(no subject)

[desh]

After long delay, Philadelphia city council suddenly passes smoking ban legislation

I practically jumped out of bed when I heard the news. Finally! Assuming the mayor signs the bill (and smart money is that he will), then starting in 2007 I'll be able to go out with my friends without feeling sick for the rest of the day! Congrats to city council for doing the right thing, and congrats to Michael Nutter for finally getting this through, and probably earning a few thousand votes for mayor at the same time.

I know some of you disagree with this, or think it makes me a bad liberal or something. And you're probably right, but dammit, I just want to be able to go out at night without spending the whole time counting the minutes until I can jump in the shower. I don't think that's too much to ask.

Comments

[nnaylime.livejournal.com]

Wonderful!

Y'know what, as liberal as I am, I've always subscribed to the theory that someone else's right to live their life as they please ends at the moment it begins impeding on my right to live my life as I please.

Gay Marriage - in now way impinges on my right to live as I please, move about freely, or otherwise enjoy my own civil rights. Even if I were a conservative Christian (which I'm not), I don't see anything in the Bible saying that to be a good Christian it's my duty to stamp out homosexuality.

Smoking - greatly impedes on my ability to live the life of my choosing, engage in commerce at restaurants and bars, and enjoy my civil rights.

I'm glad you got that - we have it in some of the counties around here, but DC is being dragged kicking & screaming, and the county where I live hasn't adopted it yet either.

::shrugs::

[ladykat81.livejournal.com]

I agree with the specific cases you mention. The problem with smoking is that the smoke gets everywhere and is an irritant (I don't have asthma, but I struggle with allergy-like symptoms sometimes when I've been around a lot of smoke). And it's particularly noxious at meals.

[desh]

Yeah, I think you two are agreeing with each other here.

[ladykat81.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I just didn't want to offer a blanket agreement. I imagine there are instances in which I might be convinced that someone else's right to live their life as they please does NOT end at the moment it begins impeding on my right to live my life as I please.

But when it comes to a voluntary activity like smoking that is truly detrimental to others, I absolutely agree with xyellowroset.