First of all, about ET - holy cow. Especially since the majority of people probably never gave a thought to the guns - until they were removed.
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Originally Posted by queentess
What about freedom to enjoy smoke-free air? Who is infringing on who's "rights"?
I enjoy smoke-free air. But I guess that doesn't matter when someone decides it's a "right" to deprive me of the enjoyment of breathing fresh air.
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I smoke, but I agree with you on this one. That's why I like what we've done locally. In Nashville there's no real distinction (legislatively) between bars and restaurants, mostly because in order to serve liquor you have to offer a minimum of food. This also means that minors can be allowed into what would, in other places, be considered bars. What they did here was pass a law stating that if you allowed those under 21 in your establishment at any time, then NO SMOKING. When the dust settled, the majority of establishments were non-smoking, but with enough places for smokers to go to make most people happy.
I'm quite happy with this solution. First of all, it protects those who can't control where their parents take them. (Thanks to my parents, I visited a lot of Maryland bars before I was old enough to walk, let alone drink.) Second, it gives people options without making anyone feel like a second-class citizen. Also, as a business person, I appreciate the fact that it gave bar owners an option too, and they were able to choose what they felt would work best for them.
Of course, being a tourist town, we will occasionally have non-smokers from other areas accidentally wander into a smoking establishment and accuse Nashville of being "backward" and uncivilized compared to other cities, and we just point across the street and recommend a place or three that they might find more pleasant. Most people aren't that brash but it happens often enough to be notable.