Liz Greenbaum wrote: > I have also lived many places including overseas and don't > particularly find Minneapolis any more inflexible than other > places. As a matter of fact I used to work in Bloomington - > talk about regulations and rigidity!!! Minneapolis seems > like a piece of cake in comparison.
When you live in a place where the majority of the people share your values, then of course it wouldn't seem inflexible. It's in how you treat the people who don't share your values that you should judge your degree of flexibility by. > As far as the smoking ban - The funny thing to me is, this > issue seems like a piddly gripe session compared to much > bigger civil liberties issues of which people should really > be talking about. I think you're missing the point. I don't think there is such a thing as a small civil liberty. What should we be willing to give up first? Civil liberties are about respecting the rights of other: you either do or you don't. And, if you don't consider smoking a right, just think of it as the right to be left in peace when what you do doesn't affect anyone else against their will. > A totally different way of looking at it is that we are way > ahead of the curve. Minnesota has been known for it's > progressive attitudes, laws, and policies in general and > proud of it. It is also known to have some of the healthier > populations and envious health care facilities nationally. > New York City has gone smoke free, Connecticut, > Massachusetts, Rhode Island - and apparently 26 other > states, or parts of them, are considering going smoke free. > I was visiting family in New York a while back and it was > great! - and you know what? people are doing just be fine with it. Yep, Minnesota is ahead of the curve compared to many other governments that don't realize that you need to protect people from their own desires (I hope that everyone can see the Puritan factor at work here). Bill Dooley wrote: > Interesting that this lawsuit is filed on the same day a draft > report links an increased risk of breast cancer with exposure > to second hand smoke. Ack! Health shouldn't be the issue here. People partake of this vice voluntarily. No one forces people to breath secondhand smoke anymore, except in some prisons. (Why aren't anti-smoking activists trying to have smoking there banned?) I really don't want you protecting me from my vices. I'm an adult and I can choose which businesses I want to frequent and I already don't frequent any where I would be exposed to secondhand smoke and you don't have to either. Michael Atherton Prospect Park 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
