We're Smokin' Mad About the City's New Smoking Ban
By David Hershkovits
I haven't smoked a cigarette in more than 20 years, but it still galls me to live in a city where smoking in a public park is prohibited. Come on, are we in Tehran now where one man's morality is everyone's law? Not only is the law unenforceable, it opens the door for selective enforcement. A cop sees a group of white businessmen smoking on a park bench and another group of young black men on another. Who are they going to hassle?
Wouldn't it have been more politic to ask New Yorkers to cut down their smoking in public and to initiate a campaign that asked smokers to be considerate of people in their proximity? And what if there's no one else around: If the law is meant to protect us from second hand smoke, can it be enforced if you're by yourself with no one around to infect? And come on, what's the difference between standing outside the fence of the park vs. inside the fence?
This belies all logic and should never have been implemented. Hopefully, there's someone out there now preparing to take this case to the Supreme Court. Civil liberties are a slippery slope. First they come for the cigarette smokers...
Lets ban more and more things like...swimming in the ocean. I hear people can die from it.
Any more ideas of things to ban?
Your Comment
Posted at 3:17 on May 25, 2011
Living in the southwest for the last twenty year plus, my wife and i were planing a trip to NYC for her birthday in January. See a play or two, shop, sightsee and enjoy some of the finest restaurants on the east coast, outside of Boston. Sorry but that's where i came from orignially. When we heard about the smoking ban and that we would have to practically travel CT, or NJ to smoke, we said nevermind. We'll extend ourvisit to see my dad who lives outside of Boston in September and have opted to spend her birthday in San Antonio and give them 'good ol boys our money....
Posted at 3:21 on May 25, 2011
Smoking belongs in private spaces where you don't affect the health or enjoyment of others. My brother is deathly asthmatic related to tobacco smoke and sometimes can't even stay/sleep in houses where someone has previously smoked.
I say this as a former cig smoker and current pot smoker.
Again, do us and yourself a favor: Shut your mouth.
Posted at 3:24 on May 25, 2011
City parks/beaches owned by the city, you have to remember that. Also remember that most smokers don't care who they harm aside from themselves. It's already enough having to inhale unwanted smoke. Deal with it. This is a good law.
Posted at 6:09 on May 25, 2011
The best law ever! Fortunately kids can breathe clean(er) air while playing in the park!
Posted at 6:55 on May 25, 2011
>>> First they come for the cigarette smokers...
Actually, I would have said...
First they came for drug users...
Then they came for alcohol users (But relinquished)...
Then they came to take away children who get sick too often, only because the children are in public schools...
Then they came for people who liked riding in the back of pickup trucks...
Then they came for smokers...
Then they came for people who didn't wear seatbelts...
Then they came for smokers again...
Now they are coming after people who are obese...
And they are coming after a company who wants to put people to work in another state (Boeing vs. Union)
There's more, much much more, but it is too damn upsetting to hunt down every little thing that has been done for "safety's", or the people's, sake.
The government is like a child, you give and inch and they'll take a mile. And just like a child in a candy shop, if the child wines for a treat and gets it, he'll just keep wining until you're out of money...
Posted at 11:20 on May 29, 2011
Here in San Diego we depend a lot on tourist trade. People from all over come for our beautiful beaches. These have to be kept clean.
The worst littering problem was cigarette butts. Finally the City banned smoking on all beaches. This now saves us taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.
Next the City banned smoking in all parks. At first there was fear that we were going to drive away tourist visitors. What turned out is the very opposite. People visit more than ever now the parks and beaches are cleaner.
If people want to spend their vacation in dirty places, they have lots of choices. But it is clear that a lot of people appreciate a clean city with less cigarette smoking. Come on down and see.