Posted by glarson (Gwen Larson) on September 22, 2008 at 7:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)

More comment on the original letter to the editor:

http://www.emporiagazette.com/news/2008/...

Posted by SWLarsen (anonymous) on September 22, 2008 at 1:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Re: truelovecharlie's comment about "there are places in the U.S. that it is illegal to drive and use your cell phones" is the tired, old bogeyman people use to state 'our freedoms are in peril 'whenever an issue such as this (smoking) is debated.

How would you like to face the families who lost their fathers and mothers, sons and daughters who died in the L.A. commuter train wreck due to the engineer purportedly text messaging while trying to drive his engine? "Life happens; deal with it" is an irresponsible and reckless attitude.

Just remember this flippant line the next time you hear or read about someone driving drunk, text messaging or trying to light a cigarette and killing innocent people on a Kansas highway. Especially if a family member or friend is one of these victims.

The over riding issue here - smoking in an Emporia business establishment- is how can we as a community continue to work to create a positive experience for most Emporians in patronizing a business. Not limit it.

Posted by blulitespecial (anonymous) on September 22, 2008 at 1:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Some of the interesting comments I remember from business owners that were losing money when Lawrence enacted their law were things like"The big spenders are gone" and "We're gonna have to sell a lot of cheeseburgers to make up for the lost business".At least one,I think,moved out of the city limits.

I know of the following firsthand(meaning I was there-you were not)-A while back a large local business property had a club in it(smoking allowed),and an owner/partner's wife decided it didn't fit well with her newly found religion.She was told by the partners to "Look at the books.Look at the monthly income in these spaces.Now look at the income from the club.Even with a smaller square footage and higher overhead,this is the highest paying piece of property we have.If you want to get rid of this,here's how much you can pay us to make up the income.Can you afford it?" Being a 'community organizer',she could not.The matter was dropped.

If you want to go down this path of 'I know better than you of how to run your business'- I have some blighted commercial properties that can be developed,and create more tax revenues for the City.I just need Mazio's and the rest of the property taken by eminent domain.I will triple the tax revenue.

Posted by crackinsack (anonymous) on September 22, 2008 at 4:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Here's one for you, josiesbar:
"nemo malus felix"

Posted by truelovecharlie (anonymous) on September 22, 2008 at 7:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

---SWLarson you cannot bubblerap everyone to protect them. The commuter train accident was a terrible tragedy. There are people everywhere who irresponsibly perform their jobs and tasks. You cannot legislate complete safety for everyone. I am fully aware that I chance being in a terrible crash every time I drive down the road. Every time I fly, I am completely aware that the plane could crash. Do we outlaw all planes? When a plane drops from the sky, there are seldom survivors. Life happens, get on with your life. The World Trade Center was a horrible tragedy. Do we legislate no buildings can have more than a few hundred occupants at any one time?

Posted by Bjnemp (anonymous) on September 22, 2008 at 10:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Jayhawker: Where were you tonight? I was at the anti-smoking ban meeting at Josie's and was hoping to meet you, but you were no where to be found. Others asked about you, too.

Posted by romano1784 (anonymous) on September 23, 2008 at 12:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Its a simple matter this, whole debate. If you don't want smoking in your establishment, hang a sign. Finish Line gas station on 6th st. has done just the opposite. They hung a sign to let everyone know that it IS a smoking establishment. If you don't like smoke don't go to Finish Line. Here is a list of some non-smoking establishments for your visiting pleasure.
Montana Mikes; Golden Corral;Village Inn; Every fast food restaurant in Emporia; every bank; school; the mall; the hospitals; Wal Mart; Radio Shack; Every Lawyer;
You know what lets see where smokers are welcome to smoke.
Applebees, Flying J, Longhorn, Finish Line, S&S Cafe, Bruffs, sidewalks, streets, homes,
Of course this isnt every place for either side, but the point is there are a lot more places for non-smoker friendly than for smokers.
Forget everyone else in the GREAT DEBATE. Keep your statistics, oh please tell me more about freakin Lawrence, Hawaii, Iowa, New York, ect.The stats mean nothing to me as I live in Emporia Ks.I have had every stat quoted at me since I started smoking. Let the owners decide, after all they pay the taxes, they rent the buildings, THEY PROVIDE THE SERVICE.

