Atlanta Bans Smoking Outdoors
- Thread starter IceToEskimos
- Start date
If you are going to blow smoke in my face, I reserve the right to spray insect repellent in yours.
If you must have a system of government, it's guiding principle should be all things being legal except those actions directly affecting another in a negative fashion where the action requires steps by the affected party to negate/avoid/etc which are more onerous than simply putting up with the action.
Not sure where smoking fits in. Nor how I got off tra ... oh look a butterfly ...
If you must have a system of government, it's guiding principle should be all things being legal except those actions directly affecting another in a negative fashion where the action requires steps by the affected party to negate/avoid/etc which are more onerous than simply putting up with the action.
Not sure where smoking fits in. Nor how I got off tra ... oh look a butterfly ...
Brave, assuming you are standing in line for a big mac and some punk cuts. Other than that, mostly we just want to munch on that big mac in a corner whilst watching life pass us by.
Boys, I believe we found our Sam Tarly!
I think it's a great idea. You have to look at the bigger picture. Besides the fact that this will keep non-smokers (and children) from being subjected to second hand smoke it will also persuade people to quit smoking just as banning smoking indoors has in countless cities throughout the U.S.
Eventually less smokers will equal less money spent on health care and less of a burden on our government and society.
What people don't realize is it's the little things like this that add up like when we outlawed cigarette commercials on T.V. and cigarette vending machines.
Eventually less smokers will equal less money spent on health care and less of a burden on our government and society.
What people don't realize is it's the little things like this that add up like when we outlawed cigarette commercials on T.V. and cigarette vending machines.
Then I'm guessing you support banning all cologne or perfume in public places?
You're going to hate it when they raise your taxes a fuck load to make up for all the lost revenue when everyone stops smoking.
the question is not whether you can still smoke. the question is whether youll feel just a tiny little bit guilty. it creeps into your mind. maybe not even yours, because your will is strong, but the average joe will feel more guilty with every cigarette he smokes in a place where he cant smoke. some day hell have dealt with that lie for so long, hell believe hes in the wrong about smoking in public places.
these seemingly innocent, almost sound (reduce passive smoking, if all else fails make statement about child health) violations of your freedom corrupt your mind. its only so long til you start thinking about whether this particular law is acceptable or not. it does not even need to be enforced. thats not the point. the point is to make as many minds as possible slaves to arbitrary rules. how many people can remember when there was no such thing as a speed limit? now you happily play by its rules, cursing at others who are such magnificent assholes they just drive a couple miles an hour faster.
government knows no time frame. they dont give a shit about how long it takes to enslave someone. if they need more money, theyll just raise those taxes.
beyond that, its about dividing the people into as many smallish subgroups as possible. theres no such thing as unity among western societies. its black vs. white, women vs. men, young vs. old, families vs. divorcees and so on. government takes money from all of those groups and distributes parts of it back based on arbitrary rules that force gaps between all those groups. public debate often is about that 50bucks a month increase in welfare for minority group x instead of the 5 percent point increase in income tax.
know your enemy. government is not much different from mainstream portrayals of the devil in the way it buys rights to your soul some day down the line in exchange for some minor perks you didnt need to work for.
You're right my argument wasn't very compelling. I was on the phone with LiquidWeb when I wrote it. The essence of it is still very spot on though. I'm sure if you've ever seen statistics on the effects these laws have had in every city they were passed in the U.S. you would agree.
I'm gladly willing to pay more to improve my quality of life. Switzerland has the best quality of life in the world (they say) and it's one of the most expensive places to live.
Somebody else smoking outside has nothing to do with your quality of life.
EDIT:
Somebody smoking any where doesn't really impact your quality of life. If you don't want to be around smoke don't go to places that allow smoking. Because you don't want to be around smoking doesn't give you the right to tell someone what they can and can't do on their own property.
I'll never agree with any legislation that attempts to limit or define what I can and cannot do with my body or my property.
I don't believe in the common good, because I don't believe in good and evil as absolute concepts.
The minute you think you know what is best for someone else, you are wrong.
Every single time, without exception.
The human condition is a subjective one, and any attempt to understand another person's joys and miseries is doomed to failure from the start.
If you can't understand what another person is thinking or feeling, how can you legislate in their best interests?
You can't.
The only sane and humane position to take is one which maximizes personal freedom on all levels and allows individuals to determine the course of their own lives free from the coercive interference of the government and society at large.
You're right someone should be able to do whatever they want on their own property. Parks, shopping malls, and beaches are public property and unfortunately if there are no laws against smoking in those places then I have to deal with it. I have no problem with that.
I would be fine if it wasn't illegal to smoke in these places if smokers had consideration for non-smokers around them but 99% of the time they don't. Since most smokers I see don't have this consideration I"ll gladly welcome any law that is in my best interest.
Is it *really* that big of a nuisance to you? You're acting like every 20 feet there's someone asshole blowing smoke in your face when you step outside the house.
Public parks and beaches are vastly wide open places. If you happen to be situated in an area in which a persons smoke is blowing your way, just move a bit and the problem is resolved.
Let's not sugar coat this shit, the only reason these laws are being introduced is to make the local governments money. More crimes == more opportunity. They don't give a fuck about your health.
Quit being a negative nelly.
you are the typical nutjob who thinks freedom is some kind of me-first one-way street where everything you deem desirable should be allowed and everything else is in some kind of outlaw free for all limbo.
i love myself some fresh air, i get serious headaches from smelling all kinds of smoke, but that does not change the fact that its a ridiculous assumption that "the public" should have authority over private property, even when its semi-publicly accessible (like some bar for example).
which leaves you with "public places" like parks and beaches. in my opinion, there is no such thing as public property. its either held privately or not at all (which implies that no silly government or any other kind of authority has jurisdiction over what happens there), but thats probably not a school of thought you like, so lets try it this way:
if these places are owned publicly, then they should serve the public. they should not serve the majority vote of the public but the public. every single one of them. you can either allow em to mix or segregate groups so that nobody feels annoyed. but if thats the case, i want a piece of beach where no fatties and no fags are allowed, because that hurts my eye at least as much as smoke hurts my lungs.
There are already smoking bans for apartment buildings for some cities in LA. One such ordinance just passed in Santa Monica:
Santa Monica smoking ban: City outlaws lighting up EVEN in your OWN apartment - NY Daily News
Houses are not far off. Basically, everything a law abiding citizen wants to do is becoming illegal. However, if you're an illegal alien, you have much more freedom. That's why I'm considering becoming one. I'll save a lot of money on insurance, health care, etc. Also, I'll be able to have money offshore w/o reporting it.
Santa Monica smoking ban: City outlaws lighting up EVEN in your OWN apartment - NY Daily News
Houses are not far off. Basically, everything a law abiding citizen wants to do is becoming illegal. However, if you're an illegal alien, you have much more freedom. That's why I'm considering becoming one. I'll save a lot of money on insurance, health care, etc. Also, I'll be able to have money offshore w/o reporting it.