Amen to that, Mr. Graham.
An analog: I'm a staunch abortion pro-choicer. I'm from the ilk of "if you
don't like abortion, don't have one." But there's a small part of me, deep
inside, that would love to hear the hew and cry of the pro-choice ban
supporters (I suspect a high correlation between smoking ban proponents and
abortion pro-choicers) when abortion is overturned in this country. Then
they will know what it feels like to have the freedom of choice taken away,
for their own good and the good of others. It's an apt analogy. You see,
having an abortion is a choice. No force involved. Hmmmmmmm.....oh yeah,
just like arguments about the smoking ban. Sooner or later the chickens will
come home to roost for people like Mr. Driscoll, be it abortion or some
other FREEDOM he currently holds dear. I'm not worried. But by then their
choices will have already been sold down the river. But that'll be "tough
luck" and "get over it" and "Live with this. It's over".....the latter two
quotes courtesy of Mr. Driscoll.
I see a measure of a strong society as what the citizens do with those who
hold an opposing viewpoint or engage in a behavior that, while personally
objectionable, isn't hurting anybody because it's engaged in through free
will. The facts, undebateable and undeniable, are that smoking in a bar is
an exercise in free will, as is being exposed to such smoke. If it truly was
an issue of public health, smoking should be banned. Let's do it, then.
Anybody out there with the courage to have the stuff banned........ it's a
public health issue, you know. Smoking ban proponents are no different in
their stance than staunch pro-lifers. Both want to take choices away. I
guess that's the society that they want. Sooner or later, they'll get
it.........
Mike Thompson
Windom
----- Original Message -----
From: "gemgram" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Andy Driscoll" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Dan McGrath"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Minneapolis Issues" <mpls@mnforum.org>
Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2005 8:46 AM
Subject: Re: [Mpls] Study: Metro Smoking Bans Haven't Hurt Sales
Oh yes, only a matter of time. And one wonders when the freedoms Mr.
Driscoll enjoys will also be taken? What sins of the flesh that he enjoys
will be outlawed? Perhaps reading and participating in Minneapolis
issues? After all it will not hurt if we curtail a few "freedoms" and sins
for the good of "society".
Perhaps reading bothersome magazines, and maybe books that are not
supportive of our government? Wasting electricity which is made with oil
might be one. God knows the "workers" fighting the war in Iraq are harmed
by his and our addiction to cheap oil. I hear "second hand" bombs and
bullets are harming those workers just so Mr. Driscol can use that
electricity and write on a computer that uses electricity. Oh, and how
about those workers who labor in the plastic factories to make that
computer case?
Yes, perhaps it is just a matter of time. I hope Mr. Driscol can live with
it when we pass laws that cut his own "sins". For the betterment of all of
us of course. After all he writes that he thinks others should just live
with it.
Jim Graham
Ventura Village
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