At 7 p.m. Monday in the Little Theatre, residents will get to voice their opinions about Clean Air Emporia’s proposal to prevent smoking in public places.
This topic has sparked plenty of discussion around the community. To date, the most vocal group has been the restaurant and bar owners who oppose the plan because they say they will lose business.
Based on other towns that have enacted smoking bans, there is evidence on both sides: some owners say it helped business, others say it hurt business.
What makes this issue complex is that Clean Air Emporia says this is a public safety and health issue, while business owners say it is an issue of rights. That’s where the conversation gets interesting, because bringing those two issues together for some sort of agreement is nearly impossible.
Business owners believe they should have the right to dictate what legal activities can go on in their businesses. They believe people have a choice of what businesses to patronize. If people don’t like smoking, they know not to visit a smoking business and they can spend their money at one of the 55 other smoke-free businesses in Emporia.
This issue now seems to be extending beyond just restaurants and bars, because last week we heard from people ranging from bankers to barbers who said that they really don’t care about the smoking issue, but if it is a legal activity, they don’t believe government should interfere with private business.
The smoke-free issue has been sweeping the country, and it was only a matter of time before it came to Emporia.
Clean Air Emporia believes that people should be able to go to public places without risking their health by being exposed to secondhand smoke. The coalition also realizes that while people may have the option of avoiding smoking environments, the workers do not. The restaurant and bar industry appeals to people because of the money they can earn. Clean Air Emporia wants the workers to be able to work in those businesses without endangering their health.
Clean Air Emporia has organized an effective coalition and has gathered more than 3,500 signatures to support the cause. That is a large number of supporters, but to date they have not been as vocal as the Clean Air Emporia committee would like them to be. The coalition is now urging smoke-free supporters to voice their opinions.
Whether you support a smoke-free Emporia or not, now is the time to make your opinion known. Attend the public meeting, call or e-mail the Emporia city commissioners or send a letter to the paper.
The time has come for our community to make a decision.
Christopher White Walker
Editor & Publisher
josiesbar (anonymous) says...
I know rbow has touched on this in an earlier post, but I also would like to commend the Gazette for presenting both sides of this fairly, unlike a certain radio station. My most sincere thanks to Chris and the gazette family.
Matt Slater
Owner-Josie's
620-343-2929
josiesclub@yahoo.com
myspace.com/slater_m_d
Yahoo Messenger-- slater_m_d
(This is for Steve Sauder who said this morning on KVOE no one on here was brave enough to put their name.)
September 24, 2008 at 9:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Bjnemp (anonymous) says...
Same feelings here, Matt. For 13 years the radios in my home & car have been tuned to KVOE AM. Once they started airing the "Clean Air Emporia" propaganda blitz I turned the dial. Every radio is now tuned to WIBW AM.
September 24, 2008 at 9:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jayhawker (anonymous) says...
You know, Steve Souder, you may be right. In Emporia, anyone who gets too far out front on behalf of a controversial issue can pay a price. If it were only a disinvitation to the Country Club Christmas Party, the price would be cheap. Unfortunately, over the many years, I have seen some pay a heavy price that included being socially and economically ostracized. Thankfully, in this case, there are some with influence who dare to oppose the position of people like Steve Sauder, as mentioned in Chris Walker's editorial. This ban reaches across social and philosophical territory, and thinking people understand what is at risk to the ideals of American democracy, as well as practical, enforcement, insidiousness and plain 'ole common sense problems. People with a sense of history recall well the lessons of Prohibition, which are lost on the proponents of this ban. It may well be different this time, but the past makes many cautious about getting out front on a controversial subject. Apparently, as Chris points out, about 3,498 of the 3,500 signatories on CAE's petition are as cautious as everyone else (assuming that Mrs. Walters and Steve's wife signed the petitions). They may have signed a document that will be lost in the archives of the city clerk's records forever, but few are putting their names out into the public square on behalf of this totally un-American proposal. It cuts both ways, Steve.
September 25, 2008 at 12:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Deepthoughts (anonymous) says...
jayhawker
how lucky of you to gain the attention of Steve Sauder?! i wonder if he will start dropping all user names that oppose something his wife is pushing? Add my name to that list then Steve-o! I'm not scared.
I wouldn't worry about the country club, it's really not that special anyway!
September 25, 2008 at 8:31 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jayhawker (anonymous) says...
In case anyone doubted the insidious nature of this proposal, or that George Orwell's book "1984" was a fiction, the following is a post from a related thread:
Posted by nutsaboutools (anonymous) on September 25, 2008 at 3:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree crackinsack,
Let's ban field burning too. Same toxins and health hazards as all that smoke from cigarettes
September 25, 2008 at 5:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
blegs152 (anonymous) says...
There is one thing we have all overlooked. The funding that goes to this Group of clean air be it Federal or Gov. grants is our hard earned tax dollars. I for one feel that we have had a wonderful communtiy until this group came to town. This group does not care about you, me or our neighbors. They only want to pass their ban and then they will ride out of town in their goverment funded vehicles ( which pollute our air) which we pay for and the tank of gas also came out of our pockets. The one question I have for clean air is: The commercial you ran on how smoke is poisoning the person all the way over at Peter Pan Park, Who was the person and how did you manage to follow that smoke through all the other pollution and identify it is cigertte smoke? Why didn't you use that death certificate as proof. I am confused as to how you traced that smoke. Frankly I think your ban is bull. I think you need to take my tax dollars and spend them it on the elderly that need help on the family that needs help. Don't waste my money on something you can't prove. I believe that the citizens of this community and of the United States have the brains to decide for themselves. The veterns have earned the right to decide. They gave more then you have. I think that if you so called surgeon general (appointed by our govermment who doesn't sign his name to anything) is so concerned about our community and our state I suggest he bring all his proof and have an intellegent conversation with us
I don't agree with your ban so for all the wonderful people in this town and all the great business owners my I suggest you get into the goverment vehile that we pay for, have a meal on us which I am sure you have already done. fill your tank with gas which we pay for and as the old western says GET OUT OF TOWN.
September 26, 2008 at 8:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
paulkersey (anonymous) says...
and watch the door, don't let it hit you in the @ss on your way out!
September 26, 2008 at 9:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Chris Walker
Just a thought on CAE 3,500 signatures to support their cause. Were they registered voters? Were they shown a copy of the proposed ordinace? When they interviewed patrons did they tell everyone they represented CAE, or they were "universty students doing a class project?" No this survey doesn't reflect any of the above therefore the survey is just as un-sceintific as the statistics spewed by the group.
September 28, 2008 at 8:43 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
Steve Sauder, KVOE, what a pompus, biased joke.
September 28, 2008 at 11:32 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
P.S.
Oh ! I forgot biased spin-doctor.
September 28, 2008 at 11:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
OutsiderJ (anonymous) says...
I was proud and amazed to see 2 full page ads in the Weekend Gazette. I applaud the efforts of Emporia's business owner's. Those of us for and against the ban can talk and argue until we are blue in the face, but I can't help thinking that our opinions don't quite have the weight of the opinions that this tyrany will effect the most.
September 28, 2008 at 1:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )