Re: Where to smoke in LA and Seattle

"Alex W." <ingilt@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:


"Mickey" <Mickey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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"Alex W." <ingilt@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:


"Mickey" <Mickey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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Isn't this supposed to be why we are Constitutional Republic, and not
a Democracy? Democracy is mob rule, whereas in a Republic, the
minority is SUPPOSED to be protected from the whims of the majority? I
don't feel very protected at the moment.

Cite?

Narrowly, The United States, in the 1950s and 60s, over civil rights.

Drawn more broadly, anywhere where unpopular ideas or behavior is
allowed.

At one time or another, America actively discriminated against Jews, blacks,
Asians, the Irish and the Japanese, women, natives, the poor, drinkers,
Mormons and other religious groups such as Quakers or the Amish, workers and
trade unionists, political dissidents such as Socialists or royalists, the
culturally divergent such as Cajuns ... and this is just off the top off my
head.

Yes, true, but once again, you have to make the distinction between
what happens in bars on Saturday night with what happens on the floor
of the Senate and House.

Every country/state/society discriminates, always. Certainly the Brits do.
The only thing that changes over time is the target.




Seriously -- was there any point when there wasn't a social group which it
was acceptable and even fashionable to deride and revile?


Ideally, a minority should be protected from the majority in a
Republic. There is a natural human tendency, often exploited by
governments, to scapegoat a group. That doesn't make it right.

No, it doesn't. But it does help to understand the underlying psychology of
such tendencies. Knowing where it comes from can help shape our defensive
strategies. For instance, knowing the irrational root of anti-smoking makes
emotional arguments more powerful than a rational facts&figures approach.
We also need to be clear that unless and until there is a replacement
scapegoat, we will continue to be the pet hate group of the day.

Throwing someone else to the wolves is not an acceptable solution.

Call me naive (you certainly wouldn't be the first) but I believe that
eventually, good always triumphs over evil, Truth always wins out over
lies. Eventually.

While I do take a certain schaedenfraude pleasure in watching them
shift their focus from Marlboros to Twinkies, I think that is just as
wrong.

One of my favorite quotations is from Thomas Paine, goes like this:

"He that would make his liberty secure must guard even his enemy from
oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent
that will reach to himself." (Thomas Paine)

This is exactly what's happening now. All of the self righteous smoke
zealots are finding their Twinkies targets of the Pleasure Police.
They've already outlawed serving raw eggs in California. I can foresee
upcoming problems with raw fish in sushi, raw beef in tartar, etc.

No more choices for you, citizen. We know what's best. Put down that
cigar, and get thee to a gym. Or else.
.

Relevant Pages

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