No Smoking on Wrightsville beach? Police state?

I invite you to attempt to defend your claim that someone drinking BEER does not present the potential to endanger the health of another individual. Please define and expound upon what a "healthy" public place is and the government's role in regulating it. Define "suffer." And, finally, please explain this completely nebulous statement by offering other examples to support your argument and define proper depth and breath of claimed responsibility in the means through which it is applied and enforced (I fixed your grammar too): "Any action that someone takes that directly *affects the health and well being of another individual without their consent should not be allowed."

-This should be entertaining-[/QUOTE]

One note on this point
I have asthma - secondhand smoke triggers my asthma and therefore directly inhibits my ability to breathe
Which is a more basic right in your mind - the ability to smoke where desired or the ability to breathe ?

I don't care if someone else damages themselves but I really do like to be able to breathe[/QUOTE]

I'm sorry about your condition. However, should we also ban diesel vehicles, motor boats, restaurants with open grills, people who over-use perfume or cologne (actually, that could be a ban I can get behind) and pollenating plants because they are known to trigger asthma attacks? Of course it's one thing to ban certain things in indoor environments (I love being able to come home from the bar without smelling like an ashtray). But outside, really?

 

Erock, as I guessed you did not let my comments simmer long enough. You contradicted your own argument in your last post: "Of course it's one thing to ban certain things in indoor environments" ---- Enlighten us on why this is different that banning smoking outside. Do you think that if we all sit outside at a restaurant the "wind" is going to blow all the smoke away and everyone will be happy? You are a Republican aren't you?

 

I think a smoking ban is great! The ocean is our playground, we must take care of it!

 

In other news. kinda/potentially/super stoked for some sizable slop! yewh

 

Ban smoking because some guy has astma

Ban frisbee, and football throwing because someone might get hurt

Ban drinking because someone might act up

Ban surfing because someone might drown

Ban everything and let the government decide what is best for all of us

Rediculous? That is the essence of what I'm hearing from some of you on this post. The government is not always your friend and they do not always know what is best for all of us. If you don't like the way someone is behaving or treating you or your beach, then speak up and tell that person/people. We will all be collectively more happy if we regulate ourselves. Think about it. Think about how many arbitrary and capricious rules that government imposes on us that decrease the quality of our lives. If you're an old f*cker like me, you remember how much fun things were when there were fewer rules and you remember the older f*ckers slapping us in to our places when we acted like asses. We don't need the government to make rules to tell us what is best for all of us.

 

Kahuna Kai is right. The government is rarely if ever your friend. The bigger the government gets, the more people it supposedly helps, the more people there will be that can't think for themselves. I wan't nothing but common defense and a national currency from the government. I want no special treatment and want to be left alone. I would rather be poor and free than look to the government to take care of me. Stop being so willing to support policies that infringe on the freedom of others, eventually someone will find something about you, your habits, your children that they don't like and will try to pass a law to stop it. When I was a kid I lived in a lower middle class neighborhood. I raised pigeons, ducks, chickens and even had 2 goats. I know my neighbors must have had an issue with them but they never complained. Why do you think they never complained? Because they were honest people who knew that they probably had habits we didn't like so they tolerated us the same way we tolerated them. If you learn tolerance eventually the things that bother you about people just fade away and you get over it.

 

^^^^^^^ this is why Zippy is my favorite person on here. I bet he shreds too!

 

unibrows are bad. make sure your eyebrows are well groomed

 

don't let facts get in the way of a good story

http://www.scpr.org/blogs/news/2012/02/14/4672/fun-returns-beach-football-frisbee-ban-be-eliminat/

it was AN OLD LAW that was going to be lightened, but a bunch of reactionary morons got an idea and created sh!tstorm. so now the OLD law will be repealed.

seriously...do some homework...or learn to read....but stay home all the same

 

I'm with zippy and kahuna 100%, and I don't smoke. I look at the the size and role of gov intervention in individual and business along with the associated costs (that who pays for...) and it makes me sick.

