http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/o...,5835969.story
Dear Alderman July 14/05
The bandwagon of local smoking bans now steamrolling across the nation has
nothing to do with protecting people from the supposed threat of
"second-hand" smoke.
Indeed, the bans themselves are symptoms of a far more grievous threat, a
cancer that has been spreading for decades throughout the body politic. This
cancer is the only real hazard involved - the cancer of unlimited government
power.
Loudly billed as measures that only affect "public places," smoking bans
have actually targeted many privately owned places such as bars and shops -
places whose owners should be free to ban smoking or not and whose customers
are free to patronize or not. Outdoor bans even harass smokers in places
where others’ health is obviously not the issue.
The decision to smoke or to avoid "second-hand" smoke, is a question for
each individual to answer based on his own values and judgment. This is the
same kind of decision free people make regarding every aspect of their
lives. All lifestyle decisions involve risks; some have demonstrably harmful
consequences; many are controversial and invite disapproval from others… but
the individual must be free to make these decisions. He must be free,
because his life belongs to him, not to others, and only his own judgment
can guide him through it.
Yet when it comes to smoking this freedom of choice for a minority, is being
seriously limited by a majority made baselessly fearful through massive
media campaigns often funded by tax dollars.
The real threat we face here, no matter how strongly it is denied by the
anti-smoking lobby, is the systematic and unlimited intrusion of government
into our lives.
We do not elect officials to control and manipulate our behaviour. They are
in office to serve us, not visa versa.
P.S.
These special interest groups are using the Health issue to try to lobby politicians to pass 'no-smoking by-laws'
But their true agenda is to denormalize smoking.
Passing smoke-free legislation is a big step in that direction.
Unfortunately the smokers and the hospitality sector are caught in the cross-fire
Politicians know that 75% of the public doesn't smoke and therefore these politicians try to get elected or re-elected on the backs of the hospitality sector.
What ever happened to the politicians in the 60's.."I would rather be right than President"
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