Pink Elephants On Parade
Having posted a pink elephant in my “Signs” section (see links, above), I find myself inundated with more of these pink apparitions. Only in America.
With thanks to James Carwile for providing these images. (If the original photographers will step forward, I will happily provide photo credits or remove the images, whichever your prefer. The only one of these I shot myself (elephant gun in hand) was the top one.)
And a quick update: Good parent that I am, we have not two but four new fish in the house. Names are pending, but at least the funerals are over.
Finally, the Evansville region is about to go to the mat over a county-wide smoking ban that is a good deal more restrictive than the city’s ban. What follows is the text I am sending this week to our three County Council members:
“The ongoing discussion of the proposed city and county smoking bans has been hijacked by an inappropriate and foolish debate over “rights.” Smokers, say those opposed to the ban, have rights, and this ordinance will trample on them. The fact is, no such right exists. We have the right to assembly, yes, and the right of free speech, but the Founding Fathers wisely guaranteed no one freedom of action. They understand––as we, apparently, do not––that behavior must always be proscribed, even in a “free” society. For example, it is not acceptable for me to drive my car in the wrong direction down a one-way street. Why? Because this behavior is extremely likely to cause bodily harm to another person. The same logic holds true for second-hand smoke. In public places––and yes, restaurants, stores and bars count, since they are by definition open to the public––behavior which causes harm to others can and should be banned by the elected officials of a free and sovereign people. Please, let’s stop hiding behind the smokescreen of “rights” and think instead of justice, and the Golden Rule. Let’s move forward rather than backward, let’s think long term rather than short, and let’s remember that as smoking rates continue to fall, what’s currently bad for business will soon be good.”
Mark Rigney
Evansville, IN
We’ll see what happens!
My Blog
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
