Food for thought

[Austintatious]

Having just watched this clip

YouTube - Ecig Ban on L I

I thought I would say a few things to possibly inspire some of you to change your outlook on life, freedom and our country.

Many of you here worry about loosing the freedom to choose what you want in your life, one of those things being the freedom to smoke either regular cigarettes or E-cigs.

What I ask you is to examine your beliefs on other matters where perhaps YOU might advocate the prevention of rights to others.

Do you support prostitution laws?
Do you support drug laws?
Do you support anti gay marriage laws?
Do you support gun laws/bans?
Do you support ANY law that prevents willing participants from doing what they want to do when No ones rights are violated?

I contribute to many discussion boards for different things... R/c aircraft, fishing, this board, several automotive boards, Kite surfing boards, Bowling boards, Hunting boards, political boards and a few others.

What I notice in common with them is that there is no shortage of people complaining about the loss of their rights.

They all say "I don't see why this is illegal, I'm not hurting anyone"

Then they will turn around and BACK the use of state power to deny others their rights when those actions don't even effect them.

This hypocrisy is prevalent in our society. We all personally want to do what WE want to do and get mad when that freedom is infringed, but then almost always without exception we impeded the ability of others to do what THEY wish because we don't agree with it.

Look at this lady in the video saying "Smoking is NOT OK"

She could have said a host of other things...

Smoking is:

Not healthy
Not something we should teach our kids
Proven to be unhealthy

But no, she said its "not OK"

Then she supports "state" enforcement of what she says is not OK. Would she support the ban of fast food and a FAT tax on any foods not deemed healthy enough?

She is a transparent hypocrite just like a good portion of the USA.


I ask you... If you want YOUR freedoms left alone... are you willing to leave the freedoms of others alone?

Ill bet you not one person who read this said "NO" to ALL of the above list.

Now I ask you, if You cant say "No" to every question on that list, what kind of hypocrite does that make you?

Why should you expect anyone to uphold YOUR rights that are being eroded when you support the taking of other peoples rights?


America was born on the Idea of freedom. With freedom comes the reality that YOU might have to look the other way when people do things you don't personally like.

Live and let live.

 

[Momof3]

Ill bet you not one person who read this said "NO" to ALL of the above list.

You lose.

 

[DMacRae]

Do you support prostitution laws?
Do you support drug laws?
Do you support anti gay marriage laws?
Do you support gun laws/bans?
Do you support ANY law that prevents willing participants from doing what they want to do when No ones rights are violated?

​

NO!!

Good post.

 

[FRESH x913x]

i agree with everything but the gun laws. as i am a convicted 2 time felon im not allowed to own a gun. yes i know i messed that up for my self and no one is to blame but me. BUT what i did when i was 18 years old now 25 shouldnt haunt me for the rest of my life. and i havent been in trouble since. not even a traffic ticket. i think depending on the crime my rights or any ones elses rights should be given back after so many years of course depending on the crime.

 

[Meltbanana]

Do you support prostitution laws?
Do you support drug laws?
Do you support anti gay marriage laws?
Do you support gun laws/bans?
Do you support ANY law that prevents willing participants from doing what they want to do when No ones rights are violated?

No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
I believe that every law restricting you from doing what you choose to do, so long as it isn't a threat to anyones safety, is a law against freedom. If you choose to do something that doesn't put anybody else in danger, why shouldn't you be allowed to do it?

America was born on the Idea of freedom. With freedom comes the reality that YOU might have to look the other way when people do things you don't personally like.

 

[olderthandirt]

Bide The Wiccan Law Ye Must,
In Perfect Love, In Perfect Trust.
Eight Words The Wiccan Rede Fulfill:
An Ye Harm None, Do As Ye Will.
And Ever Mind The Rule Of Three:
What Ye Send Out, Comes Back To Thee.
Follow This With Mind And Heart,
And Merry Ye Meet, And Merry Ye Part.

