"SMOKELESS"
BY BRETT AUTRY
I guess it’s time I spoke out on the controversial issue brewing
in Abilene these days, the Smoking Ban.
I can see both sides of the issue, but I think the Abilene City
Council overstepped their bounds by the hard stances they took.
Non-smokers are overjoyed that there will be virtually no smoking
in Abilene, anywhere, unless you’re outside, and twenty feet from a
door.
Smokers, as usual, are left out in the dark, literally (at night).
The only places they can smoke legally are tobacco shops (that seems
like a fire hazard to me), and non-profit bars that have volunteers
as waitresses, bartenders, etc., and outside (but only in certain
places).
As far as the law goes, I will say this. I can see where the
council might want to ban smoking in most restaurants, and stores. I
didn’t mind going to a nice restaurant, and not smoking. Not smoking
in clothing stores, at school events, in church, in rest homes, etc.
all seem totally sensible to me. But, not smoking in a bar? Come on,
now. Probably 75%-90% of the patrons in bars are also smokers.
It seems the city council didn’t think this thing through. What
about store owners who want to smoke in their OWN building....one
that THEY own, and pay taxes for. What gives anyone the right to tell
that business owner what to do in his OWN business and building?
If someone told me that my employees could no longer smoke in MY
building, I would have to tell them to “take a great flying
leap...”
I have stopped smoking, hopefully for the last time, and have a
bird’s eye view of both sides. Just because I have stopped smoking,
doesn’t mean that I want, or demand, that everyone around me also
quit. That would be absurd.
But that is akin to what the Abilene City Council has done. The
voters said they didn’t want smoking, and the council went out of
their way to deny smokers ANY rights whatsoever.
Wouldn’t it have been in the better interests of businesses and
citizens alike, to allow store owners to designate whether they
wanted to be a “smoking” or “non-smoking” establishment?
Surely the non-smoking public could avoid those businesses they
find so foul, while smokers could still enjoy a meal, or a drink, and
a smoke. What is so hard about that?
Why couldn’t an enterprising soul start up a restaurant/bar and
say it is for “smokers only”? Make customers and employees sign a
waiver that they are smokers, and do not mind cigarette smoke...that
they wish to be in the establishment. Why would that be against the
law? I mean, non-smokers have their choice of places to go, why can’t
smokers? Why can’t smokers have at least one restaurant, or bar, or
store they can go? Why does it all have to be for non-smokers?
It’s a health issue, they say. To that I say, what is the number
one cause of death in the U.S. today? It is obesity! Okay, is the
Abilene City Council going to outlaw pizza, hamburgers, bar-b-q,
etc.? Is there now only going to be restaurants selling tofu, rice
cakes, fruit, and yogurt? Don’t laugh, it is the same premise!
As a non-smoker, I can truthfully say, that I am for smokers’
rights. Folks, they make up probably 40% of our population, and
you’re trying to take away their rights to smoke in public? These
people are customers, too!
You know what? I’m allergic to cats. If you’ve got a cat, you
need
to get rid of it, so I can visit you. But, first, you will need to
clean all the cat hair, and dander out of the place, so it doesn’t
offend my delicate health. And no, you can’t keep it anywhere, but
outside, at least twenty feet from the door, unless you’re at a pet
store. Let’s put that on the ballot. Coleman could be the first
“non-
kitty” town in Texas.
We spend our time listening to all the downtrodden sorts in our
nation these days. We let “In God We Trust” be taken off our
currency
because we didn’t want to upset the 10% of our nation that don’t
believe in God. Yet, we’ll persecute the 40% that smoke. Someone
needs to get their priorities straight here.
You can no longer smoke at a Friday night football game, but then
you can’t pray either.
Better watch out, hot dogs will be the next to go!