Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Pontotoc Smoking Ban
On Tuesday, April 1, 2008, the Board of Aldermen for the city of Pontotoc, Mississippi, passed an ordinance banning smoking in all public buildings
in the city. It was a bright day for the overly health conscious petitioners who had sought the ban and a black one for American freedom, particularly
freedom from oppression.
Ignoring the fact that many businesses and restaurants in the city are already non-smoking facilities, a choice freely made by the owners of said businesses and restaurants, and the fact that all government facilities are non-smoking, the Board of Aldermen voted to strike freedom of choice from the rights of the business owners.
Sadly, there are too many citizens in this country who are willing to sell their own freedom while denying certain freedoms to others. Apparently, the Board of Aldermen feels there are individuals in Pontotoc whose ignorance regarding exposure to second hand smoke renders them incapable of choosing a non-smoking section in a restaurant and are therefore in need of the controlling influence of big brother.
The average citizen in Pontotoc will not be adversely affected by the board’s decision, but then neither is the frog in the pot of water being heated on the fire, until it’s too late to do something about it. Citizens who allow the erosion of individual freedoms will one day discover they have
no freedoms.
This time, the board’s decision limited the rights of smokers and business owners. However, since obesity among all age groups is a growing concern, the next freedom denied to citizens of Pontotoc may restrict whether or not obese persons can be served in a restaurant. After all, the Board of Aldermen’s decision to ban smoking in public places was based on their interpretation of the "public good."
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1 comment:
The law you are talking about is modeled after a state law in the Peoples Republic of Washington. I don’t smoke and don’t really like smoking, but it is the right of the property owner to decide what is best for his/her business. If you don’t like the smoking go somewhere else to eat, shop or drink. This law killed many a business in PRW and made criminals out of business owners who choose to ignore the law. One of the oldest businesses in the Peoples Republic of Olympia nearly went out of business because of this law. It was sold to a company that buys up old pubs than runs them as old/modern pubs I hate the place now. I liked the smell of cigars and the feel of a place that had not really changed for 80 years. Don’t saddle me with your hang-up, if you don’t like it go somewhere else and if there are enough of you someone will open a business to cater to your needs and wants. What’s next?
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