Dear Friends - This may be our last chance for some time to get a strong smoking bann in Richardson.  Just showing up will help, but signing up to speak WILL BE MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE.  One of our councilman said he hadn't received any communications from his constituents.  He must have misplaced the personal letter I sent to his home.   The councilmen need to know that there is more support for a bann than for leaving the present ineffective bann in place.   Ed Stahl


----- Forwarded Message ----
From: "CleanLungs@richardsonsmokefree.org" <CleanLungs@richardsonsmokefree.org>
To: edstahl@swbell.net
Sent: Thursday, May 1, 2008 4:36:05 PM
Subject: Smoke Free Richardson. Potential Victory! Final push needed.

All could be lost if YOU do not show up!
6:00 PM, Monday, May 5th, at City Hall.
If you want Richardson to be SMOKE FREE,
Monday is the moment of truth.
YOU must show up, and speak! Register here:
http://discovery.cor.gov/Public/IS/EMailForm.nsf/CouncilCard?OpenForm
Fill in your name and address, the date as May 5, and the Visitors Section as "Support smoke free". Stop there. Send.

Do not leave this for "someone else". If SMOKE FREE supporters do not pack the room, we will lose. We know that those against a Smoke Free Richardson are aggressively working to fill the Council Chambers with people supporting their view. We need to do the same. The Council members in favor of a Smoke Free Richardson are asking us to bring as many people as possible. If you come and simply walk to the microphone to say, "I support a strong smoke free ordinance", that could make all the difference. Now, it will come down to what Council sees on Monday night. They have to see large numbers of SMOKE FREE supporters, or we will lose. Tell your friends and bring them with you!

* Right now, do this:
Email the entire Richardson City Council
To send one message to all seven Council members, either click here and fill in the subject line to indicate you support a STRONG smoke-free ordinance,
or use the email form on the home page of http://www.richardsonsmokefree.org/.

Status of the Smoke Free effort: Potential Victory! On Monday night, April 28th, the Richardson City Council, in a 4-3 unofficial, non-binding worksession majority, instructed City staff to draft a Plano/McKinney-style strong smoke-free ordinance. Don't let this opportunity slip away! Send a message to the Council, demanding that they implement a Plano/McKinney-style strong smoke-free ordinance. Show up and speak Monday May 5th, at 6:00 PM!

I've signed up to speak in favor of ban. Hope many other of you will do the same. George Human

Let me first say that I am not a smoker nor have I ever been one, nor do I plan to start. I believe smoking and second hand smoke is very unhealthy and can cause serious health problems over long term exposure. I think we all can agree on that point. However, that point is not what we're debating. What we're debating is whether you and I have the right to use the government to infringe upon another person's private property rights. I say "no" because the US Constitution protects that right for each of us. Keep in mind that these "public places" are still private property. They are not government owned or operated. Just because an individual's property is zoned a certain way, does not mean that individual loses their Constitutional rights. Zoning is very arbitrary and can change overnight. For instance, my friend lives on a property that is zoned for both commercial and residential use. If the government bans smoking on all commercial zoned property, does that mean she can't smoke in her own home if she wants?

Laws are already in place that protect us from ever being exposed to second hand smoke involuntarily: no government property or hospitals allow smoking. The only way you or I will ever be exposed to second hand smoke is if we CHOOSE to be exposed.

What we need to keep in mind is that you and I as non-smokers are not and never have been forced to patron businesses that allow smoking. Never. If we go to a place that allows smoking, then it is our choice. If we don't want to go to a place that allows smoking, that is also our choice. In a free market economy, we need to allow people to have the say in what businesses should succeed and which ones should fail. If no one wants to patron a business because they allow smoking, then that business will either go out of business or adapt to meet the needs of it's clients. It's very simple. The reason we are still "allowing" people to act carelessly is because we still live in a country that protects everyone's right to choose what is best for their own life. Once you and I start deciding what other people should and should not be doing, then use the government to enforce that, we will have changed from a free society to a fascist society. Do you really want other people using the government to criminalize everything that they think is bad for you? Trans fat, loud music, alcohol, sugar, etc. That list may seem silly but it's already happening. In June of this year, trans fat will be against the law in NYC.

One key point to remember is that our government is not supposed to be our babysitter and "protect" us from ourselves. That is our own job - each of us, through individual self-government. Once one of us starts violating someone else's rights is when the government should step in to protect those rights.

Joel Bailey
Precinct Chair 1704
www.1704.localprecinct.com