Oren M. Spiegler – 4/28/08

This page was last updated on April 29, 2008.

‘Ashtray of the Northeast’; Oren M. Spiegler; Beaver County Times; April 28, 2008.

Mr. Spiegler is such a prolific letter writer, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review gave him a little tribute back in 2003. Google “Oren M. Spiegler” and you’ll get more hits than you know what to do with. Unfortunately, prolific is not a synonym for competent. Mr. Spiegler claims to be a Republican.

While Mr. Spiegler may be a Republican, the position he takes in this letter, “Our right to breathe clean air,” and “Are non-smokers expendable?” is definitely non-conservative. For more of my comments on this topic, please read my critique of the Times editorial entitled “Smoked out” and my letter to the editor.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“It is gratifying to note that the enlightenment that eludes many members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly exists in Atlantic City, N.J., where the city council has voted unanimously to prohibit smoking on the floors of gambling casinos, effective Oct. 15.

“Understandably, casino workers cheered the result, many of them who attended the council meeting wearing T-shirts that were imprinted with, ‘Nobody deserves to work in an ashtray.’”

[RWC] Who forces the employees to work in the casinos? If you don’t want to work in a place that permits smoking, don’t work there.

“Would that such modernity would erupt in the Keystone State, which remains the ‘ashtray of the Northeast.’

“Our legislators know that second-hand smoke is a health hazard and that a large majority of the public demands smoke-free workplaces and public spaces, yet they continue to struggle with and to debate the extent to which they can get away with bowing to the interests of the tobacco industry, inconsiderate smokers, casinos and other businesses that seek to continue their ability to poison employees and patrons.”

[RWC] Gee, the reluctance couldn’t have anything to do with private property rights, could it?

“Perhaps the common-sense legislation adopted in Atlantic City will someday spread even to Neanderthal-style Pennsylvania.”

[RWC] Ah yes, name-calling. That’s a sure sign of a person with a strong argument – not.

“I shall not hold my breath, though, because this is, after all, a state where the rights of the people and adherence to the state Constitution (which guarantees the right to clean air) are not taken seriously.”

[RWC] Using Mr. Spiegler’s logic, why didn’t he demand the closing of power plants and other industrial sources of pollution as well as the elimination of cars, buses, airplanes, and trains? These pollution sources pollute the air far more than the tobacco smoke on private property like bars, clubs, restaurants, et cetera. Doesn’t Mr. Spiegler take Article I, Section 27 of the PA Constitution seriously?