[Night Stalker]

Originally posted by Yorick: quote: Originally posted by Night Stalker: But, Yorick, you are turning right around - using the flip side of the coin, to gang up on smokers and remove their choice.

Because the smokers choice directly affects the health, life and longevity of the nonsmoker. If one's choice is inflicted on another, the least detrimental must prevail.

This way we are all equal. We all breathe the same clean(er) air in a bar. The other way, you could have 19 people, and becaue of one persons choice, the other 18 will be breathing in his tobacco. [/QUOTE]No, this makes some more equal than others. A compormise like Timber's - 20% zoned smoking, 20% zoned non-smoking, and the rest up to the owners - makes everyone equal.

I will not however argue against the right of a locality to govern itself. But the situation in NYC does affect more than just NYC. Chicago is in a very similar situation, and whatever NYC does directly affects NJ as NJ is a real life Tale of Two Cities.

You are advocating peoples health. So am I. There should be non-smoking entertainment areas. But I don't think all should be made non-smoking. People should be given a true choice, rather than given the option of being subclass citizens (whether smoker or non-smoker).

I strangely feel like quoting Neil Pert at the moment ....