Opinion: What Will People Push Monrovia to Ban Next?

In watching the discussion about banning plastic carry-out grocery bags, I heard so many ban advocates indicate that banning the bags is "just a start," which leads me to think that now that Monrovia has prohibited the bags (starting Jan. 1) that we will soon see attempts to ban other things.

Like what?

Well, based on comments I've heard at various City Council meetings, I'd guess that there will be pressure for the city to go after smoking in multi-unit dwellings - or in public parks, or both - so if you smoke, not only do you get to die young, but you may also get to be harassed in your own home.

Second-hand smoke is bad, and I support bans on smoking in confined places that the public can freely enter (businesses, government offices, etc.) and smoking near the doors of such buildings, but in the great outdoors every additional foot of distance between me and a smoker dilutes the smoke, and at some not-very-great distance the smoke becomes barely a smell. And at that point, I think we should stop harassing these poor people.

And, no, I don't smoke.

- Brad Haugaard

5 comments:

  1. I would be totally supportive of a ban of smoking in our parks. I think that will immediately clean up our "almost homeless" daily congregation in Library Park. It wouldn't be so fun for them to hang out there if they weren't allowed to smoke all day.

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  2. I absolutely agree with the previous comment regarding a ban of smoking in our parks. I too feel that it would clean up the unruly crowd that makes the park so unpleasant for children and families. In addition, I cough nearly every time I walk through the park to the library entrance due to smokers sitting on the benches along the sidewalks. I have lived in other towns with smoking bans in public parks, and it has made them much more pleasant!

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  3. How about banning homelessness altogether?

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  4. We should form a Busybody Committee to make up a list of bans and enforcement techniques, borrowed from the most progressive and extensive banners everywhere.

    Big sodas, gasoline driven automobiles, use of electric lights after 10 PM, vegan-only restaurants allowed in the city...

    Eden is there waiting for us, just another ban away.

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  5. How about banning people that think everything needs to be banned. Tell us what you like so we can ban it. Know matter what it is you will find someone that doesn't like it. Lets just ban everything.
    Screwed in Kalifornia.

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