By Vincent Basehart
Things must be really good in Santa Monica for Willow Evans, Barbara Bronie and Esther Schiller to be able to devote their lives to banning smoking in other people’s living rooms (“Making SM smokeless a hot topic,” Feb. 26, page 1). Smoke coming “up through the drain in the kitchen sink,” being affected “emotionally” and diagnoses of “chemical sensitivity.” Boo hoo!
Liberty is for adults. Rather than trying to legislate a world of perfect personal safety, how about these neurotic busybodies spending quality time with the U.S. Constitution, The Rights of Man and the Declaration of Independence? To see what members of SAFE, ASPAC and other self-absorbed children are doing to liberty in the name of “rights” would make our Founding Fathers weep. The Santa Monica City Council should outright reject any government regulation of smoking in the privacy of one’s own home.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 9, 2007. Read the original PDF.