I believe others have covered the fact that you're comparing apples to oranges by linking having to hear opinions as similar to being forced to inhale second-hand smoke. And I'm sorry that you choose to politicize my comments by bringing in Gore v. Bush and other irrelevant stuff. In case you missed it, I started out by criticizing the decision to essentially ban Operation Rescue, hardly a Democratic institution. It seems that you may share kinship with whomever may have objected to being approached at the Farmer's Market by canvassers linked to the Democratic Party, i.e., eventhough there is no evidence that the canvassers were rude or behaved inappropriately, let's ban them from the area simply because they wanted to talk about politics. You lament there not being a place that can be free of politics, and I laugh, because everything about the current Republican leadership locally and national is completely political, every act a political one. I can't get one minute into my day without hearing about the g-d da-- "War on Terrorism" or "9-11" or the war in Iraq or the Patriot Act or Al-Qaeda. Yet you want the Democrats to steer clear of people who don't want to listen to a different message? Tell you what: We need lots more Democratic canvassers everywhere, not just at the Farmer's Market, because it might just turn out that this country isn't willing to throw in the towel yet to GWB and his ilk, not willing to see if he can complete the Orwellian nightmare that began with his election.
Lastly, before you suggest that I'm a minority and "vocal" opinion, take a look at the voting results in the last election. We St. Paulites voted overwhelmingly Democratic. Norm Coleman may have bamboozled enough people to get elected in 1993 and 1997 (primarily because the DFL put up such weak candidates against him), but he lost "his" city by a 2 to 1 margin in the Senate race in 2002. Now perhaps we Democrats can take it back from the faux Democrat Kelly in 2005. So expect lots more "unwanted" opinions in the public squares around town. Tom Goldstein Mac-Groveland ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom & Elsa Thompson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "stpaul forum" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, July 08, 2004 9:43 PM Subject: [StPaul] farmers market policy and smoking bans "But I think the people own the space that created the Farmer's Market, and if that can be altered by the whims of a few select folks, then St. Paul is far worse off than I thought." Perhaps, just perhaps, you are not the majority in this opinion. Maybe you are a small (but vocal) minority. Maybe the will of the people of St Paul is being done, you just don't agree and can't seem to see that you are the minority opinion. "The ruling regarding the rights of groups to protest at the Mall of America was a poor one," I know and Gore V Bush was wrong too (said tongue in cheek). When rulings go against the ideology they are considered poor by either side. Why is it that smokers have to stay away from everyone else? Why can't non smokers stay away from smokers? Why do smokers have to go somewhere else? Why can't non smokers go somewhere else? Why does politics have to permeate our every thought, action, location? Why can't we talk about politics with willing folks, not require everyone to hear it? I guess we won't have any more festivals, farmers markets, parades, weddings, family reunions, company picnics or any other outing on public property. We have to allow everyone onto the "public square". Can't allow anyone to use public facilities without the ability to "agitate" by espousing our political beliefs. This forum is for politics. The capital is for politics. Paid ads are for politics. Please keep them and smoking bans from getting out of control. It seems to great to regulate, until it's something you care about that is getting regulated out. Remember next time you may be the one whose "perceived" rights are being taken away. Tom Thompson Como Park _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
