[Mpls] U of M Survey finds that students are in support ofthesmoking ban

[Jim Bernstein]

Believing that one has a "moral imperative" - on either the majority or
minority side of an issue - has contributed mightily to the fractures in
debate about public policy. Better we return to debating the merits,
consequences, benefits, options, and outcomes of public policy
decisions.  

Of late in Minneapolis I have had gun ownership, stadium funding,
medicinal marijuana, smoking restrictions, leaf blower noise, dog parks,
commercial redevelopment projects, and gasoline pricing, city regulatory
authority, and feral cats argued as "moral imperatives" from one side or
another.  

Jim Bernstein
Fulton  

-----Original Message-----
From: mpls-bounces at mnforum.org [mailto:mpls-bounces at mnforum.org] On
Behalf Of Michael Atherton
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 7:23 AM
To: mpls at mnforum.org
Subject: RE: [Mpls] U of M Survey finds that students are in support
ofthesmoking ban

 
David Strand wrote:

>  A recent survey of the smoking ban at the University
>  of Minnesota found that the vast majority support the
>  smoking ban.  The student researchers who designed the
>  survey where largely opposed to the ban and surprised
>  by the results.  According to the survey, 17% of students 
>  smoke, and of the those, half smoke only occasionally.

That's the thing about minority rights, the size of
the majority is immaterial.  If you don't understand
this concept, then you don't understand the concept.
The size of the majority doesn't lend greater
importance to their moral imperative.

Michael Atherton
Prospect Park







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