Smoking, same rights as free speech?

[Rudyard K]

Originally Posted by TexTushHog

Amazing. It's "The Facts," yet it doesn't mention asthma. Imagine that. Well I have asthma and I can tell you for a fact, not to mention voluminous medical literature that exists, that smoke in any form can easily set off an asthma attack. But it's the by God FACTS!!

You are absolutely correct TTH...it mentions nothing about asthma. But now we are talking about an individual weakness or conditon of you...an individual. Do all restaraunts and bars need to be designed and operated to not offend the sensibilities, or possibly trigger some attack of, a depressed asthmatic? What about folks with alergies...or high blood pressure...or anemia? Perfumes, loud music, kids, folks with colds...all those things can offend, and possibly inflame their various ailments.

But that is not what the no smoking laws got pushed through on. Thye got pushed through on the basis that the cigarette or cigar smoke wafting through the bar or restaraunt, was like a carcinoginic time bomb waiting to explode upon the patrons. And that is BS>

Annoying to some patrons?...hell, yes. And if I fire one up I certainly have no desire to offend those around me. I would just like a private businessman to be able to cater to folks like me...without some asthmatic being able to walk through the door and change things on the rest of us there. Thats all most folks who don't like the smoking laws want. Let the establishment choose. If they want to cater to you...so be it. I live with those rules. If they want to cater to me...then if you don't like that environment...stay the hell out.

[Doove]

Originally Posted by atlcomedy

Well that explains Tushy...poor guy has a medical condition...the rest of us ought to curtail our behavior (& rights) so Tushy is okay....our liberties be damned....

Yup. As WTF pointed out, states rights. Deal with it. And since i seem to need to spell out my exact position with every point i make for you people, that means i'm on the side of banning smoking.

And back to the club question...either you don't get it or you are dodging it...

I think he responded. Geez, what is it with you guys and reading comprehension? Anyways, forget my OSHA question, answered by RK. How about my masturbation example? Why can't i masturbate in a restaurant? Perfectly legal activity. Nobody's being harmed. So i need to have my liberties taken away because someone might be grossed out by it? Hmmmmm, interesting.

And since i seem to need to spell out my exact position with every point i make for you people, that means i'm on the side of banning smoking.

[Doove]

Originally Posted by Rudyard K

And if I fire one up I certainly have no desire to offend those around me.

Your posting history says otherwise.

And since i seem to need to spell out my exact position with every point i make for you people, that means i think RK has every desire to offend those around him. Unless, of course, he's a pansy ass that is willing to offend people anonymously but too chicken-shit to do it face to face.

[Ansley]

Originally Posted by Doove

But don't worry Rudyard - Aunt Ansley will protect you.

Yea, I bet RK is feeling safer now.

[Rudyard K]

Originally Posted by Doove

Your posting history says otherwise.

And since i seem to need to spell out my exact position with every point i make for you people, that means i think RK has every desire to offend those around him. Unless, of course, he's a pansy ass that is willing to offend people anonymously but too chicken-shit to do it face to face.

Aw hell Dopey. I don't intend to offend. I don't think of you as much more than some pup, growling at my pants leg. Naive, inarticulate, and whining anytime anybody looks at you wrong. I try not attibute to malice, what can be explained by stupidity.

You've got to grow some stones before you've earned the right to be offended. You want a face to face, sonny? Come on up here to Dallas. I've got a size 11 boot. What size is your ass?

[Rudyard K]

Originally Posted by Doove

How about my masturbation example? Why can't i masturbate in a restaurant? Perfectly legal activity. Nobody's being harmed. So i need to have my liberties taken away because someone might be grossed out by it? Hmmmmm, interesting.

Frankly, I think it is fine and dandy if some establishement wants to cater to guys who have to go there to whack off because they can't even get laid on a hooker board. And I'd be cool with a law change to effect that.

I'll just head down to the smoking bar.

That's the point some of you numbnuts are missing. No one is saying there shouldn't be non-smoking places...or even non-smoking establishements. Hell Houstons, up in Dallas, was one of the 1st places to go non-smoking...on their own accord...probably 20 years ago. Suits me fine. I stopped going there when it occured. Seems they done just fine without me. No harm, no foul. But why can't the place next door cater to the smokers?

[Rudyard K]

Originally Posted by Ansley

Yea, I bet RK is feeling safer now.

I am hon...I am.

[pjorourke]

Originally Posted by Rudyard K

You are absolutely correct TTH...it mentions nothing about asthma. But now we are talking about an individual weakness or conditon of you...an individual. Do all restaraunts and bars need to be designed and operated to not offend the sensibilities, or possibly trigger some attack of, a depressed asthmatic? What about folks with alergies...or high blood pressure...or anemia? Perfumes, loud music, kids, folks with colds...all those things can offend, and possibly inflame their various ailments.

What about someone with peanut allergies in a Thai restaurant? Should we ban Thai food?

[Doove]

Originally Posted by Rudyard K

You've got to grow some stones before you've earned the right to be offended. You want a face to face, sonny? Come on up here to Dallas. I've got a size 11 boot. What size is your ass?

