There is an interesting epidemic spreading throughout our culture.  It seems that society is becoming more and more dependent on government policies for protection.

Case in point: A local push to ban smoking in all public places throughout my city.

I’m not a smoker; never have been, never will be.  However I understand that there are people that have been drawn into the habit and locked into the lifestyle choice.  Who am I to tell them how to live their lives? On the other hand, I also get annoyed when I go to a local establishment for dinner and have to strip off my smoke infested clothes before I enter my own house.  I can’t imagine what my lungs are thinking…

While I really get irritated about the atmosphere (pun intended), I understand fully that it’s my choice to frequent these establishments, and if I don’t want to get fumigated, I could very easily go elsewhere.

Do I really need the local government to ban smoking as a city wide effort to drive smokers elsewhere?

I expect my local government to provide a clean and healthy place to live.  However, I’d hate to have the government come in and tell me that I can’t allow my customers to smoke in my establishment (especially if I owned a place like, say, a bowling ally).

It seems we’re living in a culture dependent on others to take care of us.

Bill O’reilly makes a healthy living as the person “looking out for me”.  I feel a bit insulted that he thinks I need someone looking out for me. He obviously thinks I can’t look out for myself. Of course I can’t blame him for taking advantage of the situation.  After all, look how the government let all those people in New Orleans down after a major hurricane beat the sub-sea level city into submission. 

Now the Federal Government is stepping in to regulate drugs in baseball.  Evidently baseball can’t look out for itself either.  Or maybe the government is looking out for me by protecting the influence on my (future) kid, who of course will be the next Barry Bonds.  Obviously the government thinks my parenting skills are not adequate to tell my kids that drugs are bad.

And it’s not just the government.

The Center of Science in the Public Interest has sued Kentucky Fried Chicken, seemingly on my behalf, because some KFC meals were “startlingly” high in trans fat.

The group asked the court to switch to a healthier frying oil. If that is ruled out, the group asked the court to require signs at KFC outlets saying “KFC fried chicken and certain other foods contain trans fat, which promotes heart disease.”

Obviously in my ripe old age of 27, I haven’t come to realize that anything that is fried is probably not good for me, regardless of what type of oil is used.  Do I really need a sign on the door warning me that what I’m about to eat is not good for me?

Who’s looking out for me?  I am.  And as a mature adult I don’t count on Bill to do it for me.

Who’s looking out for you?

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