|
|
Terry’s Tidbits
By Terry Gray
July 18, 2005
"Say what you want about the Nazis, but no woman has ever had a fantasy about
being tied up and beaten by a man dressed as a liberal." -- P.J. O'Rourke
Free This
I’m sick to death of hearing about “Free Speech Zones”, “Gun Free Zones”, “Drug
Free Zones”, “Smoke Free Zones”, and all the other “Free” zones. This is
America. You cannot legislate away our right to freedom by giving us a zone to
be free or not free, as the case may be. From Massachusetts to Key West, from
Virginia to California, this is a free land. Don’t try to appease me by giving
me a little plot of fenced off real estate to exercise my 1st amendment. Don’t
try to appease me by giving me an outside smoking patio. Don’t tell me that
weapons have to be controlled; weapons are controlled, by the Constitution for
the United States of America and by the people who choose to own them.
As an aside, Gun Owners of America says that Senator Frist of Tennessee is
reluctant to block anti-gun agendas. I received this info from GOA on the same
day that I got a letter from Senator Frist telling me how hard he is working for
my gun rights.
Smoking Ban Council Meeting
I’ve never witnessed such a confused bunch of folks in my life as what I see in
the Louisville city council. They get worse with time, stumbling over themselves
as they attempt to do their elected jobs. I don’t mean they stumble over each
other, I mean they stumble over themselves while they stumble over each other.
I listened to the various arguments before the issue of a smoking ban was
tabled. A casual outside observer would immediately get the impression that in
the “2 years” that a Louisville smoking ban has been under consideration,
nothing has been learned. As opposed to council members gathering information
and making a decision, they have gathered information, information that supports
what they already believe about the issue whether what they believe is pro or
con, and attempted to use that information to sway fellow council members. What
exactly is the motivation of the council as a whole for considering a smoking
ban?
Those on the council that expressed health as an issue tonight continued on the
same path that has been beaten into the ground for years. And each of them
failed to consider what they should be considering: Does this community need or
want a smoking ban? It appears obvious that many of our council members have not
gone out into their districts and talked to business owners or citizens. I
believe that true representation would require that of them should they be
interested in being representatives.
Councilwoman Pugh and Councilman Melton stressed the importance of protecting
those in our community who are sick. I agree with the sentiment but I have to
ask the question, at whose expense? There is an old saying that a chain is only
as strong as its weakest link. With this in mind, a smoking ban will only serve
to shackle the healthy with regulation aimed at protecting the sick. We don’t
break the legs of the healthy in our society in order to slow them down to the
pace of those suffering from broken legs. If regulation to protect the sick were
put in perspective and truly aimed at protecting the sick, it would ban the sick
from places where smoking is allowed. Is that fair? No, it is not. So instead we
seek to limit the activities of those in our society fortunate enough to be
well. Is that fair? No, it is not.
Councilman Melton told a story that expressed a sentiment that needs to be
understood. His anecdote about the gentleman outside of Kroger who was a polite
chain smoker but supported Melton’s ordinance should make an impression upon the
council. The point of Councilman Melton’s story was to show that people wanted a
ban. The real point of the story is that this chain smoking gentleman was polite
as a human and not because he was forced to be polite. There is no regulation
that will force people to be polite. Another of Councilman Melton’s stories
needs some attention as well. He told of an aide that was in the chambers
tonight and of that aide’s relative who died of cancer. Councilman Melton told
us of how smoke hung thick in the air at work above the victim’s head and there
is still debate as to whether or not this is what killed him. The obvious
fallacy is that the smoke was hanging above his head, out of reach of his lungs.
But more importantly is the debate as to whether or not the smoke is what killed
him. Alarms should go off in the minds of those seeking true answers to what
should be done about the health effects of second hand smoke when that kind of
example is used as evidence to promote a ban.
The Health Department and its inspections of restaurants were mentioned in an
attempt to persuade the council to vote for the ban. Food poisoning is a hidden
danger and has proven to be deadly to those taken unaware. Yet food poisoning
does occur even with regulations and Health Department inspections. Tobacco
smoke on the other hand serves as its own warning device. People who patronize
establishments that allow smoking do so with the full knowledge that tobacco
smoke exists in those establishments.
