F....Cigarettes

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Originally Posted by SBXVII

Don't get me wrong. I think smoking is horrid. I see what it's done to my mother. I'm not advocating smoking. All I'm saying is the gov is supposed to be a neutral body and instead they have sided with the non smokers and passed laws against smoking indoors and in some states smoking outside in public. I have the same issue with gun control and abortion. I hope the gov does not take sides with any one religious denomination cause this country was founded on freadom of religion. and before I get slammed for probably being a muslim simpathizer and thinking it's ok for the temple to be erected with 2 blocks of ground zero in NY... I'm not. I think although they should have the right, it's very distastefull on the muslim's part to want to erect a temple so close to the site. The next question is would it be ok if it was 4 blocks away? 8 blocks? How far away is ok? you know... since we are a country of religious freedom.

To preface my point I am extremely conservative and could go on for pages about each of those subjects, but will try and keep it short and to the point.

Smoking is not a protected right by the Constitution, so the states or the people have a right to create a law that would ban or limit such actions as long as it does not violate its own laws.

Gun ownership is protected by the Constitution so no state can pass a law banning such, legally.

The debate about abortion is not if abortion should be legal, but about when life is created. Pro-Life = @ conception; Pro-Choice = @ birth. The point at which life is created and murder is commited is not clearly defined so the debate will continue making lawyers and lobbyists tons of cash for years to come.

As long as the Muslim religous center is built within the confines of the law there is no reason to stop it. I am actually disgusted by so-called conservatives saying anything otherwise. I do think that the location is tasteless , but that does not mean much.