Posted on 11/13/2014 12:17:40 PM PST by Bettyprob
WESTMINSTER — An unruly public hearing on a proposal to prohibit the sale of tobacco products came to a sudden and rowdy halt Wednesday evening after shouting and clapping opponents of the ban repeatedly refused the chairwoman’s request to come to order.
The ban, proposed by the Board of Health in this Central Massachusetts town, would be the first of its kind in the state. It has led to angry reactions from residents who worry that it will hurt the local economy and allow government too much discretion in controlling private conduct.
“This is about freedom; it’s my body and it’s my choice to smoke,” said Nate Johnson, 32, a Westminster farmer and auto body worker. He was puffing on a cigarette at a rally before the hearing where opponents held signs saying “It’s not about tobacco — it’s about control” and “Smoke ’em if you got them.”
Emotions flared at the hearing, where about 500 people crowded into an elementary school gym. When one resident loudly pronounced himself “disgusted” that the board would make a proposal that infringed on personal choice, the crowd roared with approval.
After several failed attempts to bring the hearing to order, chairwoman Andrea Crete gaveled the session to an end. As police shadowed Crete out of the building, many in the audience broke out in a verse of “God Bless America.” Opponents also collected signatures on a petition to recall the three elected board members.
(Excerpt) Read more at bostonglobe.com ...
Are the Board members elected or appointed? Either way, there should be some repercussion from the the voters.
But, but, but, how can they protest? We are Democrats! We know what’s best for the peasants! They must be Teabaggers!
Is Westminster part of Happy Valley? Or is it too far East?
In some of these small towns, if people can't get their cigarettes in town, they'll go elsewhere and it will impact the coffee shop, gas station, liquor store, grocery store. It'll take some characters out of the local small town mix.
MA might be crazy liberal about some things, but the residents tend to like their personal freedom. And they like the character of those small towns and a participatory town meeting form of government. I LOVE it (and miss being there) when residents are pushed too far!
Even in Taxachussetts.
Do it...”for the children”
Or as Mayor Bloomberg said, here’s your plan B pill kid, just don’t wash it down with a 16oz drink or smoke a cig after sex.
Yeah, those bubble gum cigars sure lead me to smoke (not, have never smoked).
Moron fascists.
Buy them out of town.
Smoke them in town.
"…all we're saying is that on domestic flights of less than an hour, we can't see why we can't have those flights be non-smoking flights..."
That was the nose in the tent for all that has followed. Today there are places where you can't smoke in your own home. The democrats want to regulate what you eat and drink. Take away your gun. Tell you what size light bulb you can use and on and on.
I've said it before and it is even more appropriate today.
The Democrat party in America should be treated by Americans exactly as the Nazi party was treated by the Germans at the end of WWII.
Quite simply, ALL Democrats are unamerican.
Thing is, the anti-smoking nazis approached this problem from the wrong direction.
They can NO LONGER SAY it’s to protect the children or the pregnant mothers or the blah blah blah - public smoking is already illegal!
So it’s clear that they are going after an individual behavior...
BTW, I have been smoke free for a total of 69 days!
I vape like a crazy man, but no smokes!
And from that perspective, I cannot support trying to legislate smoking out of existence.
E-Cigarettes have all but proven that their concern over second-hand smoke was a load of bologna.
Shame you can’t smoke on airplanes...It warms the cockles of my evil heart to see smokers suffer.
I wear a nicotine patch when I fly. It gives me the opportunity to provoke cold-induced cockle shrinkage.
The irony is, what are the odds they legalize marijuana in the next couple of years?
Andrea Crete, the council head has not learned the lesson of last Tuesday.
Even in Ted Kennedy Massachusetts, they are rising up against liberal fascism.
Not Happy Valley, it’s in central Mass (Worcester County).
The State does control what you put into your body. Marijuana Prohibition proves it. Cigarettes are next. It’s like the old joke...we already know what we are, now we’re just haggling over the details.
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
Niemoller
“…all we’re saying is that on domestic flights of less than an hour, we can’t see why we can’t have those flights be non-smoking flights...”
I well remember that because I was in grade school at the time (and so not very worldly) and I overheard an adult say “This isn’t about airplanes, it’s about control. They don’t want anyone smoking anywhere ever.” The speaker was in his 50’s and intelligent and sober. I wondered what on earth could possibly be the rational basis for such a strange assertion. Dude was right.
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