Letter to Editor
I believe it is the responsibility of our council to protect the residents of Mesquite. Public health and safety should be the top concerns of our elected leaders.
I look for leaders whose views align with the welfare of our community. As someone who has experience with leadership, I know that the job can be tough and challenging at times. There are circumstances that will arise where a person knows the best way forward, the way that will benefit all people, but due to the climate of what has always been acceptable, taking a stand to be a change maker can be hard.
I am writing to ask that the people we have elected as leaders will stand up for what is right. Our leaders represent all of us, and they represent the future of Mesquite and what it could be. The health of all residents should be a top priority and the way forward is to say yes to clean indoor air.
Margo Deshler
Mesquite NV
Thanks for your letter, I completely agree. As a chemist who has for decades worked and consulted in areas related to toxic chemicals, I have elected to only infrequently visit the casinos, even though I enjoy the dining, entertainment, gaming, and social aspects. Other than casinos, there are virtually no public businesses anywhere that allow indoor smoking. It makes no sense to me that smokers couldn’t be asked to step outside for a few minutes when they felt like having a smoke.
The organized letter writing campaign on the smoking issue is starting to become apparent as a successful marketing tool of the American Lung Association. Whether I agree or disagree on the merits of the statistics that have been put forth by the non-smoking group here in Mesquite, what I do disagree with, is the attempt to bully the city father’s into compliance of your wishes. Knowing what you believe you know about smoke and second hand smoke, it is your responsibility to protect “yourself” from those dangers. It is not the responsibility of private industry to do that, nor the city council.
We have the “liberty” given in the Constitution to freedom and the pursuit of happiness, not total happiness, the pursuit thereof. Your liberties do not take priority over mine or any other member of the community. There basically is only one place left to smoke publicly and that is in a casino. Everywhere else the non-smoking lobby has prevailed. If the casino industry felt they could make a profit by going non-smoking, they would do it. There is every other restaurant in town to eat in, take children to and enjoy your family.
The lung association has given this group money for billboards, ads etc. They are a small group of people who want to push their agenda on the entire community and risk the closure of casinos and lost jobs for the many workers in these casinos.
I have stayed silent on this and read many letters with the same mantra. We get what you want, we don’t agree with your expecting government to interfere in capitalist enterprises. If the city allowed smoking in a city facility you would have an issue, but that is not the fact. You are asking for someone to lose their freedom in lieu of your freedom. It’s not the American way to do things.
Well said, Connie!