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Smoking arguments are absurd, laughable
I’m going to assume that Armineh Hovanesian is relatively new to the Glendale-Burbank area. If she weren’t, I can’t believe she would have trotted out so many tired, old, disproved addict-cliches with which she filled her June 6 Community Commentary, “Anti-smoking campaign is just that.”
Over many months of letters in the Burbank Leader and Glendale News-Press, and many talks to both city councils by many people, her position that “the smell of cigars and cigarettes does not travel” was proven false again and again by both anecdote and science.
And smokers stopped proffering her stance that smokers should be allowed to contaminate the common air with their toxic gas — because some people overeat, eat meat, drink alcohol or use cell phones — when the smokers finally got tired of being laughed at for the absurdness of the comments.
And they finally stopped using the inflammatory “H” and “N” words when they were repeatedly shown that the only time a debater resorts to calling his or her opponents “Hitler” or “Nazis” is when they have already lost the argument; when they have absolutely nothing of value to say.
The overwhelming majority of people don’t want to inhale tobacco smoke — their own or anyone else’s — and that despite her unobservant accusation that preventing her from smoking near other people is tantamount to being in a “police state,” we in fact live in a democracy.
The majority has voted, and it has said that she can remain cruel at heart, if she wants to, but she may not express that cruelty physically against other people with her tobacco smoke — indoors or out.
ROBERT PHIPPS
Burbank
Drunk drivers need to be taken seriously
Shame on John Brady for not disclosing his driving under the influence conviction before accepting a position on the Police Commission (“Police board under fire,” June 6). Shame on City Atty. Dennis Barlow for not doing due diligence prior to Brady’s appointment. Shame on Vice Mayor Anja Reinke, who is more concerned about “negative public perception” than the damage and destruction drunk drivers cause when they have a couple of vodkas on the way home.
Shame on Councilman David Gordon for not knowing the difference between right and wrong. Must our city officials suffer a loss of a loved one at the hands of a drunk driver to understand the emotional horror involved?
Thank you, Burbank Police Department, for stopping and arresting this drunk driver. Thank you, Burbank Police Department, for putting your lives on the line for us.
SAM EWING
Burbank
Changing definition will change marriage
I have been accused by proponents of gay marriage of being bigoted, insecure in my own traditional marriage, being a religious conservative, thinking same-sex couples are second-class citizens and of being afraid that the world will end with approval of same-sex marriages. Why is it wrong to believe the definition of marriage should not be changed from that historically recognized?
None of those accusations are true, nor did I ever indicate such. One proponent, who raised a religious issue when I have not, has claimed a “God-given” right to same-sex marriage, but, I bet, is unable to provide any such support from Judeo/Christian/Islamic scriptures or traditions. Proponents claim fundamental, constitutional rights in arguing for opening up marriage to gay couples, but fail to recognize that those same rights would then have to apply to any individual, regardless of quantity or familial relationships.
If marriage ceases being the only traditional recognition of a committed union between a male and female, than it certainly will be dumbed down.
MEL WOLF
Burbank
Iraq invasion strategy to gain oil, not noble
I’m not quite sure how to interpret Paul W. McKenna Jr.’s June 10 Community Commentary, “Thinking of home from Iraq.”
While Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “Four Freedoms” was and is something we all desire for our children, I simply don’t recall any words within it giving us permission to illegally invade and occupy another country that was of no harm to us, overthrow a government, install a puppet regime, kill and maim tens of thousands of innocent civilians and deplete our Treasury to the tune of several trillions of dollars along the way.
Just last week, former Vice President Dick Cheney acknowledged that there never was a connection between Al Qaeda, the 9/11 bombings and Iraq.
Anyone with an IQ higher than their shoe size has already figured out that the Bush administration staged a fake war purely for the benefit of Halliburton, British Petroleum and Exxon/Mobil — guarding our “Four Freedoms” was never on the agenda.
Enough of this denial and pretense that invading and occupying Iraq is a noble cause. It is not; we were duped.
RICHARD J. TAFILAW
Burbank
I’m going to assume that Armineh Hovanesian is relatively new to the Glendale-Burbank area. If she weren’t, I can’t believe she would have trotted out so many tired, old, disproved addict-cliches with which she filled her June 6 Community Commentary, “Anti-smoking campaign is just that.”
Over many months of letters in the Burbank Leader and Glendale News-Press, and many talks to both city councils by many people, her position that “the smell of cigars and cigarettes does not travel” was proven false again and again by both anecdote and science.
And smokers stopped proffering her stance that smokers should be allowed to contaminate the common air with their toxic gas — because some people overeat, eat meat, drink alcohol or use cell phones — when the smokers finally got tired of being laughed at for the absurdness of the comments.
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The overwhelming majority of people don’t want to inhale tobacco smoke — their own or anyone else’s — and that despite her unobservant accusation that preventing her from smoking near other people is tantamount to being in a “police state,” we in fact live in a democracy.
The majority has voted, and it has said that she can remain cruel at heart, if she wants to, but she may not express that cruelty physically against other people with her tobacco smoke — indoors or out.
