Smoking ban good for quality of life on Owatonna

By: NoteTaker on 10/7/08

"No matter which side of the debate you were on regarding a statewide smoking ban last year, you cannot deny that one year later, we are all healthier because of it."

Fist things first: I certainly can deny that we're all healthier because of the ban. What proof do you have that I'm healthier? How about everyone in my neighborhood? Is it possible that, though some have quit smoking at restaurants, those folks have taken up smoking (more?) elsewhere or otherwise taken up an even less healthy habit? Absolutely.

"The quality of life across Steele County and throughout the nation has improved since cities and states began taking measures to implement smoking bans in public places and in businesses."

Second, it's amazing to me how short-sighted some of us can be, especially as it relates to our God-given, "unalienable Rights."

How is it that we can be so "lucid" about how a government-mandated smoking ban is just a great thing yet not see where such thinking and behavior eventually leads?

Let's take alcohol as an example.

Personally, I detest being around folks who drink to the point of obvious diminished judgment. Their thinking is clouded yet, in many cases, believe that they're fully capable of making good decisions.

Right.

Alcohol, in the "appropriate" quantities, is a major factor in thousands of vehicle-related deaths annually as well as at least as many injuries, both vehicle-related and not.

So why don't we ban alcohol (in restaurants, no less)?

After all, it has been and can continue to be demonstrated that thousands of lives would be saved if people would stop drinking and driving (Hmmm...maybe we should ban driving?). Why does alchohol not constitute a threat to our health?

Note the incredible hypocrisy of those who praise the smoking ban because it's oh-so-good for the sake of the community yet neither see the end to which such thinking leads nor appear willing to apply such a philosophy to, in this particular case, alcohol, something in which I'm sure not just a few of them indulge.

Such selfish, holier-than-thou and/or just plain non-thinking is disgusting and entirely worthy of such indivduals.

I look forward to another Editorial from the "Press editorial board" that speaks to how a ban on alcohol in restaurants is the next logical step in making us all healthier.

By: NoteTaker on 10/7/08

In anger I wrote my previous posting which, sadly, included harch criticism directed at some people, like myself, that are ignorant about certain things.

Some of those folks would gladly receive instruction from someone else if done in a non-condescending and friendly manner.

However, there was some of what I said that, while intended to be instructive about our need as Americans to take the "long view" of what things our government does, was not presented in an appropriate manner.

And for that I am sorry.

I will keep my original posting up, if only to serve as a reminder to myself that I need to speak in a way that encourages others to want to hear more of what I have to say, not less.