Annmarie Klyzub said in a letter to the council she's seen an "inordinate" number of parents smoking in the bleachers during softball games at Humble Park. Her youngest child plays softball at the park. She wrote:
I am appalled. (As a former smoker, I could wait through a kid's ballgame before I smoked; or, at the least, I left the area out of respect for the other people and children.) I am really sickened at this lack of respect. Is there anything that can be done?Klyzub said she would like to see "No Smoking" signs near the bleachers so she could ask people smoking to move. She said Haban Park has "No Smoking" signs.
Ald. Helding, whose district includes Humble Park, asked Parks Director Donnie Snow to place Klyzub's communication on the next Parks Board agenda. It was added to the agenda as Klyzub requesting a ban on smoking in city parks.
Update: I just talked with Klyzub about the request she sent into the city. Couple of points ...
1. She said she didn't really know what to expect when she sent the letter. She found all of the City Council members' email addresses and wrote everyone. She didn't know what would happen when she sent the letter.
2. She said the request has nothing to do with her being a "reformed smoker." She wrote the city because adults were sitting in the bleachers next to her 10- and 15-year-old kids and smoking without much consideration for the people sitting next to them. There should be some restriction on people smoking around kids in parks, she said.
3. Klyzub said she's not an anti-smoking crusader. "I have nothing against smoking," she said. "If you want to smoke then smoke. I really enjoyed it." But she said she also tried to smoke away from people and not force her habits on others.
4. She added she isn't sure if she was asking for a ban on smoking in city parks. She'd just like something to bring people's attention to smoking around kids, even if it is outdoors. "No Smoking" signs around bleachers may help, but Klyzub said she doesn't know what the solution is. She just knows she'd prefer people not smoke around her kids at youth softball and baseball games.
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There's nothing worse than a reformed smoker, trying to impose her (new) willpower on everyone else.
ReplyDeleteAnd what kind of name is Klyzub? Use the regular vowels, willya?
No need to comment on someone's name.
ReplyDeleteI was just making a point :-( about how some people think the way they do something is the ONLY way anyone should be allowed to do it.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure Klyzub is a wonderful name. Not as good as Smith or Jones, but still OK. At least in private. In city parks, I might object...
I don't understand why we cannot just put up some no smoking signs around the bleachers and places like that. Why is a full-blown 'ban' required?
ReplyDeleteThis world is stupid -- Soon you will not be able to talk in a public park because you may offend someone! When is this craziness going to end.
ReplyDeleteAnon, you ain't seen nothin' yet. Check out this story in today's JT about a guy fined $334 for walking around North Beach with "a bulge in his swim trunks."
ReplyDeleteNo, you couldn't make this stuff up!
I dunno AL...I am leaning towards not allowing creepy people to hang out near kids, watch them, and display an obvious erection. Seems to me that is of a quite different nature than a smoking ban. {please note the dripping sarcasm...I mean are you really serious in trying to compare these two things?}
ReplyDeleteTim, one man's "creepy" is another man's "normal." If you're in public, you have to assume other people will look at you, and your kids. The story said nothing about the guy doing anything even close to illegal. Nor did he "display" anything. Frankly, I worry about people staring at some guy's swim trunks.
ReplyDeleteHave you been appointed Chief of the Creepy Police? Are all your rules posted somewhere?
Of course the two things are linked -- they are similar efforts to limit personal freedoms that are nobody else's business.
I also propose no farting and no picnics in parks. The smell of the Hot Dogs might offend someone.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many things wrong with that response I do not know where to start.
ReplyDeleteFirst and foremost, however, is to stay on point...and that is the fining of Mr. Mrazek is in no way similar to banning smoking in public parks.
You wrote "they are similar efforts to limit personal freedoms that are nobody else's business." Well, I cannot agree. If Mr. Mrazek had been staring at my daughter sporting an obvious erection it would most definitely be my business, and I would love to read your counterargument. This is a far cry from someone smoking in the a park (so long as tey are not smoking right next to me).
----
"The story said nothing about the guy doing anything even close to illegal."
I dunno...state statues read...
"947.01 Disorderly conduct. Whoever, in a public or private place, engages in violent, abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud or otherwise disorderly conduct under circumstances in which the conduct tends to cause or provoke a disturbance is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor."
Honestly, neither you nor I can can fully judge if Mrazek's behavior was bad enough to violate this statute from the summary given in the JT. I would love to see the whole trial transcript.
Still, I do not see how you can honestly claim Mrazek's behavior was not 'even close' to illegal. I could see a reasonable person possibly argue he had not crossed the line to illegality, but nobody could honestly argue his actions were not approaching that point.
Time to post a sign a Racine beaches --
ReplyDeleteNo alcohol -- No smoking -- Erections only when wearing a jock strap. Do not look at strangers.
I consider what happened a total miscarriage of justice. Doesn't surprise me our legal system has been broken for years.
In Racine they make their own laws and rules as they go. If the guy was by the kids he'd deserve what he gets. But it sounds like he wasn't.
I recall having erections in church -- with no clue why -- but "Thank God" it would disappear before I had to leave.
I was told by a cop that they always charge people with disorderly conduct when ever there isn't a direct law that you have broken and 99% of the time judges go along with it.
Another sign? There are patchworks of signs already. I don’t like seagulls hanging around so let’s put up a sign…oh that’s right…seagulls can’t read. What about people with bad body odor? Sniff detectors? Maybe we need one sign that just says to keep out!
ReplyDeleteThe difference between a liberal and a conservative is if a conservative quits smoking, they just quit. When a liberal quits, everyone must quit.
ReplyDeleteA liberal wants to ban cigs and legalize dope, whats that tell you?
John-
ReplyDeleteShe's not asking everyone to quit smoking. She doesn't want smoke around her kids. There's a big difference.
And, people trying to legalize marijuana don't want to make cigarettes illegal. Marijuana would be subject to the same restrictions as cigarettes, and probably more.
John said...
ReplyDeleteThe difference between a liberal and a conservative is if a conservative quits smoking, they just quit. When a liberal quits, everyone must quit.
A liberal wants to ban cigs and legalize dope, whats that tell you?
Interesting I'm a liberal and have the same exact view about conservatives. They seem to be the whiners.
Maybe we should just put up a sign as you enter the ciy limits "No Smoking Within City Limits" Then we can say no drinking, no sex and no fun allowed. We'd be a real popular city!
ReplyDeleteThere is no accounting for bad taste!! People who are inconsiderate of others unfortunately cannot be 'banned' by the city council. If that were the case, most of the postings on news sites would never make the grade. Consider this a learning tool, show your children what a disrespectful person looks like i.e. a smoker blowing smoke in another persons face...teach then that as people, their actions cause reactions. Remember the golden rule and know that they have made the right choice! Then, get up and move somewhere else. Some day, in the near future, your children will be the better person.
ReplyDeleteIn the future we will see interior home inspections -- to make sure children have a fit place to live. Every home will be subject except the homes of the ones making these crazy laws.
ReplyDeleteSmoking will soon be a excepted reason to divorce.
Smoking near a child will be considered child abuse. Even in your own home.
Smoking on public streets will be subject to fines.
The list goes on. Remember that cold beer you enjoyed it will be history soon if this continues.