Republic Square
Selfish Arrogant Prohibitionist Victory
RECEIVED Thu., May 12, 2005
Dear Editor,
Well, well, so the armies of jackbooted puritans weren't content that 99% of Austin businesses were already nonsmoking – nope! These selfish, arrogant prohibitionists must make it 100% of businesses! Now any bar owner who happens to smoke must step outside his/her own bar to do so! Come September, smokers will be marginalized even further – no one will be allowed to cater to them unless they (temporarily) give up smoking. Well, I call this an exercise of tyranny of the majority. No compromise, no exceptions. These folks are unbothered by the implications of what they've done. These people have decided that they have the right to tell businesses and individual adults that they cannot indulge in (or cater to) perfectly legal adult vices, to freely associate and to enjoy themselves because it's unhealthy. Thanks “Dad”! Well, the only thing left to smokers to do is to bite the bullet and boycott all bars and clubs. Only by withholding your nicotine-stained dollars en masse will those who smoke and those who support the right of adults to their legal vices be heard now. Come September I will never set foot in a bar, buy a drink, pay cab fare, and all the rest – let the puritans and social fascists have them. Hasn't anyone been to the Dog and Duck? I've been there on several occasions and every time I went the inside was virtually empty with crowds all outside eating, drinking, and (gasp!) smoking. Well, that's what Austin bars and clubs (the ones that survive, anyway) will look like. So, I suggest giving these paternalistic cunts what they want – for now. And if ever they reveal themselves to you, turn your back and walk away – this is a person who does not respect you and your right to make decisions they don't like, and to indulge in a perfectly legal adult vice. So you owe them no quarter either. So much for democracy – where unpopular activities, lifestyles, etc., are protected and tolerated. It's majoritarianism and social tyranny from here out! Sieg heil to the new prohibitionistas! And screw you right back! Amsterdam is looking better all the time!
Well, well, so the armies of jackbooted puritans weren't content that 99% of Austin businesses were already nonsmoking – nope! These selfish, arrogant prohibitionists must make it 100% of businesses! Now any bar owner who happens to smoke must step outside his/her own bar to do so! Come September, smokers will be marginalized even further – no one will be allowed to cater to them unless they (temporarily) give up smoking. Well, I call this an exercise of tyranny of the majority. No compromise, no exceptions. These folks are unbothered by the implications of what they've done. These people have decided that they have the right to tell businesses and individual adults that they cannot indulge in (or cater to) perfectly legal adult vices, to freely associate and to enjoy themselves because it's unhealthy. Thanks “Dad”! Well, the only thing left to smokers to do is to bite the bullet and boycott all bars and clubs. Only by withholding your nicotine-stained dollars en masse will those who smoke and those who support the right of adults to their legal vices be heard now. Come September I will never set foot in a bar, buy a drink, pay cab fare, and all the rest – let the puritans and social fascists have them. Hasn't anyone been to the Dog and Duck? I've been there on several occasions and every time I went the inside was virtually empty with crowds all outside eating, drinking, and (gasp!) smoking. Well, that's what Austin bars and clubs (the ones that survive, anyway) will look like. So, I suggest giving these paternalistic cunts what they want – for now. And if ever they reveal themselves to you, turn your back and walk away – this is a person who does not respect you and your right to make decisions they don't like, and to indulge in a perfectly legal adult vice. So you owe them no quarter either. So much for democracy – where unpopular activities, lifestyles, etc., are protected and tolerated. It's majoritarianism and social tyranny from here out! Sieg heil to the new prohibitionistas! And screw you right back! Amsterdam is looking better all the time!
Thomas Boggs