ROBERT PHIPPS
Burbank
Drunk drivers need to be taken seriously
Shame on John Brady for not disclosing his driving under the influence conviction before accepting a position on the Police Commission (“Police board under fire,” June 6). Shame on City Atty. Dennis Barlow for not doing due diligence prior to Brady’s appointment. Shame on Vice Mayor Anja Reinke, who is more concerned about “negative public perception” than the damage and destruction drunk drivers cause when they have a couple of vodkas on the way home.
Shame on Councilman David Gordon for not knowing the difference between right and wrong. Must our city officials suffer a loss of a loved one at the hands of a drunk driver to understand the emotional horror involved?
Thank you, Burbank Police Department, for stopping and arresting this drunk driver. Thank you, Burbank Police Department, for putting your lives on the line for us.
SAM EWING
Burbank
Changing definition will change marriage
I have been accused by proponents of gay marriage of being bigoted, insecure in my own traditional marriage, being a religious conservative, thinking same-sex couples are second-class citizens and of being afraid that the world will end with approval of same-sex marriages. Why is it wrong to believe the definition of marriage should not be changed from that historically recognized?
None of those accusations are true, nor did I ever indicate such. One proponent, who raised a religious issue when I have not, has claimed a “God-given” right to same-sex marriage, but, I bet, is unable to provide any such support from Judeo/Christian/Islamic scriptures or traditions. Proponents claim fundamental, constitutional rights in arguing for opening up marriage to gay couples, but fail to recognize that those same rights would then have to apply to any individual, regardless of quantity or familial relationships.
If marriage ceases being the only traditional recognition of a committed union between a male and female, than it certainly will be dumbed down.
MEL WOLF
Burbank
Iraq invasion strategy to gain oil, not noble
I’m not quite sure how to interpret Paul W. McKenna Jr.’s June 10 Community Commentary, “Thinking of home from Iraq.”
While Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “Four Freedoms” was and is something we all desire for our children, I simply don’t recall any words within it giving us permission to illegally invade and occupy another country that was of no harm to us, overthrow a government, install a puppet regime, kill and maim tens of thousands of innocent civilians and deplete our Treasury to the tune of several trillions of dollars along the way.
Just last week, former Vice President Dick Cheney acknowledged that there never was a connection between Al Qaeda, the 9/11 bombings and Iraq.
Anyone with an IQ higher than their shoe size has already figured out that the Bush administration staged a fake war purely for the benefit of Halliburton, British Petroleum and Exxon/Mobil — guarding our “Four Freedoms” was never on the agenda.
Enough of this denial and pretense that invading and occupying Iraq is a noble cause. It is not; we were duped.
RICHARD J. TAFILAW
Burbank
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The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of burbankleader.com.
ntkernel wrote on Jun 29, 2009 6:16 PM:
" On Anti-Smoking....
As a smoker i find these laws well ridiculous even though you may say - well yeah you're a smoker... Take some additional points of view:
1. The amount of "Toxic Smoke" exhaled from a smoker and the smoke that comes of the end of the cigarette is not enough to cause any harm at all to any one. (YOU'RE OUTSIDE!).
2. You telling me i cant smoke in my apartment and probably my car, is simply big brother - next it will be prayer. (Although this actually did happen in SD)
3. You say the majority has voted? Ahh i see that must mean that only the majority is protected against discrimination - what about the minority?
4. This is really only liberalism and this is only going to get worse. Lets not lie here this is not and never was about your health.
5. This is really only one person, being a liberal and hating (pushing the liberal line) as far as he can straight into your home.
Robert ( But not the "Burbank Obama"). "
As a smoker i find these laws well ridiculous even though you may say - well yeah you're a smoker... Take some additional points of view:
1. The amount of "Toxic Smoke" exhaled from a smoker and the smoke that comes of the end of the cigarette is not enough to cause any harm at all to any one. (YOU'RE OUTSIDE!).
2. You telling me i cant smoke in my apartment and probably my car, is simply big brother - next it will be prayer. (Although this actually did happen in SD)
3. You say the majority has voted? Ahh i see that must mean that only the majority is protected against discrimination - what about the minority?
4. This is really only liberalism and this is only going to get worse. Lets not lie here this is not and never was about your health.
5. This is really only one person, being a liberal and hating (pushing the liberal line) as far as he can straight into your home.
Robert ( But not the "Burbank Obama"). "
ntkernel wrote on Jun 29, 2009 6:24 PM:
" On Marriage...
I completely agree with you, and to furthur what you are saying....
1. Gay marriage is not about equality, its about liberalism.
2. Gay marriage is both an "Enforced Acceptance" of and a "Redefinition of marriage" as traditionally held by all religions - so that a very small few can FORCE YOU TO ACCEPT THERE WAY as the same truth of traditional marriage.
3. This aberrant definition of marriage is well funded and is oiled to make itself pass regardless of the fact that it was stopped 2x in 10 years.
Robert "
I completely agree with you, and to furthur what you are saying....
1. Gay marriage is not about equality, its about liberalism.
2. Gay marriage is both an "Enforced Acceptance" of and a "Redefinition of marriage" as traditionally held by all religions - so that a very small few can FORCE YOU TO ACCEPT THERE WAY as the same truth of traditional marriage.
3. This aberrant definition of marriage is well funded and is oiled to make itself pass regardless of the fact that it was stopped 2x in 10 years.
Robert "
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