No "situational mental gymnastics" are required! Smoking - like alcohol and gaming - is a regulated "vice" that is both tolerated and taxed. Smoking - like consuming alcohol and gaming - is not banned but rather limited to specific places and forbidden in others.
Smoking in a public accommodation is not a right subject to ones "choice"; never has been. The problem with smoking is the residue(the smoke)which imposes a well defined, potentially hazardous situation on other people who wish to enjoy that same public accommodation but who choose not smoke. Prohibiting smoking in bars and restaurants does not limit ones "freedom of choice" any more than driving, drinking, hunting, or having sex. All of those are legal activities but citizens(as government)impose some limits on where you can do them. Jim Bernstein Fulton --------------------------------------------- And what about the hypocricy of the city council and state legislators who take in millions of dollars (in the form of tax revenues) from a product they are publically admitting is a health hazard and are banning (despite it's legality). That type of situational mental gymnastics should make all of us queasy. I've read the entire thread about "Smoking ban: Night One". The smoking ban proponents were going to paint whatever rosy picture they needed to make the first night sound like the greatest thing since hot water. I have no doubt the atmosphere everywhere was different. But an n of one means exactly squat. Even if the smoking ban is a resounding success the far greater damage done is to everyone's freedom to make a choice. Voluntarily abdicating one's freedom to make a decision does exponentially more damage to all of us than second-hand smoke will ever do. Mike Thompson Windom -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.9.1 - Release Date: 4/1/2005 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
