A Matter of Greed
Late last year, in an internet forum, I had occasion to engage in a debate of sorts regarding the Oklahoma smoking ban. My position was that restaurant owners should be free to choose for themsleves whether their establishment is non-smoking, smoking or a combination of the two. In that way customers could vote with their dollars, patronizing those establishments which best meet their needs and desires.
The gentleman with whom I engaged in debate on the issue opposed the existence of smoking only establishments and spoke out in support of the current smoking ban under which all restaurants are non-smoking with the option of maintaining an environmentally isolated ’smoking room’.
I pointed out that, according to the Oklahoma State Health Department, the vast majority of Oklahoma restaurants were already non-smoking. Health Department press releases claim that seventy percent of Oklahoma’s restaurants were totally non-smoking prior to the ban and estimates are that after the ban ninety-seven percent will be totally non-smoking.
I asked, “So what’s wrong with permitting all-smoking restaurants? Why should restaurant operators that want to operate a smoking only establishment be denied that right?” After all, with ninety-seven percent of the restaurants catering to no-smokers wouldn’t it be fair to have a few just for smokers, if their operators so desired?
His reply was somewhat surprising and very revealing.
His contention was that since he did not wish to dine in the presence of tobacco smoke, the existence of any smoking only restaurant would deny him his right to dine where he wished. He based the argument on the remote possibility that an all-smoking restaurant just might be the only establishment which served the food he desired and therefore must be required to adhere to the smoking ban otherwise he would be unable to dine there.
And that my friends, is simply a matter of greed.
Greed goes a long way toward explaining the mentality of the anti-smoking zealots and why they simply refuse to consider how the rights of restaurant owners are infringed by the smoking ban. In their mind their rights trump those of everyone else, even those who operate restaurants they may never patronize.
April 6th, 2006 at 3:57 pm
Not only greed, but pompous and selfish. I recall that “debate”, and have had many of the same sort with that poster, although we are in 100% agreement on many other issues.
It is just plain WRONG for out legislature to have passed that law. It is discrimatory against smokers and against free enterprise.