Comments on: Blowing Smoke http://www.themannings.org/soapbox/2003/05/16/blowing-smoke/ Pragmatic Libertarianism Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:36:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Jeremy http://www.themannings.org/soapbox/2003/05/16/blowing-smoke/#comment-57 Jeremy Thu, 22 May 2003 13:53:29 +0000 http://www.themannings.org/soapbox/2003/05/16/blowing-smoke/#comment-57 I guess the thing that bothers me is that we are moving more and more towards a society in which restricting personal freedoms to bring about personal safety is a matter for legislation. Seatbelts save lives so government passes legislation to force us to wear seatbelts. Drugs can cause many problems so government make drugs illegal. Now government is moving to prohibit tobacco. I think government should get out of the business of legislatively forcing us to live safely. If someone participates in behavior that harms or threatens others they should be restrained. If someone participates in behavior that harms themselves thats fine. They have that choice. Oh well. I didn't want this comment to turn into a post of its own but I am really amazed at the range of issues the FEDERAL government is willing, even eager, to get involved in. These commercials are a result of the government lawsuit against tobacco companies. I'm really afraid that as the government makes more and more safety causes into legislative issues we are going to have to see more stupid commercials like the Truth series on all kinds of different subjects...running with sissors, dangerous coleserol filled hamburgers, biting your fingernails, etc. I guess the thing that bothers me is that we are moving more and more towards a society in which restricting personal freedoms to bring about personal safety is a matter for legislation. Seatbelts save lives so government passes legislation to force us to wear seatbelts. Drugs can cause many problems so government make drugs illegal. Now government is moving to prohibit tobacco. I think government should get out of the business of legislatively forcing us to live safely. If someone participates in behavior that harms or threatens others they should be restrained. If someone participates in behavior that harms themselves thats fine. They have that choice. Oh well. I didn’t want this comment to turn into a post of its own but I am really amazed at the range of issues the FEDERAL government is willing, even eager, to get involved in.

These commercials are a result of the government lawsuit against tobacco companies. I’m really afraid that as the government makes more and more safety causes into legislative issues we are going to have to see more stupid commercials like the Truth series on all kinds of different subjects…running with sissors, dangerous coleserol filled hamburgers, biting your fingernails, etc.

]]> By: Daniel Simmons http://www.themannings.org/soapbox/2003/05/16/blowing-smoke/#comment-56 Daniel Simmons Mon, 19 May 2003 18:39:42 +0000 http://www.themannings.org/soapbox/2003/05/16/blowing-smoke/#comment-56 I completely share Jeremy's sentiments. If I weren't LDS also, every time I see a "Truth" ad, I would run out and smoke one for the team. This anti-smoking propaganda is awfully self-righetous. What is so bad about bad habits that could kill you? We live is a free country, right??? Okay, maybe not. I completely share Jeremy’s sentiments. If I weren’t LDS also, every time I see a “Truth” ad, I would run out and smoke one for the team. This anti-smoking propaganda is awfully self-righetous. What is so bad about bad habits that could kill you? We live is a free country, right??? Okay, maybe not.

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