Smoking Ban

I am totally against the smoking ban here in New York. Bar owners should be the only ones to decide whether or not to allow smoking in their places of business. I don’t smoke, but I fully expect bars to be smokey and I can make the decision of whether or not to patronize them. I mean it’s a bar, it almost seems wrong for it not to be smokey. There is only one problem with the law.

It’s kinda nice

There are definite advantages to coming home not smelling like an ashtray when you go out at night. Many bars have become a more pleasant place to have a drink with friends. All the people outside smoking give the streets some more life. A lot of people have commented on how nice going out in the city is now, and I am forced to agree with them.

I am still of course firmly opposed to the ban. It should be repealed, tomorrow if possible. But I do benefit personally from it.

It feels weird to be opposed to something like this only on principle. Most of the political beliefs I hold would generally benefit me, even if that isn’t why I believe them. I like having welfare because I hope it helps needy families, but I think it benefits me directly by creating fewer desperate people on the streets, making them safer for me. I opposed the Iraq war in part because I think that I am personally more vulnerable to a terrorist attack now that we have radicalized even more muslims. I rarely support an action that won’t benefit me or at least not affect me. This is one exception.

Of course crap like this reminds me why I still oppose the ban. Via Radley.