I have been following this discussion with great interest, because it reminds me so much of the experiences I have had the past few years as a smoker. Used to be, I could smoke just about anywhere I wanted (in my office, in Notre Dame Stadium, in the classroom (yes, really), and even in my hospital bed). Then, the anti-smoking crowd came along, and started limiting the places where I could enjoy my Benson & Hedges. Now, I am deprived of the sheer enjoyment of pushing myself back from the table after a tremendous meal in any restaurant and lighting up that great after-dinner smoke. Because my second-hand smoke is infringing upon the rights of others to enjoy a smoke-free atmosphere.
Once upon a time, I adhered to the philosophy that the question of where and if I could smoke should be a decision made by the property owner, such as the owner of the restaurant. After all, if the smoke was hurting his business, he could ban smoking and I didn't have to go there if that after-dinner smoke was essential to my enjoyment of my dining experience. On the other hand, if smokers were a greater proportion of his business, he could allow smoking and suffer any economic loss if non-smokers refused to patronize his business. I have since been "re-educated," however, and am now convinced that the government has the absolute right to determine what is good for me and what is not, and that banning smoking, in restaurants or elsewhere, is certainly a legitimate exercise of government action for the "common good." After all, if I really want to smoke after dinner, I can just stay home and eat and then smoke my brains out afterwards without infringing on anyone else's rights.
Don't you think the same applies to football games? After all, I paid a good amount of money for my tickets. I did so so that I could sit comfortably and watch every play of the game in relative peace and quiet. I really don't want to have these rights infringed upon by people standing up in front of me so I can't see, making so much noise I can't hear the announcer or hear myself think, and especially being forced to put up with a bunch of drunken rowdies ruining my experience of the game. If people want to drink and yell and act crazy, they should stay home and watch it on TV so they won't be infringing upon other peoples' rights to enjoy the game from a comfortable seat in a sane and dignified manner.