 

[Boynton]

Here, Here. Good Post

 

[usamare]

You could add quite a few more to that list and I've STILL never supported any of them. I think the real trouble is, you have to proactively speak out when someone else' rights are being endangered, and THAT is where most people, myself included, have failed miserably.

...First they came for the Jews, and I said nothing because I was not a Jew....

 

[imahuph]

Bide The Wiccan Law Ye Must,
In Perfect Love, In Perfect Trust.
Eight Words The Wiccan Rede Fulfill:
An Ye Harm None, Do As Ye Will.
And Ever Mind The Rule Of Three:
What Ye Send Out, Comes Back To Thee.
Follow This With Mind And Heart,
And Merry Ye Meet, And Merry Ye Part.

agree wholeheartedly

MM

 

[lvlninety9]

Austin can you answer no to any of those questions? If not then you yourself are the very definition of being a hypocrite. So why sit here and try to demean everyone here because of what they believe in when you are in fact guilty of the same thing? If you are not then I applaud you. If you are then you are the proverbial kettle calling the pot black. I run into people that spout off about hypocrisy all the time and then once the tables are turned end up being one themselves. But you honestly have to think about those questions that you ask and you have to answer them within a certain context.

The laws on prostitution, if you believe them or not, can in fact protect others from potential diseases that can be spread sexually.

The laws concerning drugs..... Now this is a good one since I have seen people killed over drugs, people get robbed over drugs, so yes in a sense these laws protect others that are being harmed.

The laws against gay marriage are ludicrous at best. These laws in actuality harm no one but the gay community. And if a person tries to say that gay marriage is doing them harm is a fool in every sense of the word.

Gun laws are there for specific reasons. Now while I don't agree with them all, they are there to try to keep the public safe. Kids killing each other because they managed to get a gun, drug dealers shooting each other for a dime bag of garbage, criminals who rob stores and banks with guns......... I'm done with this part if you don't get it by now then I'm sorry for you.

I won't even bother to go into the last 2. I think I've very well made my point. And if you think that I'm am talking out of my .... you are sorely mistaken. I'm currently pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice/Criminology and working towards becoming an officer of the law. In my studies, I have to read about the laws on the books and analyze them from all points of view. It's not just a matter of doing what you want as long as you aren't hurting someone else, because in every question you posed, there is potential harm to others and their rights.

Either that or you just picked the wrong questions. You decide.

 

[ArizonaVapin]

No to all 5! If something does not hurt anyone else then it should be allowed in a FREE country. The US is becoming less "free" with every day that passes. The US constitution is being treated more as draft document than law set-in-stone that our founding fathers meant for it to be. Especially in places like California.

 

[drichardson]

Do you support prostitution laws?
Do you support drug laws?
Do you support anti gay marriage laws?
Do you support gun laws/bans?
Do you support ANY law that prevents willing participants from doing what they want to do when No ones rights are violated?

...

Ill bet you not one person who read this said "NO" to ALL of the above list.

Do you support prostitution laws? No. It should come as no surprise that driving the worlds oldest profession underground has caused more problems than it's solved.

Do you support drug laws? No, in the sense that you mean it. I DO support certain kinds of drug regulation. It's just sensible.

Do you support anti gay marriage laws? No. Though if you DO support such laws I'd be interested in finding out why. No one has yet given me a good (non-religious) reason to oppose gay marriage.

Do you support gun laws/bans? No. I think that's well covered in the bill of rights.

Do you support ANY law that prevents willing participants from doing what they want to do when No ones rights are violated? No. Well, I can't think of anything. If I come up with something, I'll be sure to let you know so that I might be stricken from the list.

Meh, it was a suckers bet. I'd venture that you would also answer "no" to each question in the list.

 

[midian]

My wife and I are both Libertarian Party. Without going too political in this forum, I’d suggest for those of you who do answer ‘No’ to the presented questions in this thread to contact your state’s Libertarian representative; their movement is in the spirit of this thread; however I don’t want this forum/thread to become a political debate. I’m merely stating a fact that’s growing in our nation. Our founding fathers had it right…and for some reason their political party has been completely forgotten.

