Smoking Ban in Madisonville KY

This letter was printed in early October in the Madisonville Messenger in reference to the board of health's implementng a smoking ban in the county.
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“Experience should teach us to be most on our guard to protect liberty when the Government's purposes are beneficent. Men born to freedom are naturally alert to repel invasion of their liberty by evil minded rulers. The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal well meaning but without understanding.”
-- Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis

This citizen of Madisonville and 25 year resident of Hopkins County is more than a little concerned at the state of affairs in our county government. As a non smoker, I gladly signed the recent petition to stop the smoking ban that the board of health seeks to implement. Why? Why would a non smoking father of five beautiful children oppose a smoking ban? It’s simple; I believe there is a much greater risk to my children than second hand smoke.

What concerns me for my children is elected officials who have the obligation and duty to cast an up or down vote but choose instead to pass the buck so they can’t be held accountable by voters. This is typical political maneuvering and this dereliction of duty should be swiftly rewarded next election. What concerns me, no frightens me for my children is unelected groups of people who believe they can arbitrarily make a law and then have it enforced. They think they’re smarter than the free market, smarter than Hopkins county residents, smarter than private business owners; they think we need them to make our decisions for us. They show a complete disregard for private property rights because they’re doing “what’s best for us.” They justify their means with a supposedly beneficial end.

You see, I have greater concerns for my children than second hand smoke and its effects. I’m concerned with the erosion of liberty and the rule of law. I’m concerned that this great republic called America is incrementally being transformed into something quite different, something our fathers and grandfathers would not recognize, a place where my children will no longer be free. What good are clean lungs if you are not free?