Tennessee, New Bill Would Ban Smoking In Cars With Children. (homes, schools)

[strumpeace]

Knowing all that we know today, only an inconsiderate imbecile would smoke in the presence of a child. Throw them in jail for all I care. How anyone could defend such reckless behavior under the guise of 'personal freedom' is beyond me. People who kill other people--particularly their own children--should be punished.

[bbkaren]

Where does it end, though?

What about parents who are drunk around their kids? That's not illegal, but just as dangerous.

What about parents who feed their kids too much red meat, junk food, and candy? Should that be regulated?

What if I don't take my child to the doctor for his checkups and shots? Is that illegal? Should it be?

I let my son ride a 4-wheel ATV. He could be killed. Should that be illegal?

I drive a car. I could get into an accident and be killed. Should that be illegal also? Or maybe only prohibit kids in the car? The car creates carbon monoxide in its exhaust. Isn't that harmful?

When my band rehearses in the basement, my 2-year old likes to come down and dance for a few minutes each time. Should that be prohibited to prevent hearing loss?

Where's the balance between having a loving relationship with your child and/or the child having a happy, fun childhood vs. insulating our children from every danger that we as the "stupids" impose upon their tender little selves?

[bbkaren]

Incidentally, for the record, I agree with this:

"...Knowing all that we know today, only an inconsiderate imbecile would smoke in the presence of a child..."

Whole heartedly.

I just disagree with more government intervention.

You folks that want the government to intrude into our lives more, need to also keep in mind that in a few years y'all will be crying that your taxes are so high.

[Kris270]

Originally Posted by LauraC

How many adults (over 45) who post here now:

1. didn't sit in a child car seat in a car and/or rode in the back of a truck?
2. rode a bicycle without a helmet?
3. roller skated without knee pads?
4. ate the "unhealthy" meals in the school cafeteria?
5. weren't drugged when you were fidgety in school?
6. had a job after school which didn't impact your grades negatively?
7. ate peanuts and gave your friends peanuts (did you even know any kids allergic to peanuts if you are now 45 or over?)?
8. had anything remotely resembling a "time-out" when you did something wrong?
9. chose up sides for a team sport as a child without your self-esteem suffering and/or having the need to see a shrink/therapist?
10. played football in school, not soccer, because "getting hurt" was not an issue with your parents?
11. belonged to some kind of team sport where everyone didn't get a trophy?
12. rode in your parent's vehicle that was smaller than the SUV sized bus that took the handicapped kids to school?
13. owned a toy with small edible-sized parts when you were under 5?
14. didn't have some kind of covering on the electrical outlets in your home?
15. didn't suffer emotionally/mentally because the teacher graded your tests/reports with a red pen?
16. ate soap and your parents didn't sue the soap maker, tripped over furniture and your parents didn't sue the furniture maker, fell off a swing and your parents didn't sue the parks department, had a teacher say an unkind word to you and your parents didn't sue the school district?
17. Said the pledge of allegiance, a prayer or had a moment of silence in school and it didn't make you uncomfortable or do damage to your psyche when you were a kid?

How many of you raised your hand for all or most of the above and didn't become an invalid/criminal/patient of a shrink for these chilldhood "risky" behaviors?

Only 38 and I remember all those things and me and my five siblings all grew up to be normal functioning adults. How did we survive?

Have you looked at the number of obese children these days. Should parents with obese children lose custody of those children because they are not feeding their children the proper foods or suppling them with a healthy lifestyle.

Government needs to let parents be parents.

[Pam& Bill]

No, the goverment has no business in our lives. But let the subject matter be a hot potato and most get mad at the Smoking issue and miss the bigger nightmare of goverment interference. It has to stop somewhere.

The modern day American public needs towake up to these tactics. Instead of getting incensed over the subject matter, ask yourselves what the consequences are of more and more goverment interference? How about if any household has a child a firearm isn't allowed? After all, how many children got their parents guns and were playing and had an accident happen because they didn't know it was loaded. How about if a child is in the household, swearing becomes against the law? How about if you have a child, you no longer are able to shop at Walmart? After all Walmart sells toys that have been proven to contain harmful materials used in their production and children have been harmed by them. Anyone can google "WalMart" and read about their nomination into the Corporate Hall of Shame. How about any of these examples? Would you welcome the Goverments interference or want it? Once you allow the goverment in to take away small rights and freedoms, the flood starts. So don't get tricked into thinking this is about children and smoking because it really isn't.
Pam

[hiknapster]

When I first read the post, I laughed. "Of course they won't do that," I thought, "They can't take away our personal liberty and privacy."

Then I noticed that they've already done it in other states.

Oh yeah, I forgot how The Constitution has been slowly chipped away so that we have nothing resembling a right to privacy.

Here's some more food for thought: As long as we keep slinging the mud at each other, pointing fingers and calling each other "Right Wingers" or "Liberals" the corporations, which truly own this government, has us right where they want us. Fight amongst ourselves and we won't fight them.

Think about it.

[MrsMtnsOnTheMind]

My 15 year-old cousin got lung cancer from living with his chain smoking mom who insisted on smoking around him in her car and in their tiny single wide trailer. He had to go through chemo and everything. Parents do not have the right to place their children's health in danger. He should have been taken away from her. Smoker's can and do risk their own lives but do not have the right to place other people (especially children) in danger.

[MrsMtnsOnTheMind]

Originally Posted by bbkaren

I just disagree with more government intervention.

Sadly, some parents are just plain stupid and inconsiderate when it comes to their children and have to be fined or pulled over so as not to put their child in danger. Look at the parents who drive with their toddlers standing up in the back seat or leave their kids in the car while they go into the store. It kills me!!!

I am the last one to want government "anything" but if it saves a kid's life and parents can't get a clue on their own, then we have to do what we have to do.

[Pam& Bill]

Originally Posted by HengyMama

Sadly, some parents are just plain stupid and inconsiderate when it comes to their children and have to be fined or pulled over so as not to put their child in danger. Look at the parents who drive with their toddlers standing up in the back seat or leave their kids in the car while they go into the store. It kills me!!!

I am the last one to want government "anything" but if it saves a kid's life and parents can't get a clue on their own, then we have to do what we have to do.

I can not stand plain stupid people either!Lets gather all the plain stupid people of this world and put them before the firing squad and shoot them!
Better yet how about we gather those same plain stupid people and if they are of child bearing age, lets do mass sterilaztion of them all! That way we can control who has kids and stop the generations perpetuating the same plain stupid thinking. Once we rid the world of plain stupid people, which group should we target next? Who is going to define what and who are plain stupid people and who makes the executive decisions on doing what we need to do???
Once the world is rid of plain stupid people, will anyone be able to tell who is intelligent at some future point? After all if we get rid of the undesirable people of the world, then what basis do we have to compare? Hengy Mama in case I need to clarify this point, my post is completely sarcastic.
Pam

[MrsMtnsOnTheMind]

I appreciate your sarcasm. Too bad they don't require a parenting class before they take the babies home from the hospital. There are some people that you can look at and wonder how they actually reproduced and then there are others like the infant in the car seat (facing the wrong way I might add) with the windows rolled up and mama and daddy are smoking away. The smoke is so thick you can barely see how many people are in the car. Don't that tear you up? Am I the only one that sees something wrong with this?

These are the same people that I see in the hospital with their four year old who has pneumonia and they are just shaking their hands saying, "We don't know why Bobby Lee here has had pneumonia twice this year?" Could it be the fact that you smoke around him constantly?

Why don't they get it?