CRIMINALS?
Omaha, Nebraska has now become ground zero in the war on individual liberties with the city's elected officials implementing some of the strongest anti-smoking laws in the nation. The ban outlaws all PUBLIC smoking, as well as smoking inside restaurants and bars that serve food.
The Omaha Police Department is encouraging citizens who observe someone smoking to call 9-1-1.
Teresa Negron, sergeant in charge of public information for the police, explained the department encourages observers of infractions to pick up the phone to report the infraction--just like they would for any other crime they observe being committed.
Note the term 'crime' in the above sentence. Apparently smokers are now considered criminals along with rapists and murderers in Omaha. It is now a CRIME to smoke!
Omaha banned smoking in public Oct. 2. Penalties are $100 for the first offense, $200 for the second and $500 for the third and subsequent infractions. Who would be willing to guess that these Omaha politicians who supported such a flagrant violation of personal freedom are NOT Libertarians, and probably not Republicans, either!
Apparently however, Omaha police and emergency coordinators do not see eye-to-eye on citizens using the Emergency 9-1-1- system to report smokers. According to Douglas County Emergency Mark Conrey, if people dial 9-1-1 every time they see someone lighting up in a restricted area, the county's Emergency 9-1-1 system could be severely hampered in receiving calls for real emergencies. 'The very idea threatens Douglas County's emergency system,' Conrey said.
Undaunted by Conrey's concerns, Omaha police insist that residents should use the 9-1-1 system to report smoking law violators.
After all, we would not want these dangerous, hardened criminals left to wander the streets unleashing their mayhem on the citizens of Omaha.
What will be next? Dialing 9-1-1 if you spot someone eating a high-fat double cheeseburger in a restaurant?
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