🚀 go-pugleaf

andre@chezdre.com wrote:

> Ok, so... let's type about this old Smoking Ban,
> and get some discussion going.  A started might
> be to read some files on my site pertaining to
> the smoking ban, and if that gets some folks
> fired up... bring it back to this newsgroup?

I read in the G-T all the time about how harmful secondhand smoke is.  I
can agree with their statements; I really believe that secondhand smoke
is harmful.  

It's just not relevant.  

What *is* relevant is that the City Council overstepped their
authority.  Big time.  They took an action that had no basis in law,
just because they thought that it would protect people.  

What if the City Council, in its oh-so-infinite collective wisdom, voted
to outlaw drinking in bars next?  We'd see reams of statistics quoted
about how bad drinking is, and that it's "to protect the patrons and
employees of bars."  Never mind that it's legal, never mind that it's
the only remaining reason people go to bars.  Just because a vocal
minority of citizens could convince the City Council that it's a good
idea, it would become law.  

What about after that?  Ban the sale of fatty foods, "to protect the
consumers of Corvallis"?  How about the sale of gasoline, "to keep our
children's lungs clean"?  (Always a good idea to toss in a line or three
about "protecting the children."  I have a feeling that someone might
have even tried to say about the smoking ban in bars that it is to
"protect our children."  That would have simply confirmed my opinion of
the collective intelligence of our City Fathers (and Mothers -- how
about Motherfathers?).  

The bottom line is that the City Council acted without authority.  They
acted illegally.  The whole damned bunch of them should be tossed out on
their asses.  

Perhaps the worst part about the upcoming election is that the mayoral
race is between the current mayor of Corvallis and a current city
council member.  Either way we're going to get stuck with one of the
bastards.  

---
Making the world safe for anocracy!

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