As a "Bartender" or rather "Customer service worker" as we were called after the "FTBA" I still didn't ask for your help!! (Nor did my NON SMOKING business associate) Not once did we ask for your help!! We didn't ask for the County Help, nor did we ask for the State help... Go figure, since we have been with this CRAP since day one. When a certain "OLD" comissioner was in our place of business, and was cornered by "MANY NON SMOKERS", who said they didn't care!! It was "Their choice to enter our establishment, smoke or NO smoke!" Now we have the FTBA in place, Have they "FREQUENTED" our establishment??? HE** NO!!! But wasn't their comment, "If you go smoke free, WE WILL COME!" 5 Days later and still you haven't made your presence known. Wonder Why???
Gee we are trying to get over it, maybe you should also... We sit outside and smoke, BIG DEAL.. Meeker County FTBA still collects their $$ from whatever source is paying them.... I wonder what happened to that "FEE" MN is collecting off each pack I used to purchase here? Did that go towards the commercial on TV about "Fresh Air, give it a whiff.."
As for our "CITIZENS" serving over seas, or those who are home SAFELY from whatever war, you have faught for our county to be "FREE" If they want to come home and have a beer and a smoke, you deserve that right!! Old or young, you still faught for what we all "BELIEVE" in! Our right to be "FREE" I still realize the "NON" smokers rights, but what about the "SMOKERS" rights?? So they faught for the right for our country to be "FREE", but gee don't come home and have a smoke in a "PUBLIC PLACE". I know about the harmful air, and how it isn't fair to the non smoker and I TOTALLY get the FREEDOM TO BREATH ACT. We all have rights, but what makes your rights better then someone elses? Since it (FTBA) has been in place, I still have yet to see a "NEW" patron enter into our establisment...
Now on the other side, my dad died of asthma, so he couldn't be around smoke. But it was HIS CHOICE if he wanted to enter into a establishment where smoking was allowed.. GO FIGURE... (was that not his choice as a AMERICAN?) So how many of the NON SMOKERS will go "OUT OF THEIR WAY" to patronize the establishments who are "MOM & POP"???
I have yet to see any person who pushed the Meeker County FTBA show up at our bar.
I will always say (AS DO MANY OF MY PATRONS THAT I HAVE SPOKEN TO IN GREAT LENGTH, BOTH SMOKERS AND NO SMOKERS) that the state has infringed on rights where they had no right. I understand about the "SMOKE GETTING IN YOUR EYES" theory, and 2ND hand smoke, but then, "DON'T STOP IN TO OUR BAR!" Go home! Where you must be already, as you haven't stopped into our establishment since we went SMOKE FREE.. We did fine before you, and GEE we are doing fine without you, 5 DAYS LATER!!!
On the other side of the coin, we are "GLAD" you haven't frequented our establisment... You might not like the company...
Either way, we are ALL beating up a dead horse.. We can't do anything about it.. Leave well enough alone.. PLEASE....... Let it go, I still enjoy my smokes, even if it is outside, you still haven't shown your face in our tavern...

The reason the non's "won", as you put it, is because it does more people more good for you not to smoke in public places where the non's aslo have a right to be, than it does for you to smoke. If there was some way you could put a bag over your head while smoking to contain all the smoke, so I'm not exposed to it, I have no problem with that. I don't care if you want to kill yourself. But don't take me down with you. I think that is the point in all of this. Smoke from cigarettes kills people. That has been proven, and I don't think most educated people will deny that. You can still smoke all you want. Your "right" hasn't been taken away. All the FTBA does is protect those that don't want to be exposed to that toxin, and have just as much "right" to be there. We live in a democracy. Majority rules. That is what the country is founded on. If you don't like it, go to Cuba. The weather is nice down there this time of year.

By that way, people don't have a "right" to smoke. Just like people don't have a "right" to drive, or fish. People do have a "right" to free speech. People do have a "right" to a speedy trial. People do have a "right" to vote. All this as per the Bill of Rights. I don't see anywhere in the Bill of Rights that says people have a "right" to smoke. But, because we are a free country we have many "privleges" to do what we want. Like drive, like fishing, like smoking.

Zippy,
I don't think you can look at it so literally. Of course not EVERYONE will get lung cancer who smokes. Just like there have been people who have died in vehicle crashes because thay had their seatbelt on. You need to look at the overall trend. The percentage of people who smoke who get cancer is much more than the smokers who don't get cancer.

