PART III.

The intellectualoids in Milwaukee and Green Bay banned smoking in the stadiums!!! I kid you not--Lambeau Field, which used to be a home for real men, is now regulated by girly boys. One could expect this crap from Bud Selig and the Milwaukee Brewers, of course--there've been no men in the Milwaukee stadium since the Braves of 1955-1959. Oh well--more places I don't have to go and spend money.

If Minnesota is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Constitution, then two Bill of Rights pertain to this issue:

1--Amendment IX

"The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to DENY OR DISPARAGE others retained by the people."

2--Amendment V

"...nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation."

If this needs further explanation, then you do not understand liberty and private property rights.

I'd be a little careful about calling men who don't like to inhale somebody's second-hand smoke "girly men."

We don't frequent bar-restaurants or smoking areas of stadiums because we expect smoking may take place in those areas and trying to pass a blanket ban is like trying to forbid fornication in a cathouse.

On the other hand, we don't support the dubious rights of environmental nazis trying to stamp out the private drug habits of others, be it smoking tobacco in a bar or wildwood flower behind the woodshed.

We only ask that the places where mixing is unavoidable (waiting rooms in stations, grocery stores, family-type restaurants) that a reasonable attempt be made to separate the two incompatible lifestyles.

"Resistance is a natural reaction that comes from the business community, and that comes out of fear," said Pat McKone

Property rights are irrelevant. You will be assimilated.

Ah! the anti-smoking Taliban, all those dumb people who cheer them on, wait until they start on alcohol, suv's, pets, meat, fast food, baths, packaging, etc. etc.

They have an agenda, they have a battle plan and freedom is not included.

These poor lost souls, what ever are the Doctors going to say to them when they die of nothing in their 70's.

Here we go again.

"We pay taxes and we should be entitled to freedom, but we're losing it."

"Resistance is a natural reaction that comes from the business community, and that comes out of fear,"

Do you suppose that it might be fear of losing our freedom?

A month after Cloquet's ban went into effect, one of the city's newest restaurants, Grandma's, said its bar business was down by a third.

"We have direct evidence of losing literally hundreds of customers (tourists and locals) in the past two weeks due to the fact that our guests are unable to smoke and eat in our bar area," wrote Tim Mattson, regional manager of the Duluth-based restaurant chain, in a letter to Cloquet Mayor Bruce Ahlgren.

In nearby Duluth, a smoking ban has been in place since Jan. 1, and restaurant owners say the financial pain is real.

Judy Thomas, owner of Duluth's 21st Delight restaurant, said she stopped paying some of her bills just to stay in business after the ban took effect. Even with a hardship exemption to the ban (approved for a number of restaurants after their sales declined), Thomas said she hasn't given herself a paycheck since May unless she filled in for an absent waitress, cook, or dishwasher.

"January was the first time I was behind on my bills," said Thomas, who bought the 21st Delight five years ago. In August, Thomas wrote the Duluth City Council urging a repeal of the smoking ban.

"The future of my business depends on it," Thomas said in her letter

But, yet, the anti-smoking organizations STILL claim that the bans don't hurt businesses.

"It was so broad, it took in anything," said council member Mack Evans, adding that the pro-ordinance supporters weren't open to compromise.

The anti-smokers are NEVER open to compromise.
That is why we must fight them at every turn.
If they compromise it would be an admission that they MIGHT be wrong and they could never have that.
They HAVE to believe that they know what is best for you, otherwise they would just be petty nanny tyrants saying, "You'll shoot your eye out with that thing."

I have no problem with regulating smoking in contained areas such as restaurants, waiting rooms, etc. I don't like it--but I understand and co-operate. But OPEN-AIR STADIUMS??

I am sure you heard today that a Northern Virginia county has passed an ordinance which allows smokers to be fined up to $750.00 if they are smoking in their residence and a neighbor complains of the smell. (Propertyowners with 2+ acres of land are exempt from this.) Rush is right--the term Nazi really does apply, in all its fullness of definition.

Strange that happens in restaurants as well.

Open air stadiums are an interesting issue. An occasional stogie blows away, but get too many and the air can get pretty thick. Blue Wave Stadium (former team of Ichiro Suzuki) here in Kobe, Japan, a relative smoker's paradise relagated smoking to a few plaza areas of the stadium because a lot of people weren't able to enjoy the game or their food with smoke everywhere.

What got so many of the anti-smoking laws passed in the first place was gross discourtesy ("thanks for not breathing" attitudes) by a lot of the smokers. It is not a hardship for a smoker to step outside of a captive crowd to get his puff.

The memories of those who wouldn't is what allows the nico-nazis to get by with far worse abuses now. Interestingly, Hitler himself was an ardent non-smoker. It is said to be one of the reasons that the Germans are now the most nicotine-addicted people in Western Europe.

Bar patrons will be able to smoke but not eat.

Oh this is just brilliant, denying food to people simply because they are in a smoking area!

I wonder if the dumb*sses who pass this crap consider that it's not good to drink on an empty stomach. I'm guessing these people have to DRIVE to get home!

Liberal control freaks. Just the thing to get your blood pumping in the morning.

"We're changing social norms," said Chris Tholkes, project director for the American Lung Association. "Having more smoke-free places pushes people into quitting. You reach more people that way."

This pussified girly-man won't get me to change ANYTHING by force or intimidation. I'd like to blow a puff of smoke this arrogant little prick's face just for GP's. Hey Chrissy, it's the PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS, stupid!

Oh, and another thing.

The American Lung Association will not get another cent of my family's money (we used to give after my mom died of cancer) since they seem bent on spending it to harass law-abiding citizens instead of cancer research.

It is the height of hypocrisy and indulgence to ban drugs but not cigarettes. You are either for or against drug dependencies of any type. It's that simple.

BUMP

What got so many of the anti-smoking laws passed in the first place was gross discourtesy ("thanks for not breathing" attitudes) by a lot of the smokers. It is not a hardship for a smoker to step outside of a captive crowd to get his puff.

I agree that attitudes in the past have been far less friendly to nonsmokers than to smokers, and maybe that was wrong. My experience doesn't bear out that many nonsmokers were bothered by others smoking, though. But even if my experience or memory is inaccurate, "gross discourtesy" is not what caused the anti-smoker fervor now apparent in this country. You should read the history of the anti-smoking movement, it would open your eyes.

We are in a hell of a mess. We have the left wanting to regulate our public habits (smoking),and the right wanting to regulate our private habits (sex).Both are fringe elements with power all out of proportion to their numbers,but both have their own allies afraid to stand up to them on issues like this. Meanwhile,the silent majority of both the left and the right remain silent.

It is the height of hypocrisy and indulgence to ban drugs but not cigarettes. You are either for or against drug dependencies of any type. It's that simple.

I've never noticed an impairment of my faculties when smoking tobacco, nor the faculties of anyone else. In fact, it has been proven over and over again that smoking actually enhances cognitive ability. Of course, you have no idea of my thoughts on other lifestyle choices people make, so watch who you're calling a hypocrite.