Posted by create (anonymous) on September 23, 2008 at 8:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Sorry Romano, not "Every Lawyer;". Not hardly. Or is that another statistic you don't want to hear.

Posted by lancemountain (anonymous) on September 23, 2008 at 11:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)

As long as they don't outlaw my chewin’ tobaccy I don't care what they do.

Posted by bureacracysucks (anonymous) on September 23, 2008 at 6:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I don't know if you have actually read the wording in the ban. I was actually for it at first being a non-smoker and a semi health nut. But in the ban it says you have to be 20 feet from any entrance, vent, window, etc. to smoke outside. So not only are we not allowing people to smoke inside, which I thought was reasonable since like in other cities they would be allowed to go outside or on a patio, but we are taking away the right for smokers to smoke on a patio. That seems way too restricting even for myself. I also read in the wording, if i was reading it correctly, that after three offenses the business would lose their license. Which kind of seems like they would be targeting liquor license holders specifically. What happened to equal protection under the law, the fourteenth amendment.

Posted by jayhawker (anonymous) on September 24, 2008 at 12:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Bjnemp: Thank you for the nice words. You probably won't see me. I'm too old, used up and battle scarred to actively participate anymore, especially since I have so much trouble getting around. My great granddaughter introduced me to the wonders of blogs, which allows me to battle on, but from afar. To be honest, I like it best this way. I'm afraid that I'm too dated to be of much help, and this way I can stay close to the bathroom. I sure hope that you and the other fearless troops can soldier on. You know, of course, that you are "fighting City Hall" and in Emporia, that can be a tough fight indeed. It reminds me of my younger days, and through you I can enjoy it vicariously. Besides all that, cigarette smoke bothers me. The only thing that bothers me more is an elitist hell bent on destroying American rights, about which they know nothing. When they lose them, I bet that their learning curve sharpens exponentially.

Posted by Weltha (anonymous) on September 25, 2008 at 9:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)

lance- If this smoking ban is allowed to pass, I'm sure that ones these ladies get bored again, that chewing tobacco will be next. There will be NO end to the madness. They are banking on enough people having that attitude. "As long as it doesn't affect me I don't care." The problem with that thinking is eventually something is going to come along that will affect you. Who will be there to stand up and help you with your battle?!

Posted by jayhawker (anonymous) on September 25, 2008 at 5:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

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

Posted by hardchelle (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 2:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

goodoleboy---and others...
no I am not against a liquor tax..pay it every month. I think the drinking age should be 18 for obvious reasons but I abide by and ENFORCE the current 21 law by the state. Yes I abide by and PASS all fire codes. Yes I abide by and enforce all liquor laws set by the ABC otherwise I wouldn't have owned the business I have for the last 81/2yrs!! To anyone who questions me....... No. I haven't done a "scientific" study of how this will affect my business if the commissioners pass this and don't need to! I KNOW MY BUSINESS!! I have spent the last 16 years of my life in this place and owned it for the last 8 1/2 and I KNOW I WILL LOSE BUSINESS!!!!! " A greedy lot"........ obviously whomever wrote that has NEVER been in business for themselves!!! Move on to another issue in Emporia.... we have enough that really need attention! Let us run our businesses, pay for our various licenses, pay for our many taxes and operate our businesses in the manner that we CHOOSE!!!! That is what this is really about!

Posted by rbow (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 8:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)

create; Please name the lawyer who allows smoking in their office?

Michelle: Good reply. If this ban is passed as written, let's get all the people opposed to this ban to start boycotting
businesses owned by the clean air people and the commissioners that voted it in.Let us start voting with our dollars. No cars from Longbine, no heating and air from Modern Air, no tanning at carribiann sun, (which by the way has been shiown to cause cancer), no bookeeping or cars from Agler, no more lumber at Mark 2, no more advertising at KVOE. The other commissioner works for the state so we'll just have to vote her out of office. If they will stay out of our business we can stay out of theirs.

Posted by hardchelle (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 11:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

rbow: thanks and I completely agree!!

Posted by rbow (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 12:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

AND WHERE ARE YOU CREATE? I would still like to know what lawyers office allows smoking?

Posted by create (anonymous) on September 28, 2008 at 2:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Sorry, rbow, I got sidetracked by all the different threads. I would name that lawyer's office that I know of, but it's not up to me to reveal. Sorry, it's not a cop out, I just don't want him down my throat. I'm going to wait for him to name himself.