Smoking Ban Goes into Effect

The long fought over smoking ban in Charleston has finally gone into effect. Now the government nannies can start worrying about other ways to help the poor ignorant masses. I'm a non-smoker and, in fact, have a allergy to cigarette smoke. Still, I find no joy in this ban.

Freedoms are nibbled away or, in this case, snuffed out by power mad elected officials who simply can't resist the urge to "Do Something."

Parade of Whores

By Rod Pennington

Normally Charleston is a lovely place to live. It has a temperate climate, great restaurants, the ocean, history, etc. But every one year in four, it becomes the home for the “Parade of Whores.” Because South Carolina has one of the early primaries and could decide who is the next president, every few days we get visits from politicians seeking our support.

Being a solid “Red” state, all of the democrats have to suddenly find those “religious nuts”, gun owners and annoying Pro-Lifers something that must be courted. The reason they hold their noses and schedule multiple visits, since they front loaded the primaries in 1976; no one who has lost the South Carolina primary has ended up in the White House.

The democrats have been forced to shake the bushes and find some speechwriters who can quote scripture without sounding like a pandering idiot. Those stock spiels about the war and Gay marriage that gets the stand “O” in New York City or San Francisco don’t play as well in a town with a couple of military bases and the USS Yorktown floating in the harbor.

For a democrat to win the SC Primary they have to attract a majority of the Black vote – far and away the largest block of democrats in the state. To Hillary Clinton’s credit, she cut straight to the chase and bribed a powerful South Carolina Africa American politician and minister. Sorry, bribe may be a bit strong. For only $200K between now and the election, State Senator Darrell Jackson will be doing "Consulting" work for Hillary. Apparently Obama only offer $100K.

Say what you will about South Carolina, we have some of the best politicians money can buy. And until the primary season is over the pay window is open.

This pandering isn’t limited to democrats. Once a republican touches down in Charleston it is as if they’ve been reborn and the light of Jesus shines on them. For guys who think “John” is a bathroom, “Numbers” is a Friday night TV show, and “Genesis” is that thing they did in the Star Trek movie when Spock died, suddenly can preach fire and brimstone with the best Baptist in town.

Those of us that have lived through a few of these invasions of carpetbaggers know this new found warmth for the south will chill by next President’s Day when the primary is over. After that all those presidential wannabes can go back to thinking everyone living below the Mason-Dixon Line is closer to being a Neanderthal then an Ivy Leaguer. For right now, they need our votes.

Let the parade begin.

Charleston Bans Smoking

Charleston Bans Smoking

Legend has it that there was once a sign on all of the bridges leading into Charleston, SC, they stated “Welcome to Charleston. Unencumbered by Progress for the Past 100 Years.” Putting together “cutting edge” and Charleston in the same sentence is an oxymoron. Recently the Charleston City Council heard a rumor about something called second smoke. After a bit of research they were shocked to discover that cities such as LA and New York had banned smoking from public places.

Now, being one of America’s favorite vacation destinations, they couldn’t let those other popular spots do something they weren’t doing. Especially them damn Yankees from New York City. The last time the City got this riled they launched a few cannonballs out into the bay at Ft. Sumter which started the American Civil War.

With much hand wringing and gnashing of teeth by local bar and restaurant owners, Charleston City Council passed a ban on all smoking in public places. The non-smokers in the Low Country are breathing a sigh of relief; the bar and restaurant folks are threatening a law suit. Apparently they haven’t noticed that it is easier to find a place to park a dumpster then it is to find a place to smoke these days. Courts from one end of the country to the other have upheld these bans.

Generally we come down on the side of the Bill of Rights and the First Amendment’s Freedom of Assembly clause. If people want to gather and smoke a legal and highly taxed product, what business is it of local government? If no one is being held against their will in these places, where is the problem? We would find these laws easier to swallow if they gave restaurant the option of being smoking or non-smoking with signs clearly marked on the door. But the promoters of the nanny state are never willing to go along with this.

As non-smokers we’ve figured out what places to avoid because they are smoked filled. Smokebillowing out to street whenever the front door is opened is usually the first clue. In the West Ashley suburb of Charleston, you learn pretty quickly that you can lose sight of your server in the haze of the smoke at Manny’s and the food at the Map Room starts tasting like a nicotine patch after 9 pm. If one of these places wants to become a private club for smokers then let them go at it. Make it illegal for anyone under 18 to enter. If the bar owners think they can make more money than honoring the ban, so be it.

The larger concern is what will they target next? McDonald’s french fries haven’t been the same since the quit cooking them in lard. Then “trans fats” were bad. Remember “saccharin?” After winning the anti-smoking battle does anyone seriously think the “health Nazis” will disband and start leading a normal, productive life? Don’t count on it.

They can pry my key lime pie from my cold dead fingers.