Posted on 01/10/2003 7:41:00 PM PST by Max McGarrity
Secondhand smoke "might make your hair smell," but it's not a proven health risk, Bears-coach-turned-restaurant-owner Mike Ditka said Thursday, leading the charge against a proposed restaurant smoking ban in Chicago.
With a cigar in one hand and a drink in the other, Ditka said his steelworker father was living proof that it's baloney for medical experts to claim that exposing a restaurant employee to an eight-hour shift's worth of secondhand smoke is the equivalent of smoking a half a pack of cigarettes.
"My dad smoked four packs of Luckies from the time he was 12 until the time he was 60. He lived to 80. He died of hardening of the arteries. He didn't die from what smoking caused. He worked in the steel mill where every morning, you woke up and there was half an inch of soot on the cars," Ditka said.
"People who have survived in industrial areas of our country late into their 80s and 90s have inhaled more smoke than all the smoking in the world can give you. I find it hard to believe that people try to shove the secondhand smoke theory down your throat because I don't believe it. I don't believe it even hurts you. It might make your hair smell a little bit, but that's about it."
Ditka said he has nothing against Ald. Edward M. Burke (14th), the City Council's leading anti-smoking crusader. He simply believes the restaurant business would "suffer tremendously" if Burke and Health Committee Chairman Ed Smith (28th) persuaded their colleagues to ban smoking in restaurants and bars.
"These people who are popping off and throwing their weight around better open up their eyes and understand that you've got freedoms in America. If you don't want to come in this restaurant, don't come in. If you don't want to go where people smoke, don't go. They run the City Council. Let the people down here run the restaurants," Da Coach said.
Reminded that smoking has been banned for years in California restaurants and bars, Ditka said: "That's fruits and nuts. That's what they are. A lot of liberals. . .. All the do-gooders in the world. The people in California who abolished smoking are the same people who want to legalize marijuana. Come on. Give me a break."
At a Health Committee meeting earlier this week, restaurant owners attempted to slow the anti-smoking steamroller.
They warned that a Chicago-only restaurant smoking ban would send customers fleeing to the suburbs and prompt conventions to move elsewhere. They argued the ban would create an enforcement nightmare, with confrontations between tip-seeking servers and their customers.
Mayor Daley sympathized, called for more City Council hearings on the controversy and backed away from his earlier endorsement of a restaurant smoking ban.
On Thursday, restaurant employees held a news conference at Ditka's Restaurant, 100 E. Chestnut, to reiterate those arguments and pile on a few more.
"This city is rich in character--full of taverns, neighborhood joints, steakhouses and family restaurants. A smoking ban would completely expunge that character. It would absolutely reduce this city to another generic, dime-a-dozen, two-bit town," said Glenn Garlisch, a waiter at the Chicago Chop House, 60 W. Ontario.
Lets get the record straight here Tacis, You are the SMOKE NAZI! You are the one attempting to tell my local hangout that he can't let all his regulars and smokers take part in our own pleasures regardless of the fact you will never, ever be in this part of our country!@
You are so F&%$&#@ ignorant regarding private/public issues! By your own admission should you ever enter my house then I am obligated to bow down to you and extinguish my cigarette. I pray that that should one day come to pass.....
So what you are saying is that when you pass by Ditka's place, you happen to stick your head in the door and view people smoking, then they should immediately extinguish them because you decide to walk in. All Hail Tacis!!!!
Middle of the road sitters will get run over by both north and southbound traffic. Either sit on the north or sit on the south side, that way you will only get run over half as often. The other alternative is to get off the road completely and hide in the woods.......
He has no credentials, he cites no research and doesn't make any claim that he does so who the F&%$& cares except you? Its his restaurant!!!
Asinine comment.
But typical.
So. Handgun Control gets control of a bunch of taxpayer money to use as they wish. They believe you gun fanatics "pimp death," particularly the deaths of children and their "studies" prove it time and time again. Pet politicians like Henry Waxman hold hearings. They demonize, ostracize and punish you with oppressive taxes. They propagandize the public with their millions of dollars and manage to pass a "no guns, no time, no place" law.
Welcome to the world you've created.
Based on how this thread has progressed, I think many FReepers believe secondhand smoke has affected their families.
But, that's not the same as scientific proof. So okay, "don't believe me." ???Como se dice, que va?
"How do you say ... whatever?!"
Xya
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