In my experience, the most offensive people I have to suffer are smokers. They litter, they spit, they smoke at entrances, and if you say anything, they curse you and make rude gestures, or at best give you a really insincere “oh, I’m sorry! (I didn’t know there was smoke coming out of this funny stick!)”
Even panhandlers and “youths” are easier to live with.
When I am in NYC, I would prefer to walk, but I must take a cab or the subway to avoid the rampant smoking on the streets. I have had holes burnt in my clothing by careless smokers!
Sure, most smokers are very nice people who would never consciously harm others, and smoke well away from non-smokers, but they almost universally will allow their fellow smokers to behave abusively.
I therefore feel no sorrow for any smoker’s predicament. They’re reaping what they have sown.
If smokers want to retain their collective freedom, they must police their own ranks.
Bring on the bans.
Isn’t the “rampant smoking in the streets” brought about by the ban on smoking indoors in NYC?
Another example of the law of unintended consequences.
And when the ban you advocate “bringing on” results in yet another avenue for organized crime to proliferate as history has shown over and over will occur, along with the commensurate expansion of government to “fix” that problem?
I will give you a little credit for making it clear to all that you are one -if not the- biggest idiot on FR. Even a liberal would be hard pressed to achieve your high level of over-dramatic, emotional wussiness.
The most offensive people I have to suffer are:
—Women who douse themselves in perfume
—Grossly overweight people—I hate looking at them
But it would never cross my mind to “ban them” or their activities—guess I am just one of those crazy loonertarians. :-(