BANNED: “Welcome to the Nanny State Nation”
Whether you love it, hate it, or have never thought about it, chances are some politician wants to ban it. “Welcome to the Nanny State Nation,” says reason.tv host Drew Carey. “Where the government minds your own business.”
Saggy pants, fire places, plastic bags, light bulbs, poker”it’s all been banned somewhere. Same with owning swine or fowl, feeding pigeons, owning pit bulls, and chomping on trans fats, a naughty little substance that makes food taste better.
Of course, smoking’s been banned in all sorts of places”indoors, outdoors, near doors, beaches, casinos, even private homes. America’s smoking ban craze began in California. So many bans start there.
“But is New York City the new California?” asks Carey? Smoking, trans fat, aluminum baseball bats, straddling a bike, wearing in-line skates or drinking coffee on a subway”the Big Apple bans them all.
Even if we don’t particularly like something we should be wary of banning it because every ban is backed up by the force of law. Plus, would you want to live in a nation that bans everything that offends someone?
Carey wonders when so many of us turned into “ban-happy busybodies,” and compliments the British on their more civilized approach to bans.
July 14, 2008 - 11:18 AM on July 14th, 2008
This is just stupid hysteria. I munch on my bagel on a bus which clearly says “No Eating”. There are no health risks, just someone not wanting to clean up after someone else. Smoking is more agressive because there are proven health risks of second hand smoke.
Not sure what the Britsh do when they want to ban something?
NY-David
July 14, 2008 - 02:57 PM on July 14th, 2008
Ny-David,
The problem isn’t what they are banning, it is that they are banning anything at all. That is the crux of the commentary. I see no reason why you shouldn’t eat your bagel on the bus, but I believe your attitude about bans would change if the transit police got on the bus and gave you a $50 citation for doing so.
Does anyone really consider it “Freedom” to be told what they can or can’t do whether it has any effect on anyone else? I have a concealed carry permit. I am a former military officer, have had a secret security clearance, handled tens of thousands of dollars, and have been held up at gun point. Is there any legitimate reason why it should be legal for me to carry a concealed handgun in Phoenix, but a major felony for me to do so in NYC? I can think of a few reasons to carry a concealed handgun, but none that would preclude me from doing so. As I have shown no propensity to be a violent offender, what are the odds of my carrying a weapon leading me to do so? Yet, the same politicians that banned trans fats, also forbid me to carry a firearm for self defense AND lobby for minimal jail time for the very violent offenders that require law abiding people to defend themselves in the first place. Wouldn’t it make more sense AND be more cost effective to simply increase penalties for people who DO actually hurt others than to punish those who do not? Banning behavior that does noone any significant harm other than to bruise their egos is not freedom. It’s tyranny.
Why is it that Mayor Bloomberg will not allow children into school without a battery of innoculations, but welomes illegal aliens with communicable diseases into the city with open arms?
July 15, 2008 - 09:51 PM on July 15th, 2008
I can’t discuss the idea of the immigrant thing, because I don’t see where we are an “illegal friendly” city more then anyone else.
As for the bans, I eat in the back of the bus and make sure I clean up after myself, as I would regardless of the sign. I’ve seen people come on the subways and eat and leave their trash, spill their coffee and not attempt to clean up, etc. I’ve seen bus drivers threaten to stop the bus if a person continues to eat. It all comes back to lack of consideration vs. if you are in the customer service business, you should serve the customer, including cleaning up after them.
NY-David