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John Mattson
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Posted: Wed Mar 5th, 2008 12:37 pm |
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First, this is another good example of an issue that should have been put to a vote by the People and not simply made into law.
What disturbs me about our smoking ban and similar smoking bans around the country is that the ban is not consistent. If officials declare it a health hazard, then why do they still allow smoking in places that serve alcohol (bars)? People in bars are being effected the same as everyone at the local Sheetz. The problem there is that the "Liquor Lobbyists" have to much power.
Personally, I am not a smoker and I don't like smoke, but I do agree with you that Private businesses should decide what their business does. If they lose business because they allow smoking, that is their loss. If they allow smoking and it helps their business, then good for them. I have a choice to not go into an establishment that allows smoking and I won't - especially a restaurant.
And for places like the bowling alley that have a bar, you can't simply "enclose" the bar area and allow smoking there because it is now enclosed. Smoke is in the air and air flows everywhere so, even though there may be less smoke in the bowling area, the smoke still makes its way there.
Another issues relating to this is how some states are making it a criminal offence to smoke in a car when there is a child riding in the car with you. This is ridiculous and is exactly what you are talking about when one rule morphs into another and it only gets worse. The government is slowly taking our rights away.
My mom smoked about 5 packs a day - literally, she often had two cigarettes going at the same time. She passed away two years ago at the age of 62 with lung cancer and a very bad heart. Growing up our house was filled with smoke and I lived through it all right and don't suffer any health effects from it.
Bottom line, this issue was to big and effected to many people to not have been put to a vote by the people. It should be repealed and put to a vote.
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Rusty Shackelford
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| Joined: | Mon Mar 3rd, 2008 |
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| Posts: | 7 |
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Posted: Wed Mar 5th, 2008 01:02 am |
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This is an article published on http://www.pfa2190.blogspot.com ,
Smoke and Freedom
Is it the right of local, state, and federal governments to dictate what someone can do with his or her property? Of course the answer that most of us come to is no. Many of us, my self included, believe that the government should have no say in what we do with our personal property. If I want to put a new couch in my apartment, should I have to get a permit to do so? of course not. If this is the case than why do we allow our government to ban smoking in businesses that are privately owned and operated.
My home town recently banned indoor smoking and this has caused a great deal of controversy among local business owners. One such instance is our local bowling alley; for the longest time smoking was allowed in the bowling alley and in the connected bar. This has long since become a thing of the past. I understand banning smoking in public buildings, for those belong to the government and they should be able to do as they please with their own property, but to ban smoking in private businesses without the consent of the owner seems to go against the fundamental beliefs of our country in that by this precedent the government has been allowed to tell someone what to do with their private property.
The citizens of our country have taken convenience over freedom. It's not easy enough to express your discontent with a businesses practices by, I don't know, not spending your money there, but we opted out to change the law in favor of giving up some of our freedoms. Instead of changing the laws it would be less short sighted to force a business to change their practices out of economic necessity instead of political necessity.
Freedoms are not lost overnight, but it is rather a slow and gradual process. Bans on smoking are just one rung on the ladder. If the government can ban smoking in private businesses because it is unhealthy, what is to say they can't tell you how many times a week you can eat cheese burgers in private homes. The choice should be given to the individual, but isn't that a current trend in society, to take responsibility out of the hands of the individual and give it to the state. I for one do not want disconnected lifetime politicians making hypocritical decisions about my everyday life, those choices are mine and yours to make.
PFA
My question to you, the candidates is, are you for or against this type of legislation. I understand fully that this is a health issue, but also as long as smoking remains legal shouldn't local business owners have the choice to allow or ban smoking in their respective places of business? Could you please respond to the following questions posed in the article.
What would you have voted for in regard to the smoking ban? Do you think that economics should be the decider of business practices, or do you think the government should be? Do you agree that this sets a dangerous precedent in allowing our local government to step into our personal lives and practices?
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