Councilman Engel made some good points but his idea of banning smoking in all
businesses and then making exemptions for those desiring to allow smoking is
ridiculous. It serves no purpose except to give government one more power to
regulate us. It is like saying that we need to ban alcohol for everyone except
those who choose to drink. What his proposal does do is further demonize tobacco
by de-normalizing it. A “normal” establishment would be smoke-free and an
establishment that has gone out of its way to allow smoking would be the
exception and “not normal”. And let’s consider the bottom line in such an
ordinance. This gives government more power and the right to refuse or permit
exemptions at will. What a wonderful venue for corruption.
I believe that if you back up the tape of the meeting you’ll hear Councilwoman
Pugh all but suggesting that Bingo be banned. Listen carefully to her phrasing.
She said that since most Bingo players smoke while playing Bingo, perhaps there
should be some government economic incentive to help the charities that are now
helped by Bingo. Ergo, replace privatized Bingo with socialized financial
support. What’s that spell?
Other points were made by council members who oppose a ban. Good points that
border on logic and beg the question of why there are only a few leaders on our
council. A statement was made that while the city council tries to tell the
world that it can’t smoke, smoking is allowed in city buildings. Another
councilman wondered how we would determine if businesses are open to the public,
a fair question in light of some Louisville businesses keeping locked doors and
only allowing in those whom are invited. Then there was the question of
Churchill Downs and bars being exempt when one of the main issues is workers’
health. I had to laugh when it was mentioned that with the way the ordinance was
written, the smoking ban promoted drinking. If an establishment derives 75% of
its business from food then it would have to ban smoking. All a business would
have to do is scale back its food sales and push more alcohol in order to be
able to allow smoking, or cook the books. Exemptions for hospitals and nursing
homes with separate, ventilated smoking rooms are on the ordinance but no
considerations are included which would grant exemptions to such groups as AA.
It is odd that we want to dictate to our restaurants that if they sell more
alcohol they can allow smoking but if people fall prey to alcohol and
subsequently attend AA meetings they can’t smoke. It is also odd that
ventilation is acceptable for hospitals but not for bars and restaurants.
WLKY 32 conducted a survey of our community today concerning the attitudes of
our citizens toward a ban. At 11:30 on Thursday night the poll stood as follows:
37% wanted no ban.
22% favored a ban in daycare and restaurants.
40% favored a ban in most businesses.
On the news at 11:00 a Nazi smoking ban proponent was disappointed and mad
saying that citizens of Louisville want a ban. Hmmmm, the numbers don’t support
her statement but what else is new? This kind of blatant lying has been going on
for years and not just with smoking. It is called Liberals wanting their way.
For the record, daycare was added to the ordinance on restaurants as an
after-thought to bolster support for a ban “for the children”. How many daycare
centers have you been in lately where the adults are sucking on cigarettes?
There is a truth out there somewhere. Can this council find it? They’ve had 2
years and now have another 28 days. It looks very doubtful.
At this point I have to comment on Councilman Melton. How can this man who can
barely put together an articulate sentence be a representative of this
community? His reasoning skills fall just short of the logic of a typical 8th
grader. Suffering through his anecdotes and ill-logic is far worse than
suffering through any secondary smoke. It is sad that he doesn’t recognize that
his ignorance and yes, stupidity, is what makes him such an excellent tool for
groups such as Smoke Free Louisville.
All of this boils down to just one thing, force. I keep hearing that people are
being forced to breathe other people’s smoke and it just isn’t true. But in
order for anti-smoking groups and government to justify force in stopping
smoking in our businesses, they have to make it look as though they are applying
force to combat force.
On Whose Tab?
An illegal alien was just found guilty of DUI murder and was sentenced to 15
years in prison. After he serves his time he will be deported to Mexico. Why am
I feeding this foreign criminal for 15 years? Execute him and hang him on a pole
on the border. Can you count how many purposes this would serve?
Discontent?
I just watched a documentary on Russia. The makers of the documentary found
Russian citizens filled with discontent. Maybe those Ruskies should come here
for a taste of American freedom huh? Right after that I saw a documentary about
a Russian school that was taken by “terrorists”. As word spread through the
community, the houses emptied as concerned citizens surrounded the school. That
sounds a little more extreme than what we would do here doesn’t it? Now get
this, those citizens, right down to the grandmothers were armed and waving their
weapons. In this country the “terrorist” would be forgotten while the police
disarmed, jailed or shot our citizens, right down to the grandmothers.
|
