[Mpls] Ban the word Ban

[Michael Atherton]

Dan McGrath wrote: 

>  Minneapolis has the word "ban" too firmly implanted in the 
>  front of our collective minds. Everyone seems to think that 
>  their pet-peeves should be eliminated by ordinance. I see the 
>  word "ban" on this list so often, its beginning to loose all 
>  meaning. Ban leaf blowers, ban smoking, ban truck idling, ban 
>  refrigerator trucks, ban cell-phones, ban bad food, ban "scary"
>  inflatable creatures. Come on, people. I thought this city 
>  was supposed to be a center of "tolerance." Seems no one here 
>  can tolerate anything.

I'm not in favor of banning anything that you can do which
does not impact other people (drugs, sex, suicide, gay marriage, 
prostitution, etc., etc.), however driving is something that can 
seriously injure innocent responsible people.  Driving is not a 
right, it is a regulated convenience (and a damned stupid one at 
that; we really need walkable cities and decent public transit). 
I'm also undecided on whether to support the death penalty for 
drunk drivers who kill with their cars (as some other countries
have legislated).  I would be less radical about driving
safety if Minnesotans were more inclined to take responsibility
for avoiding behavior that puts their fellow citizens at risk,
but from what I've seen people here arrogantly deny any 
responsibility for avoiding driving habits that put others at
risk.  When injurious behavior cannot be regulated by culture, 
it needs to be regulated by law. 

Michael Atherton
Prospect Park