We are all the same voices saying the same things over and again believing somehow our positions will be contagious to our opposition.
Smoking is dangerous to others as well as ourselves. So what? Don't tell me what I can do or not do. But what you do is affecting me and others. So what? It's your choice to be in this cloud. No. You're saying I have to tolerate this in a public place because you want "freedom." So what? It's a private place and the owner can allow whatever he/she wants. No. The health of his/her employees and customers who don't smoke is as much the owner's responsibility as the right to do business, and more important than the desire to allow smoking. So what? It's all a matter of choice and you should all butt out.Smoking bans are destroying legitimate business. No. You choose to do business with the public you have a responsibility for protecting that public when they enter your place of businessjust as much as the safety of the food and the storage and the surfaces subject to contamination. Besides, all evidence points to just the opposite businesses are not closing because of the bans; they're thriving, except for those that are mismanaged in other ways, probably relying too much on alcohol to offset lousy money-handling. So what? The state, the government has no business telling bar owners and smokers how to run their lives. ---- Full circle. Same stuff over and over. From all the same people, including yours truly. It will ever be thus. Fortunately, smoking ban opponents are whistling in the shower. The 80% of non-smokers who prefer clean air will prevail by law and by preference. The bar-owners and libertarians will conform or shut down. Better for all. Happy to close out my contributions. Andy Driscoll Saint Paul -- on 12/10/05 2:21 AM, Steve Nelson wrote: > Unsigned wrote: > "To all the arrogant, know-it-all liberals who've lamented the rise of > conservatism and republican politics in this country the past 10 years, I > have one thing to say: Look in the mirror! You've lost touch with the > working middle class (historical constituency of the democratic party) and > driven them over to the dark side in droves. Wake up." > > Considering smokers now make up around 18% of the population and the > "working middle class" make up about 90 % of the population, it would seem > that the liberals are in touch with 72% of their historical constituency. > > Steve Nelson > Willard Hay > > 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:mpls@mnforum.org > 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:mpls@mnforum.org Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