The Freedom to Breathe Act....Where do I begin....I have no problem not having smoke from a cigarette linger where you eat, BUT this went to far when it came to bars. What is a Bar? Back in the day a Bar was designed for people to kick back after a long days work, have a drink and smoke cigarettes, cigars, pipes...etc...If you don't like the smoke in a Bar you don't belong there. All the "NON SMOKERS" that are pleased with this "FREEDOM TO BREATHE ACT" claim that they can now sit in a Bar and enjoy not smelling cigarette smoke. But have you yet been there to support that buisness? No. Now obviously this did not affect the casinos and I'm sure you have no problem going there to gamble your money away. So why does it matter about the bars? I also believe that our Vets that faught for our freedom should be able to kick back and enjoy a cigarette and a drink at the bar. They faught in the war! And they are being critized cuz they smoke? People die everyday from car accidents, plane crashes, war, and illnesses which has nothing to do with cigarette smoke. You can get lung cancer from anything, but the minute someone hears the word lung cancer the first thing they think of is cigarettes. I think that there is a lot more things going wrong in this world today that needs to be dealt with besides smokers. Instead of putting all that money and time and concentration on the "FREEDOM TO BREATHE ACT", look at the other things that could have been made better in this world we live in today. Gangs, guns, drugs, shootings....The list goes on. It has been said that they should make smoking illegal, or we should just stop giving our money to the tobacco industry? Think about it. Look how much money the government makes off us smokers...Millions. If they are not getting that money from us, what else do you think they will slap taxes on? Clothes, food, alcohol...So when all of us "SMOKERS" are not allowed to smoke no more, you'll be sorry....

Properly said! But we are no longer allowed that freedom. You hit the nail on the head about better things to spend time and money on, when you said about drugs, gangs and the nonsense shootings going on these days. Next the FTBA will go after us that we can't smoke outside, or in our homes, or our cars.. It all started out in Meeker Co with the FTBA getting a HUGE grant with promises of more if they passed the ban. I know first hand NOT ONE PERSON ON THE COMMISSIONER'S OR FTBA HAS STEPPED FOOT IN OUR BAR SINCE OCT 1ST... But that was a huge promise that they would frequent these places more after the bill was passed. Another political "Promise" that hasn't been followed through with... How typical.
Either way, I know someone will come back on here and bash my opinion and tell me to move to Cuba or something.. All I am trying to say is that I understand your point, but are you a regular patron (by regular I mean 3-4 times per week) of these establishments? Well I was, and so were many others who I know personally have chosen to now have garage parties or other things, so we are still allowed to enjoy a smoke if we want to. So who is loosing out then? The bars are the ones who are going to loose most. The worst hit are going to be places like Darwin, Forest City, Mannanah The Bowling Alley & Watkins. These places are off the beaten path, and rely on the "Regular" customers.
So in closing, (put it to rest please) since everyone is so into the FTBA, next time you want to go play cards, bingo or something else, consider one of these places too. These places all offer card nights, bingo, meat raffles and many more things to make it a fun place to be at. I am not only speaking for myself about being upset about the smoking ban, I am also trying to get people to remember the "LITTLE PEOPLE" who didn't want the ban in the first place, but are still forced to abide by the law. Please do the same for them and support them now too!

Ok ya know what?? I have stated I understand where you are coming from. I said in my first post that my father passed away from asthma, NOT SMOKING RELATED!, so I can TOTALLY understand people who don't like smoke. I will go another step further and state that we have 2 people who frequent our bar who have cancer and they come in during the day when there is less smokers, I obstained from smoking also! So I am not without a heart or respect for non smokers, or people who don't like smoke. I agree with another point you made about inviting the people who fought for this act. Maybe we should! But funny thing about that, the one commissioner who pushed his opinion in our bar and others in our area where he WAS our commissioner pushed his opinion a little to far one early evening. He pushed it with non smokers as well as smokers, (so there is no favortism here). He was cornered by the NON SMOKERS and told to keep his opinion to himself. Yes you read that right, NON SMOKERS were also the ones who spoke in support of the smokers. One other LAST thought, they were ALL OVER THE AGE OF 50!! Needless to say, I don't see him stopping down for a tap in any of the bars in our area in the near future! But there were a great many others who frequent the bars in Litch every weekend, but NEVER stop out here.
You have some very valid points, and I am not arguing about ANYTHING you have commented on. All I am saying is we had a right taken away from us. Yes I know it is a nasty habit, I got that loud and clear, but just the same, it was a right taken away. That is all we are trying to say. We know every time we take a drag off a cigarette, we are killing ourselves, but DUH, it's a habit!!! So we have both made our points on how we feel about it, there will never be a agreement. I guess just agree to disagree. We lost, we have to live with it. Shorter as our life may be. Now I am off to kill myself sooner with another smoke=}