 

Wrongsville NC. maybe if all the kooks stopped coming they wouldn't have the means or reason to make these ridiculous laws by milking them (and surfers) for all their money through parking fees and all these new fines. Reclaim WB, LOCALS ONLY

haha which will never happen

 

One note on this point
I have asthma - secondhand smoke triggers my asthma and therefore directly inhibits my ability to breathe
Which is a more basic right in your mind - the ability to smoke where desired or the ability to breathe ?

I don't care if someone else damages themselves but I really do like to be able to breathe[/QUOTE]

I'm sorry about your condition. However, should we also ban diesel vehicles, motor boats, restaurants with open grills, people who over-use perfume or cologne (actually, that could be a ban I can get behind) and pollenating plants because they are known to trigger asthma attacks? Of course it's one thing to ban certain things in indoor environments (I love being able to come home from the bar without smelling like an ashtray). But outside, really?[/QUOTE]

I'm not supporting a ban on anything - just showing a different point of view
of the things you mention nothing triggers my asthma like cigarette smoke does
for the most part I can avoid things that trigger attacks - I know where all the things you mention will be for the most part except for smokers and perfume wearers, who seem to not consider how their choices affect others.
I know my viewpoint is naive to think that everyone should consider others and not act entirely selfish, that is not a principle on which our current society is built.
That whole golden rule thing and our personal rights don't get along - if we did things according to that then we wouldnt even need laws.
Is it really so hard to ask someone next to you if they mind if you smoke right there or jsut move away from people a bit ?

 

Checking the cam on wblivesurf... Finally something decent and of course I'm stuck at the office... I happened to see this: http://www.wblivesurf.com/news.asp?id=2482

I know that the fear of "The Government" lurking to take away our freedoms runs strong in some of you. But before you go all up in arms, who's behind that smoking ban? A local activist and the Cape Fear Surfrider Foundation. Not Barack Obama (who by the way surfs and smokes)...

Anyway... enjoy the surf you lucky bastards! ;-)

 

Good point! The success of Project Exile in Richmond, VA applied this principle (regarding the enforcement of existing laws pertaining to assault weapons). Perhaps there is no need for many new laws

 

As a former long term resident of Wilmington/WB (and a smoker), this doesn't surprise me at all. I have mixed feelings about it. I certainly agree that this wouldn't even be an issue if it weren't for the folks that threw their butts everywhere. They are the reason for this. If people would respect their environment, you wouldn't see as many of these bans. I guess that's just the way it goes. A few ruin it for everyone. Either way, I'd head to the OBX any day over WB now. That place just gets more and more jacked up.

Wrightsville Beach is determined to keep the "small town feel" even though they're located next to a fairly large city and at the end of an interstate that spans the entire country. Get ready for more regulations! I'll be somewhere else, not putting up with their BS.

 

this is a realy interisting conversation.. i would just like to talk about some of manasquans fines and tickets..i was walking my dog on the "boardwalk" in manasquan on april 1st and got a ticket because no dogs on said "boardwalk" april 1st through november somethingth. the cop wanted to hear nothing about how it was the first day of the restriction..but at least it was only $50..on the back of the ticket there was a list of possible fines..not sorting glass out of recycling..$104 fine?! i feel bad for whoever gets hit with that..and having garbage or recycling cans on wrong day was another 75 i believe..and drinking in public was something like $305..thats crazy...im not sayin i was innocent of walking my dog i just thought some of the other fines were rediculous

 

Ban em'

I am completely for the ban. I was surfing near crystal and I picked up 60 cigarette butts in about five minutes. That's insane, not to mention the awful smell. I mean seriously, there are trash cans for a reason.

 

Littering has been illegal for a pretty long time and clearly has no affect. It's time wb takes that extra step in banning.

 

all you pro ban people need to read this:

Smokers today then what? surfers? it s easy to do...'these surfboards and their sharp fins are a public hazard, ban em'. i can hear that now at a town council meeting.

 

Agreed Pumpmaster, that's pretty deep. Maybe they'll ban laughing and talking above a whisper too.

On another note, NC makes/made a lot of their income on tobacco. If they ban smoking, I see no way they can make up that income by levying fines.