Liberty cannot be sacrificed in the name of public health

Collegiate Times ^ | April 21st, 2006 | Michael Hugman

[tacticalogic]

We need to reverse this disturbing trend towards banning tobacco. Regardless of whether you smoke or not (I don't), you should still care about preserving freedom from misguided people. However good their intentions may be.

Good hearted, but misguided people like the RWJF, who fund and spearhead these bans, and who's parent company makes Nicoderm and Nicotrol?

[Bogey]

I just appreciate the freedom that allows those who choose to indulge in that (or other) behavior to do so. I also value the private property rights of bar and restaurant owners to make their own decisions as to whether to allow smoking or not.

---

Thank you.

[Dead Corpse]

Your very fist post on this thread was to insult SheLion and take a swipe at smokers as well (ex-smoker here).

And yet you get insulted when people call you on your flame-bait trolling?

Yeah... you've got issues.

[sinkspur]

[Dead Corpse]

And you wonder why fewer and fewer people take you seriously?

[Badray]

You're welcome.

The owner of my favorite establishment told me that he supported the move to ban smoking at all bars in the county. I told him that he should just make that decision for himself rather than allow government to usurp his right to decide. He was afraid that it wasn't the right decision and would prefer that all were prohibited so that he wouldn't get hurt by going it alone.

I'm glad that he sold the place. Smoking is still allowed and many, but not all patrons smoke. Cigar are also permitted and I think that it is a plus.

[sinkspur]

And you wonder why fewer and fewer people take you seriously?

As opposed to the number of people who take YOU seriously?

[Dead Corpse]

Lame comeback. Get's about a 2.4 on my childish scale. You are improving...

[sinkspur]

Lame comeback.

You think it's lame because you think other people take Libertarians seriously.

They don't. It's that whole drug thang.

[Dead Corpse]

Wow... that was quick. I guess some animals on the farm really are more equal than others.

Does sinky get a warning to not hang on the abuse button as well? Or is that just for folks like me who are pointing out ACTUAL violations of the Terms of Use?

[Bogey]

If they would allow smoking and non smoking restaurants,
everyone would be happy.
Nobody forces anyone through the door..

[Dead Corpse]

Which seems to be lost on the "anti-smoking at any cost" crowd. I guess to them, we really MUST be saved from ourselves. Even if it kills us.

[Bogey]

Yep.

Except when they are taxing us to the hilt for their social programs.

Seems if they really wanted to save us, they would ban them.

[jmc813]

Good hearted, but misguided people like the RWJF,

The RWJF is NOT good hearted. They are some of the biggest gun grabbers in the country, and their campaign are all based on increasing profits to Johnson & Johnson. It disgusts me that these scumbags own my beloved New York Jets.

[Dead Corpse]

Yeah... the irony of that is not lost on me. Believe me. Texas recently was thinking of imposing an additional dollar a pack to help pay for public schools. This, after Austin passed a smoking ban in bars/resteraunts and stiffer penalties for those caught selling smoker to under age people were enacted.

You want LESS of a behavior, but then you not only subsidize tobacco farmers but then you count on the taxation of said product to fund vital services.

It's all about POWER and GRAFT. It has nothing to do with some imagined "public good." The "public good" IS the "individual good". It never works the other way around.

[jmc813]

You think it's lame because you think other people take Libertarians seriously.

If I recall correctly, DC is not a Libertarian but a small-l libertarian. There is a very big difference. I can understand how the drug issue could be disagreed upon by good conservatives, but what specific issues do you have with domestic libertarian philosiphy other than that? Do you agree that there should be a literal interperetation of the 2nd Amendment? That the federal government does not belongh in education and health care? That the size of the government should be drastically reduced?

[Dead Corpse]

If I recall correctly, DC is not a Libertarian but a small-l libertarian.

Yeah... I mentioned that in the post that got pulled. It was the second, and I thought adaquately self censored... but apparently not, part of that post that got it pulled.

Kinda makes it hard to discuss things rationally. I've noticed that there are several topics that get this treatment here.

[tacticalogic]

The RWJF is NOT good hearted. They are some of the biggest gun grabbers in the country, and their campaign are all based on increasing profits to Johnson & Johnson. It disgusts me that these scumbags own my beloved New York Jets.

You're not supposed to notice that. You're supposed to see the big "anti-drug" signs on their front groups like jointogether.org, and be blinded to their gun control agenda.

[jmc813]

I honestly consider the RWJF to be a bigger threat to this country than moveon.org.