|
I was born and for the most part raised in New York City, but I would never move back there. Now.
I can understand no smoking in restaurants. Anyone with any sensibility at all wouldn't smoke in a restaurant simply out
of respect for others while they eat. No smoking in bars? Smoking and liquor have always been a pair. But, I'll let this pass.
It comes down to if you would rather drink than smoke. Drinking will always win, but is not regarded as an evil like cigarettes--even
though drinking not only kills drinkers, but others through violence, drunk driving, domestic violence, you name it. But I
digress.
No smoking in the park? I think we are dealing with control freaks. Smoke rises--it does not hover around the joggers
and strollers, or people on benches. I have a better idea. Let's ban CARS in NYC, including taxis. The pollution from automobiles
and buses is far, far greater than from cigarette smoke. And that same automobile pollution finds it's way into parks.
I have to chuckle at the advocates of smoking bans who then go and ride their bicycles on city streets, jog down sidewalks
breathing deeply of all the exhaust fumes, then go home and have their cocktail or two. They aren't going to die from second
hand smoke, they're going to die from filling their lungs with automobile exhaust, which is much heavier than cigarette smoke--therefore
more in line with their...noses.
Maybe George Orwell had it right. Big Brother. I'd like to see a ban of drinking in NYC to keep auto accidents at bay
at 2:00 in the morning. Never happen.
The self-righteous always seem to win--I guess because there are so many self-righteous people in the world, and people
who just aren't happy unless they are meddling or imposing their will on others. Personally, I don't care if there is smoking
or not in the park. It is the principle of the matter--of politicians dictating what we can and can not do, without a vote
from citizens. Not only our lives are being controlled by the federal government, now more than ever, but by mayors. Smoking
is a personal choice. Smoking in parks is going to hurt no one. Walking among thousands of cars and buses in NYC undoubtedly
does hurt thousands of people. Worry about the car pollution! Factory pollution. Not the smoke from a cigarette 3 inches long.
Better yet, give some control back to individuals.
|