Rudyard talking tough on an anonymous internet chat board. Makes me long for the days of AOL chat rooms.

Frankly, I think it is fine and dandy if some establishement wants to cater to guys who have to go there to whack off because they can't even get laid on a hooker board. And I'd be cool with a law change to effect that.

I'll just head down to the smoking bar.

And i'll follow ya. And make sure i sit in the table right next to you. And whack off right in front of your face. Trust me, you'll want a law banning my liberty to do that.

That's the point some of you numbnuts are missing. No one is saying there shouldn't be non-smoking places.

And nobody is saying you can't smoke. Hey, have at it as far as i'm concerned. The more you smoke, the quicker the world will become a better place. Just keep your disgusting, noxious, carcinogen infested ass out of my face.

What about someone with peanut allergies in a Thai restaurant? Should we ban Thai food?

No. If we allow people to smoke in the table next to me, should we allow people to masturbate in the table next to you?

[pjorourke]

Originally Posted by Doove

No. If we allow people to smoke in the table next to me, should we allow people to masturbate in the table next to you?

If you get anything on my clothes, you are going to have more than a ticket to contend with.

[Ansley]

Originally Posted by Doove

And i'll follow ya.

Just keep your disgusting, noxious, carcinogen infested ass out of my face.

Seems like you are the one putting your face in his ass.

[Rudyard K]

Originally Posted by Doove

Rudyard talking tough on an anonymous internet chat board. Makes me long for the days of AOL chat rooms.

I see. You call me out. Then when I show up, you start whining again. You might want to go get your testosterone level checked.

Originally Posted by Doove

And i'll follow ya. And make sure i sit in the table right next to you. And whack off right in front of your face. Trust me, you'll want a law banning my liberty to do that.

So, it is really you who aims to annoy. That's the problem with liberals. They act like they believe in indivdual freedoms...but they really don't. There are a lot of things that go on in this world that are disgusting and revolting to me. But I'm ok with them going on as long as they go on between consenting adults and they take responsibility for the consequences of their involvement. And I have no desire to go rain on their parade. But folks like you Dopey, can't stand it. You have all the aspects of the religious right. Just a different subset of things you want to control.

Originally Posted by Doove

And nobody is saying you can't smoke. Hey, have at it as far as i'm concerned. The more you smoke, the quicker the world will become a better place. Just keep your disgusting, noxious, carcinogen infested ass out of my face.

I plan on it. So you best keep your distance. It appears maybe Mama was right. It does make you go blind. Maybe not blind in vision...but blinded to your own stupdity.

[Sa_artman]

Originally Posted by oden

Come on, if a smoke free environment is so important, why not enforce it like no socks, no shoes no service. I think there is a reason that many proprietors don't and it is either their best customers don't mind and they don't see that big a drop off because they allow it. Myself, I always choose the nonsmoking areas and I speak up if someone "cheats". But to disallow a privately owned establishment to cater to a group that is engaging in something that is legal is ludicrous.

In San Antonio they are talking about banning smoking outside. This is the type of thinking that leads to one community to ban Happy Meals at McDonalds because it induces kids to eat unhealthy. Their reasoning is that it puts too much pressure on parents to say no. At some point the line needs to be drawn between personal responsibility and some wako administrator dictating how you get to live your life in the land of the free. I can envision a country that started a revolution about unfair taxes on tea from being banned from drinking tea because it has caffeine!

Yeah, but someone sitting next to me on a patio outside Starbucks drinking tea doesn't bother me. The dumbass blowing smoke my way does. Smokers are a dying breed (pun intended) and I see no justification to cater to them.

[Rudyard K]

Originally Posted by Sa_artman

Smokers are a dying breed (pun intended) and I see no justification to cater to them.

Yep, down to 21% of the US population...down from 42% in 1965.

That's only 1 in 5 Americans. In view of the fact that about 20% of the population is under the age of 14...that is about 1 out of every four over the age of 14.

Another liberal shows his spots. Someday folks will realize that liberals aren't the protectors of freedom.

[Doove]

Originally Posted by Ansley

Seems like you are the one putting your face in his ass.

If your defenses of RK had any logic to them Ansley, i'd be impressed. They don't. I'm not.

He's done little today but hurl threats and insults. Or in the last 2 days, for that matter. Again, on an anonymous internet chat board. If you're impressed by that, it says as much about you as it does about him.

I'm only waiting for him to tell us he's built like Mr America, has a 12" dick, drives a Lamborghini, and gets more pu**y than Casanova. I mean, he might as well. It would certainly fit with the profile of someone who throws around insults and empty physical challenges on an internet chat board. Bet you'd be impressed, wouldn't ya Ansley? Nevermind that it would all be about as mature as calling me Dopey 7 times in the last 2 days.

At least PJ can have a sense of humor about what this all really is - people bantering back and forth. But Rudyard, he's nothing but a low level troll. And hiding behind a certain intellectualism doesn't change that. In fact, you'd think he'd be better at mocking people without needing to resort to simple minded name calling. Kind of like the comedian who can't be funny, so he just uses the f word all the time.