I must have missed the part of the Constitution that said it is ok for the government to use lethal force to nullify property rights and control human behavior.

In yet another pleasure police crack down on property rights, DeKalb County is considering a smoking ban. Not only are they touting "health and safety", but they go one step further and claim it will help the environment. Atlanta has some of the worst smog in the nation, and they think a smoking ban will fix it?

"It's going to ensure [people] can go into a restaurant or go to work and not be negatively impacted by smoke," said Commissioner Burrell Ellis. "It's not only good for the environment. It's a health and safety issue."

Ellis even goes one step further to say that it'll be good for business. Citing a health department survey that found 57 percent of respondents more likely to dine in a smoke-free restaurant, Ellis claims, "It's not going to affect business. In fact, we think it's going to improve sales."

Since when is it the government's job to use the point of a gun to tell business owners how to run their operations? If people were really so affectionate towards smoke-free restaurants, there would be plenty of them to choose from. Personally, my staff writers and I are skeptical that 57% of people are so fanatical about smoking that they'll walk out of a place because of it. And even if they are, who the hell cares?! Let restaurateurs rise to meet the demand. If going smoke-free would really more than double their business (as the 'study' suggests), you can damn sure bet plenty of owners are going to do that.

The health, safety, and environment claims are all complete bullshit. The WHO's own seven year study showed that second hand smoke is not the demon everyone makes it out to be. The increased business claim is bullshit as well. Bartenders and wait staff will find out the hard way when their restaurant closes, or their tip jar isn't as full as it usually is.

The sad fact is that many non-smokers are of the mind that their personal whims should trump property rights, the rights of business owners, and the right to personal choice. Most of them are quick to empower the almighty imperial government to use the threat of force to control human behavior that they don't agree with. The rest of them say "well, I don't smoke, so what do I care?"

Well, today it's smoking in restaurants, but tomorrow it's smoking in your own home. Then it's fatty foods, and SUVs. What is the endgame for all of this? I wish people would remember that laws are enforced by the point of a gun.

The fact is that most business establishments are private property. They have the right to refuse service to assholes like you and me. They should also have the right to allow their patrons to choose to smoke if they so desire. Hell, I'd like to see a restaurant with a two smoke minimum, just to stick it to these no good busy-body dipshits. Tell them "If you want to not smoke, fine, but do it outside."