It’s obvious that electronic cigarette users want the ability to chose. The passion behind this movement is exactly the same as what the Libertarian Party is trying to promote. The ‘freedom to chose’. I for one completely believe in the spirit of what electronic cigarettes provide ‘the chance to chose’. More importantly the chance to chose an option that dramatically reduces any ill effects on others. What I choose for myself may not be what others would choose – but that’s the whole point…right?...

 

[SSRob]

I have tried to be as anti-smoker as a smoker can be in respect to my kids (3 of them). I am constantly telling them how ignorant I am to have ever started smoking. Yet about 5 months ago (before I quit), we busted the 17 year old smoking in her car. I didn't yell at her or get mad at her, just told her as long as she was living under my roof that it was not acceptable for her to be smoking PERIOD. If kids want them, they'll get them.

Not so easy with the cost of an e-cig and the "upkeep" in my opinion.

So if we make more sophisticated flavors like peppercorn crusted filet mignon or merlot then will they say we are still marketing to children? I didn't know it was a crime to like apple flavor. Hmm, Bacardi has apple flavor wine coolers...they must be marketing it to children.

 

[ramblingrose]

No across the board.

 

[eric]

Amen. You'd be surprised how many people are aware of the fact we're having our liberty spit on by our legislators. Then again, there are some people who flat out support these measures.

I have faith it will all end eventually. I imagine there will be a tipping point, and the people will wake up and demand the government return to performing it's originally intended role; to serve the people, not vice versa.

 

[Txrider]

Ill bet you not one person who read this said "NO" to ALL of the above list.

I answered no to all of them, but you won't find many in Austin that do for sure.

 

[WendyM]

Do you support prostitution laws?
Do you support drug laws?
Do you support anti gay marriage laws?
Do you support gun laws/bans?
Do you support ANY law that prevents willing participants from doing what they want to do when No ones rights are violated?

Prostitution laws? Yes. Prostitution bans? No.
Drug laws? Yes. Drug bans, war on drugs? No.
Anti-gay marriage laws? No.
Gun laws? Yes. Gun bans? No.
Any law that prevents willing participants from doing what they want to do when no ones rights are violated? So long as the person is an adult of sound mind and it truly is victimless-- why not?

 

[Kate51]

I thought this may be a little off message (but maybe not!) for this thread, but was shocked, pleased, saddened, and proud when I came across an article about this Monument, in the June American Legion Magazine. Photos by Amy C. Elliott
You Easterners are probably mightily aware of this project. However, I was:
Shocked, as a news junkie, that I had not seen or even heard of this before.
Pleased: because if you have memory of or know about the time of the Cold War, our most bitter and feared enemy was Russia. No more. Reason to follow.
Saddened: Because in Light of Day after 9/11 our country needs to ALWAYS REMEMBER the national moods before and after that awful day. In view of the current bitterness and division, this should be used for comforting, publicized often, not hidden away!
Proud: to call our Russian comrades our friends, because it is all about the People, everywhere, lest we forget. We are one people, one World

Russia Gave The US a 9/11 Memorial-Truth!

Please use this or any preferred website to look at this story in in it's entirety. And then ask yourself "Why?"

 

[Kate51]

i agree with everything but the gun laws. as i am a convicted 2 time felon im not allowed to own a gun. yes i know i messed that up for my self and no one is to blame but me. BUT what i did when i was 18 years old now 25 shouldnt haunt me for the rest of my life. and i havent been in trouble since. not even a traffic ticket. i think depending on the crime my rights or any ones elses rights should be given back after so many years of course depending on the crime.

Halleluhia for Human Nature, we are a self-healing lot by our very nature.
BUT, are you allowed to have an e-cig? I think we all feel a little like you, but now we're being punished without proper evidence or hearings. From my cold dead hand....
By the way, my husband and I are both Law Enforcement, retired!