> Ken Bradley writes: > I have suffer from asthma (former-smoker, I am as well to > blame) and in recent years have really disliked even going > out to bars in our city. Since the smoking ban I go out much > more, and do not turn down invitations from friends like in > the past. My clothing also spells much better when I come home.
Not that I don't have sympathy for people with asthma, but what is the comparative percentage of asthma sufferers who will frequent bars compared to the percentage of smokers? What about people who suffer from peanut allegories? Should we be so sympathetic to their desire to go out to bars that we should ban peanut eating in bars? How do we allocate desire and suffering? Can't we leave this up to people's willingness to spend their dollars? If there is sufficient demand from people with asthma, wouldn't there be bars willing to accommodate them or is it just that bars are catering to a larger market? Should we ban alcohol because it's a temptation for alcoholics, as cigarette smoke is to nicotine addicts? Where does all this regulation of behavior end, when we make life so sterile that we all live to be a very monotonous 100? "-Denver weighs plan to ease marijuana laws- Voters in Denver will decide on Tuesday whether to make it legal for adults to possess as much as an ounce of marijuana." http://www.startribune.com/stories/484/5696288.html Maybe life would be more enjoyable if we allow people to make their own choice of vices (public or not). 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
