BCT Editorial – 8/28/06

This page was last updated on August 30, 2006.

Trendy; Editorial; Beaver County Times; August 28, 2006.

The Times must like this title. It’s the second time we’ve been treated to an anti-smoking editorial entitled “Trendy.”

Let’s look at the Times war on property rights. This is the fifth anti-smoking editorial since May 28^th. The previous four were “Straggling behind”, “Salutes & Boots”, “Smoked out #1”, and “Smoked out #2”. Last year we had a flurry of four anti-smoking editorials within two months (3/31/05 – 5/31/05). They were “Momentum,” “Banned in Beaver,” “Get used to it,” and “Trendy” and the comments in those critiques apply to this editorial as well.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject editorial.

“As Allegheny County Council ponders a ban on indoor smoking and the Legislature considers taking up an already-shelved measure that would do the same statewide, news out of France shows just how behind the times the state and region really are.

“Citing an article in Le Figaro, SmokeFree Educational Services reports that the French government is preparing to ban smoking in restaurants and other public areas on Jan. 1. That move would bring it closer to similar bans in Britain, Ireland, Italy, Spain and Sweden.

“To put this proposal into perspective, the French smoke like it’s going out of style, with about one in three lighting up on a regular basis. Only Greece has a higher rate, SmokeFree reports.

“The ban isn’t all-inclusive. The new law, which will come in the form of a decree, will exempt casinos, nightclubs and tobacco shops.

“As incomplete as it is, the French law and the thinking behind it are light years away from where Allegheny County and Pennsylvania leaders are on smoking. When a country like France, where smoking is woven into the culture, decides to ban indoor smoking, it’s time for council and the Legislature to get moving.”

[RWC] The Times must be getting hard up for reasons to infringe on property rights if it’s down to saying, “It must be a good idea because the French are doing it.” Exactly what has France done since the Revolutionary War that would recommend it as an example to follow?

Let’s remember a couple of things. France is so smart it’s unemployment is more than twice that of the U.S. When the socialist French government finally figured it had to do something about the unemployment, like lowering the risk of hiring employees, the French rioted and so the plans to reduce unemployment died a quick death. Yeah, we really need to treat France as a role model. Note, I’m not picking on France. These comments apply to most of Europe.