapolis haven't figured out that when the choice is removed from something because it is banned, we all lose, because the freedom to make a choice is gone for all of us. Those who want things banned will always cite the better or common good, but that's a smokescreen..... it's about imposition of will. I thought I had seen it all with the smoking ban, then idling trucks are banned "for the environment" (except for numerous exceptions, such as busses, which apparently have some sort of non-polluting exhaust.) What is so damn tough about asking your neighbor to turn off his/her leaf blower? Oh no, can't do that..... that could create conflict in this conflict-averse city. Many citizens of Minneapolis, and many on this list, would sooner sacrifice freedom rather than be forced to make some of those tough decisions in life. Why don't some of you go to rap or country or metal music concerts? What's that?....don't like rap "music" (or country or metal or whatever)? Neither do I. That's why I stay away. But I don't move to get it banned. Same thing goes for smoke in bars and on and on and on. Choices are tough and that's why they are reserved for adults. Bans are the way for adults to abdicate part of their adulthood. Ultimately, it hurts everyone. Mike Thompson Windom ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dorie Rae Gallagher" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Dan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: "mpls mn forum" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, February 26, 2005 8:15 PM Subject: Re: [Mpls] Ban the word Ban > > > > DG: > > > Dan asks what's next...cell phones! Would love to see those ban when > > > driving. > > > > Minneapolis has the word "ban" too firmly implanted in the front of our > > collective minds. Everyone seems to think that their pet-peeves should be > > eliminated by ordinance. I see the word "ban" on this list so often, its > > beginning to loose all meaning...Dan writes > > *Today is a good day to talk about cell phones. Going east on 46th, a woman > pulled off of Snelling without a complete stop...she looked left but not > right...she just about hit me on the drivers side. Guess what...cell phone > held in the right hand. She really could not maneuver that big truck while > turning with the left hand but she did not drop that cell phone. > > There are phones that you do not have to hold. I have one with ear plugs and > a speaker...both hands can be on the wheel, if driving, but I make a point > of not making calls while driving...having had the wonderful experience of > someone with too much libation, smoking, and playing with the radio while > blowing an intersection... > > The point with all these bans really comes down to lack of consideration for > others. Had smokers been a little more considerate of non-smokers, I doubt > if there would have been such a back lash because many non-smokers did not > want the rights to be taken away. Had the company responded to the > neighbor's complaints about the trucks idling, it would not have escalated > to city council action. McDonalds has spent millions on lawsuits for spilt > coffee while driving...hello, who is really at fault for that? If drivers > would pull over or at least slow down when on the phone so their driving was > not so impaired, perhaps the bumper sticker...*hang up and drive* would not > be so prevalent. > > Believing in live and let live is great...as long as someone lets you live! > Endangering someones life for a phone call, as this person did today, is > wrong...enough people get ticked off about cell phones...they will take > action. > > Then the cry...my rights are being trodden on. Bull roar...this was not > without warning. I remember my drivers manuel said...Both hands on the > wheel... 80% of driving is proper mental readiness. You can't have that > while on a phone. > > Dorie Gallagher > Nokomis > > > REMINDERS: > 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. > > 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > > For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html > For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract > ________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] > Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls > > REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
