BCT Editorial – 2/15/07

This page was last updated on February 25, 2007.

Survey says smoking ban popular; Editorial; Beaver County Times; February 15, 2007.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject editorial.

“A Pittsburgh columnist once observed that whenever a poll on an issue is taken in our region, more than half of those surveyed automatically will be against it - before they’re even asked the question.

“The response is emblematic of our region’s ingrained hostility to change.”

[RWC] This “ingrained hostility to change” BS is simply a regurgitation of a comment in a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette editorial.

“A survey by Quinnipiac University drove this point home with a vengeance. Our region is far out of step with the rest of the state when it comes to indoor smoking.

“A poll of 1,014 Pennsylvania voters found that a clear majority (60 to 37 percent) would support a ban on smoking in all bars, restaurants and public buildings in the state. The poll had a margin of error of plus-minus 3.1 percentage points, so the results are fairly firm. The support held up across genders, party affiliation and regions, with one notable exception.

“Men support the ban 56 to 40 percent, while women support it 64 to 35 percent. Republican voters support the ban 59 to 38 percent, while Democrats support it 65 to 33. Independents split in favor of the ban 54 to 43.

“It was like that around the state, too. A majority of voters in Allegheny County (52 to 44 percent) and Philadelphia (68 to 31 percent) favored the ban, as did those polled in the northeastern (63 to 34 percent), northwestern (61 to 39 percent), southeastern (65 to 32) and central (61 to 35) parts of the commonwealth.

“Did you notice what part of the state was missing?

“The only exception to the regional rule was the southwest, where 51 percent oppose banning indoor smoking and 49 percent support it. (And even though a majority favored a ban, the Allegheny County results weren’t much better.)

“Obviously, warnings about the dangers of second-hand smoke still haven’t gotten through in southwestern Pennsylvania.

“The poll results from our region are depressing because of what they represent - our aversion to change. This ‘that’s the way we’ve always done it’ mentality is going to be the death of us, smokers and nonsmokers alike.”

[RWC] I have yet to read an editorial telling us why we as individuals can’t choose where we drink, eat, and work. Don’t hold your breath waiting for such an editorial because the Times can’t defend its position using logic and traditional American freedoms.