I UNDERSTAND... But my right to smoke in a public place was taken away! ( A banana is not red, it is blue, just like the air!)
How about this, let's say for example a Vet has arrived home with a amputation from this joke of a war. (OH BOY, NEW TOPIC I AM SURE!) OK? Now he wheels himself into my place of employment and asks for a beer. Then he proceeds to light up a smoke.. I tell him "Sorry Buddy you gotta get outta here with that!" OK that's what I have to do, but in my mind I am saying "GOD THIS MAN JUST LOST A LIMB TO FIGHT FOR HIS RIGHT TO LIVE IN A FREE COUNTRY! If he wants to have a smoke, he deserves it!!!" But hey sorry we aren't able to do something we feel should be a choice anymore, you can't smoke in public. "Oh and by the way sorry about your limb!"
I will gladly sit down with you any day of the week at any place you choose and I will carry on a conversation for hours without lighting up, I have said SEVERAL times already that isn't the point!! I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT.. It is my choice to smoke, you choose not to. I am proud of you for never choosing the disgusting habit! But you will never seem to understand mine, so I give up. Maybe someone else can explain it to you.

You guys are confusing "Rights" with "Privilages". Driving a car and smoking are privilages that society allows us to do and they can be limited when it affects the safety of others. Rights are more than a privilage such as the RIGHT TO VOTE. Look up the bill of rights under the US Constitution. You wont find Smoking listed...Now dont get me wrong, I'm not a big anti-smoking nut, in fact I used to smoke. I wish the bars would have been left alone in this ban, but I can honestly say that I enjoy coming home and not stinking anymore. I dont go out to the bars a lot, but I do occasionally go. I was at the Valley Inn this past Saturday, no one was complaining about stepping outside for their puff and I liked going home without stinking like an ashtray.

"Basically, you can come in, I can offer you enough liquor to have you blitzed out of your gourd, every single day of your adult life. I can ruin your liver and damage your hearing with the blaring music."

Yes you can. No doubt about it. You are correct. But, by drinking that much, I am hurting myself. Key word there, MYSELF. Just ME. Not everyone else sitting in the room like second-hand smoke will. That's what I keep saying. I don't care if you smoke. Smoke all you want and enjoy it. Just don't take me with you. And that's what the FTBA does. It protects those bystanders that are effected by all the exccess smoke. If you could light up, and keep 100% of the smoke out of the air and in you, that would be fantastic. But you can't. And that is what the FTBA does. You're comparing apples to oranges there, I'm afraid.

"Are we going to outlaw all manufacturing plants that use hazardous chemicals because workers may be exposed to them?"

Again, apples and oranges. I'm certain that anywhere there are toxic chemicals in manufacturing plants that equal the amount of toxins in cig smoke, you'll find that OSHA is requiring respirators. Also, these manufacturing plants are generally producing products for the good of the people. What does smoking in a bar produce for the good of the people? Other than M.D.'s and Insurance Companies getting richer.

B-

Did you ever see that heavy haze hanging in the vfw? That was smoke. Would you like to know what that does to someone with allergies? How fair is it for someone with asthma to see a band they have heard before playing at the vfw knowing they were unable too because of the heavy smoke from the smokers?

It is nice and enjoyable to go into a bar now and not leave reeking of someone else's smoke. It is finally nice to be able to sit and enjoy that band playing without waving that smoke out of your face or coughing because the smoke is too thick? I am tired of some of the smokers telling me well you do not have stay here.... well now I can. so you have to go outside and have that cigaret. Oh well. Now I can take my wife and children out without the worry of second hand smoke or coming home like we bathed in that gross stuff. I can watch my wife go out with her friends knowing on a saturday or friday night she wont be coming home stinking of cigaret smoke. Also, smoking is not a right....nor privledge it si an addiction. I watched my mil slowly kill herself because of the nicotine and I watched my wife mourn her mother when she died as a result of cigaret smoking. Our children are minus one grandmother because of this.