So what do you call it when people purposely mislead other people in order to further their own agenda? Think that over for a few minutes while we take a look at the Post-Gazette's latest editorial in support of a smoking ban. (This must be the most urgent issue facing Pittsburgh, as the paper has dedicated more editorial space to it than just about anything else, including education, redevelopment, the environment, etc. Go figure.)
At any rate, once again the Post-Gazette is trying to shame the region into passing a ban. The argument seems to be that since other people are doing it, it must be the cool thing to do. And you wouldn't want to be uncool:
A ban on smoking in Philadelphia workplaces was inevitable because the City of Brotherly Love is surrounded by smoke-free states -- New York, New Jersey and Delaware. But being encircled means that when city council voted to do it last week, Philadelphia was last.
This is a silly argument, although that hasn't prevented the PG from using it repeatedly. But it's silliness is not even the most shocking thing. That has to be the fact that the argument is entirely self-defeating for people who want to ban smoking in bars and restaurants. See, if you want to give legislation over to a popularity contest, then a ban would not actually pass. The paper continues misdirecting readers by indicating that Pennsylvania is way behind the times because it has not passed a ban. But that's not true. Eleven states have bans. And of those, four allow exceptions for most bars. I went to a public high school, so maybe my math might be a bit off, but I think that means 39 states do not have a ban. And 43 allow smoking in bars. Advantage: smokers.
OK. So now that we are done talking about what the popular kids are doing, let's get down to the REALLY ridiculous stuff. From today's editorial:
County Council needs to adopt this ordinance now. Allegheny County's nonsmokers shouldn't have to suffer a six-year wait in smoke-filled restaurants, bars and workplaces. They shouldn't be the last to enjoy clean indoor air.
Who in the hell has to wait six years? It took me a grand total of 35 seconds to find this list of smoke-free restaurants in the Pittsburgh area.
OK, you say. But there are a lot of people who don't smoke. They can't all fit in a few restaurants.
Thing is, it's NOT just a few restaurants. The list includes 35 establishments in the city, 81 in the eastern part of Allegheny County, 7 in the western part of the county, 30 in the north and 25 in the south. Again, my math might be an issue, but I think that adds up to more than 170 places for intolerant nonsmokers to eat and/or drink. And that actually understates the case because as far as I can tell this list does not include chains with numerous locations. Taco Bell, Boston market and eight other national operations are completely smoke-free. And heavy hitters like Arby's, BK and McDonald's are smokefree in places that the corporations run--and the corporations recommend that franchisees go smokefree, too.
My point: Not a single person anywhere in the Pittsburgh area has to "suffer a six-year wait in a smoke-filled restaurant." And even if they did, they wouldn;t be "the last." As stated, 43 other states still allow smoking in bars.
These claim gets me back to my original question: What do you call it when people make arguments in this fashion?
I don't know how to get around calling it dishonest.
Look, the list of places that have gone smokefree is growing at an astounding clip. That's great. And it would be great news for the Post-Gazette if its position were really aimed at increasing options for nonsmoking diners and workers. But it's agenda is bigger than that. Which is why it is so eager to push this legislation--and so willing to bend the truth to support that end.
What a strange issue on which to scuttle a good newspaper's credibility. Seriously, I think you can argue in favor of a ban without twisting reality. But for some reason the editors are so zealous about shoving their smoking agenda down everyone's throats that they appear to have gone bonkers.
Stop allowing smoking on your own property, or I'll shoot you.
The land of the free, baby!
Posted by: Al L'Agheny | June 21, 2006 at 05:05 AM
Can I share some resources with you?
Posted by: cherly | July 05, 2006 at 08:01 PM