Posted on 05/11/2004 1:11:05 PM PDT by sheltonmac
Some people are moved to champion a particular cause because of a tragic event in their lives, like the loss of a loved one. Others, like St. Paul City Council member Dave Thune, are motivated by a guilty conscience - and Minnesota residents are the ones who will suffer the consequences.
Thune recently proposed a ban on smoking in all of St. Paul's bars and restaurants. His reasoning? "This is a public health issue," the admitted smoking addict said. "We need to protect patrons and staff at our establishments."
Ah, yes! The "public good" has long been a refuge for many a political scoundrel.
My suspicion is that Dave Thune is having pangs of remorse. "More important than my personal fight against my addiction is what it is doing to other people," he said. "It's wrong for those of us who can't give it up to make people breathe our smoke." Poor guy. I can only imagine the guilt he must feel for all those innocent people he killed with his second-hand smoke.
Other cities in Minnesota have already imposed fascistic bans on the use of tobacco. Rochester, home of the Mayo Clinic, and Duluth have both been smoke-free for some time now, and the Minneapolis City Council will be proposing similar restrictions later this week.
Opponents of these bans fear an adverse affect on the local economy. People are constantly flocking to Minnesota - the Twin Cities in particular - for professional and collegiate sporting events, plays and musicals, concerts and conventions. Visitors come from all over the world for business, vacation or a weekend of shopping at the Mall of America.
Dan Bostrom, St. Paul City Council president, said, "If a restaurant wants to be smoke-free, it just needs to put up 'No Smoking' signs and take away the ashtrays.'' But a solution like that is too simple for politicians like Dave Thune to understand. It is his belief that families "should not have to choose restaurants based on their health and the health of their children."
What Thune doesn't realize - or, more likely, refuses to admit - is that many families choose restaurants all the time based on their health and the health of their children. Some avoid places like Old Country Buffet because of the tendency to over-eat. Some stay away from McDonald's and Burger King because of the lack of healthy options. And believe it or not, some avoid establishments that allow smoking because they don't want to contract lung cancer and die in the next 40 or 50 years.
There was once a time in America when the freedom to choose was something to be cherished and protected. It was all part of living in a free society. Today, having to make such choices is considered an inconvenience, and Thune's prescription is to have elected officials make the difficult choices for those he deems incapable of handling that luxury. Besides, the good people of Minnesota will probably be much happier without the burden of excess responsibility and may reward their bureaucratic benefactors with votes and tax dollars.
Listening to these politicians ramble on and on about how they are only doing what's best for us, it's a wonder any of us survived the days before the nanny state. What's next? Will the government expand its role of caretaker by banning smoking in our cars? Our homes?
The state of Minnesota, like the rest of the country, was founded on the principle that the function of government is to protect the inalienable rights of the people. Dave Thune apparently believes that isn't enough; government should control how people live if they refuse to follow his concept of an ideal society.
To Mr. Thune and other crusaders for the nanny state, let me say this: public service is not an appropriate venue for exorcising your own personal demons. See a shrink or talk to your pastor. I really don't care as long as you get off your power trip and stop saying you know what's best for me. If I want to brave the toxic cloud of tobacco smoke in my neighborhood bar, that's my choice to make.
And to the ill-informed, masochistic citizens who keep voting these tyrants into office: grow up. You may be miserable, but don't take it out on me. In your efforts to feel better about yourselves you are contributing to the bastardization of the democratic process by using it for no other purpose than to force your lifestyle choices on the rest of us. If you believe you must do something to help better society, try staying home on election day.
And the reason they didn't simply write it into the Constitution was _________?
What in heaven's name are you talking about?????? My husband and I, just as every other smoker I know, pay just as much in income taxes as the next guy and use NO social services. Please get over your stereotyping rhetoric, it is rather beneath you.
BINGO!!!!!!!!!! The OWNER can ban the use. Noone has a problem with that. the problem is the gun-point force of the government doing it.
HEY! The criminal is back!
Now that you have admitted to being an anarcho drug user who picks and chooses which laws he will break and which he will obey, (the definition of anarchy) please expound for everyone how you want to wage a holy war (Jihad) on our culture. Pay special attention to the part where everyone can pick and choose which laws to obey.
You might pretend to ignore those who have you nailed, but the people reading this thread aren't ignoring it.
Please explain to your pal CWO all about your anarchy behavior, even as you pretend others are anarchists.
CJ doesn't mind smoking as long as it is an illict drug. He is an admitted current user of pot. (and who knows what else)
Hey CWO, you aren't a druggie too are you?
Never used it? C'mon, try not to lie.
I mean, with your obsession with drug policy and the Libertarian Party, I'm surprised you don't join. I mean, you do excuse CJ right? Your fellow law and order authoritarian guy? The anarchist guy? You do embrace scum bags right?
if not, tell me all about CJ and your attitude towards criminals.
I believe I've already said that I have no use for the libertarian party.
Tell me about your fellow anarchist CJ and if you support his criminality. Or are you yellow?
Well, lets try this for the third time. I have never given a fig for the libertarain party and their principles.
There is an essential dichotomy in that phrase...
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