Posted on 07/15/2006 7:30:05 AM PDT by SheLion
The Pennsylvania Restaurant Association has thrown its support behind a statewide ban on smoking in restaurants, bars, casinos and private clubs.
So why couldn't we find any local establishments who agree with them?
Admittedly, we used a small sample, but when staff writer Jeff Pikulsky talked to owners of Mon Valley clubs and restaurants last week, he found angry opposition to the proposed ban.
Monessen Elks Club Steward Marcy Zites estimated that 70 percent of her club patrons smoke and feared that a ban would be bad for business.
Those sentiments were echoed at the Foster House in North Belle Vernon, where bartender Lisa Vestrat said customers have been complaining about the possibility of a ban.
At the High Point restaurant in Coal Center, Loretta Sepesy lamented, "People like to have a drink and cigarette. They take away all of your rights anymore."
The proposal to ban smoking in public places was introduced by Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, a Republican from Montgomery, and is currently being considered by the Senate's Public Health & Welfare Committee. Similar legislation in the House died in committee last month.
The ban is being offered out of concern for the health and welfare of employees who work in those facilities and are exposed to second-hand smoke. A recent report from the U.S. Surgeon General brands second-hand smoke as a health risk and recommends that it be banned from public gathering places.
We understand the concern of the state's Restaurant Association and its desire to be on the politically correct side of the smoking argument. But we think the organization should have contacted more of its members to see if they feel the same way.
It's our position that in a free society, this decision should be up to the individual restaurants, not the government. Restaurants who want to ban smoking should be welcome to do so, and customer response will determine if they are right or wrong.
"The sun does more damage to peoples' bodies than second-hand cigarette smoke," said Monessen Elks Club trustee Brian Mears. "What is the government going to do next, shut down the sun?
Shh, Brian, don't give them any ideas.
You misunderstood my comment. My young non-smoking friend was the first to start the round of applause when some pecksniff anti-smoker and friends got up and left the establishment we were in yesterday because the waitress refused to tell the smokers to put out the cigarettes. We were sitting at a bar OUTSIDE. I explained the entire episode in a much earlier comment.
Enjoy your Twinkies or strawberry shortcake or diet Dr. Pepper while you can.
This insanity is coming your way, hahaha.
You must be my long-lost brother.
It will be too late when they finally open their eyes to see the train coming.
But they can't say they weren't warned.
The sooner you wind up with one nationwide restaurant, called McTacoAppleBees, the sooner I'll like it.
Hope you will too.
You and I are the government, Dan.
Speak for yourself.
Poor baby.
why not try another restaurant and leave the people who want to be in that environment alone?
"Why should I have to "apply for a waiver" so I can run MY business the way I want to?"
Because the friggin nanny state and anti-smoking nazi's (including people that CLAIM to be "conservatives") say so.
It is disgusting
Try as I might, I just can't understand the mindset of the statist.
What you have is mob rule.
Hope you can live with the consequences.
People in hell wish for ice cubes.
What's your point?
And the mom & pop restaurants are disappearing.
Hope you enjoy dining at McTacoApplebeesKFC.
And it is glorious, BTW, because it is the smell of freedom.
Laws, laws, laws, everywhere you turn. I probably break half a dozen laws every single day and don't even know it... They are drunk with power, and WE let them get away with it.
You got it. The 800 pond gorilla in the room.
The federal government creates about 3,000 new laws and regulations each year. State government each create about a quarter that many. Almost every person breaks the law at least a few times each year. Not just traffic laws either.
Consider this: if it was physically possible to apprehend every person that violated the law -- including judges, lawyers, police, grocery clerks, etc. -- the American economy would come to a screeching halt... And cause a major disruption to the world economy.
Get this: politicians and bureaucrats proclaim from on high that each new law is necessary to protect the "little guy" and/or save people and society from running headlong to destruction.
Here's the rub: with massive lawlessness already occurring, how is it that people and society haven't long ago run headlong over the cliff-edge? Yet instead, persons and society have increasingly prospered in health and wealth despite massive lawlessness.
United States has 5% of the world population yet has 25% of the prison population.
Conclusion: unconstitutional laws and regulations created by lawless-to-their-oath members of congress and bureaucrats are parasites leeching/draining off the productive host--workers and entrepreneurs.
Lift the parasitical elites off the backs of the productive workers and risk-taking entrepreneurs and the American economy will go into orbit... Puling the rest of the world up with it.
There's a few key things to lifting off the lid of government oppression and abuse...
AMEN. Although I do prefer to use the word "gnatzies" when referring to the control freaks. It means small minds buzzing in your business.
I've got a general nanny state ping list, She Lion has the generally smoker related nanny-state ping list....would you like to be included on either?
You anti-smokers have completely destroyed the dining-out experience for me.
Keep going and you'll be able to enjoy your Soylent Green Slurpee in a pristine environment.
Well then, you should try it sometime. Might loosen you up.
I think we all would appreciate it if you just kept that up.
"I've got a general nanny state ping list, She Lion has the generally smoker related nanny-state ping list....would you like to be included on either?"
Yes, I'd love to be added to both. Thank you!!!!!
You are now on mine - I'm sure you will be on the lioness's in short order!!!
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