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Fishers To Reject Business Property Rights?
Sunday, September 17, 2006

If you asked members of the Fishers Town Council, they would counter that the question is, will Fishers ban smoking in restaurants and bars.

It's the same question. Banning smoking in restaurants and bars takes away the right of the business owners to choose whether or not to permit the use of a legal product in their establishments. That the Town Councilors might not see the two as the same reveals two things- the lack of intellectual depth found within that body, and the extent to which Republicans and Democrats are philospohical equals on the issue of property rights: Mainly, government has the first and last say.

The Noblesville Daily Times recently had a surprisingly on-target editorial, asking very astutely, why in such a conservative county as Hamilton have the smoking bans, assaults on property rights, not raised more opposition?

Unfortunately, even in a place where property rights are generally recognized, all too often Americans will now happily subvert the property rights of another when it suits them. Observe:

2006: I don't smoke, so I'm glad government will make restaurants suit me. If that means trampling the property rights of the owner, that's fine. I don't own a restaurant or bar. Just because someone owns a property doesn't mean he gets to set the policy. We who do not own the property get to!
Throughout American History: I don't smoke. I don't even like smoke, but I'll support a property owner's right to set his own policies. If I don't like it, I'll go somewhere else.

Sadly, I will not be able to attend the Fishers Town Council meeting on Monday, September 18, where the proposed smoking ban will be discussed and perhaps voted on. (I'll be campaigning in Fort Wayne.)

I am a Fishers resident and I urge the Town Council not to trample the property rights of business owners. Banning smoking on public property, which the Town does manage, is one thing. Banning a legal activity on private property is un-American and wrong.


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posted by Mike Kole @ 8:37 AM,

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