Town's tobacco ban hearing too rowdy, ends early.
WESTMINSTER, Mass. (AP) - Only a handful of people were able to speak on a proposal that could make the tiny Massachusetts town of Westminster the first in the nation to ban all sales of tobacco products when boos and shouts from the crowd shut down the public hearing Wednesday night.
Sixty or more residents in the packed Westminster Elementary school gymnasium were registered to share their opinions. Some among the audience of several hundred toted signs opposing the ban; some had participated in a rally earlier.
But amid shouts of "America!" and "Freedom Now," Board of Health chairwoman Andrea Crete gaveled the hearing to a close just 25 minutes into it instead of taking comments.
"The crowd's getting out of control and the room's filled to capacity," she said. "We don't want any riots."
The decision [on the sales ban] rests solely with the board, which says it is fed up with bubblegum-flavored cigars, electronic cigarettes and other new products that appeal to young people. Board members say the easiest course of action is to enact a total ban on all sales within town lines.
No violence, no threats, no property damage--but who wants to bet that the protestors have been identified and will each and all be singled out for retribution from MINILUV? How many of them will find that their 2014 income tax submission gets audited? How many of them will be unable to leave their homes without six patrol cars following them, waiting for a chance to pull them over for doing 26 in a 25 mile an hour zone, or for having a cracked taillight, or a loud exhaust? How many of them are going to find their names and addresses printed in the local newspapers, with strongly worded editorial suggestions that it would be a terrible shame if their homes mysteriously burned down? Want to bet this isn't over, and they're all going to get driven out of town? Want to bet the city council meeting is going to convene again, and they're going to go right ahead and do what they meant to do this time, without interference from those inconvenient taxpayer peons?
ReplyDeleteThis is the way the Left governs. They never concede defeat, because that would mean admitting that they might be wrong. They use whatever power is available to them--and the organized mainstream newsmedia have been their propaganda organ for three quarters of a century. They always find a way to punish those who oppose them and make examples.
"Want to bet this isn't over, and they're all going to get driven out of town?"
ReplyDeleteNot going to happen. Because Lefties only work in the shadows.
"Want to bet the city council meeting is going to convene again, and they're going to go right ahead and do what they meant to do this time, without interference from those inconvenient taxpayer peons?"
Oh, that'll happen. Because Lefties only work in the shadows. They'll wait until the fuss dies down, and then they'll quietly do what they want.
I think you missed the point of why they had that meeting. They wanted to get a bunch of fawning approving comments on record, and because no one -ever- goes to those meetings, they figured it would all go their way. Oops.