To Smoke or not to Smoke

There is an election today in Austin and the hot topic is an ordinance that bans smoking in bars, bowling alleys (BOWLING ALLEYS, for crying out loud), pool halls, restaurants etc.

I’m voting against this ban.

I’m a left-leaning libertarian, and I HATE the precedent of governments using unnecessary laws to control individual behavior and remove ANY of our freedom. (little by little, as we give up “insignificant” liberties, we lose a dangerous amount of our free will. slippery slope, right?)

You have always had the freedom to choose whether or not you are going to be around smokers; you’ve always had the right to be in a clean air environment.

Currently, businesses in Austin make the decision, for themselves, whether or not they are going to allow smoking in their establishments.

If you choose to stay away from Lovejoys because they allow smoking, then you are denying them your money and they lose you as a customer. That’s exactly how it’s supposed to work.

You value being in clean air more so than hearing whatever band is playing that night. It’s called “priorities.” Living in a free society means being able to make decisions for yourself.

However, since bars aren’t voluntarily banning smoking, they are clearly saying that the majority of their customers (at least enough customers to stay in business and presumably make a profit) are ok with smoke in their establishment.

I’m a non-smoker and I hate stinking of somebody else’s smoke after a night out. However, who the hell am I to tell somebody they can’t give themselves lung cancer wherever they damn well please? (well, as long as it’s not in my house or 3 inches from my face as I’m walking down the street… then I’d have to shoot them) I know full well what I’m getting myself into when I walk into a BOWLING ALLEY, for crying out loud.

The sad thing is that this ban is going to pass because of the enormous Austin population that have not and will not ever go to a bar on a Friday night.

Another set of choices, ripped out of your hands by people nothing like you.

Weep for your freedom.

Vote AGAINST the boot to the back of Liberty’s neck we laughingly refer to as “Smoking Ban”

(Austinist did a great job of presenting both sides to the issue: For and Against)
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