Local Cigar Shop Raided by the state!

[punk_lawyer]

The death of individual rights has been quick but certain over the past few years. I have been representing a guy in Lexington, KY who owns a hookah shop. He has about a dozen or so booths where people smoke while having coffee. Besides hookah tobacco, the only other thing he sells is coffee. The City is on him like nothing else. We got the charges filed against him (for breaking the smoking ban) dismissed but I have a feeling they will be re-filed soon.

I suppose that anyone in their right mind who wants to avoid second hand smoke would avoid going inside a hookah shop. I would think that same logic would apply to a private cigar club. There is a certain amount of logic that is lost among the right wing morality police. Fight them hard. Fight them long. Fight them with a brain.

I would be happy to help out by supplying any documents that we have used...most of these bans look the same whether in Kentucky or Alaska.

 

[Infinity]

LMAO@ OpusXKC. :laugh:

Brian

 

[MoeCizlak]

The death of individual rights has been quick but certain over the past few years. I have been representing a guy in Lexington, KY who owns a hookah shop. He has about a dozen or so booths where people smoke while having coffee. Besides hookah tobacco, the only other thing he sells is coffee. The City is on him like nothing else. We got the charges filed against him (for breaking the smoking ban) dismissed but I have a feeling they will be re-filed soon.

I suppose that anyone in their right mind who wants to avoid second hand smoke would avoid going inside a hookah shop. I would think that same logic would apply to a private cigar club. There is a certain amount of logic that is lost among the right wing morality police. Fight them hard. Fight them long. Fight them with a brain.

I would be happy to help out by supplying any documents that we have used...most of these bans look the same whether in Kentucky or Alaska.

???

 

[Nimrod]

The death of individual rights has been quick but certain over the past few years. I have been representing a guy in Lexington, KY who owns a hookah shop. He has about a dozen or so booths where people smoke while having coffee. Besides hookah tobacco, the only other thing he sells is coffee. The City is on him like nothing else. We got the charges filed against him (for breaking the smoking ban) dismissed but I have a feeling they will be re-filed soon.

I suppose that anyone in their right mind who wants to avoid second hand smoke would avoid going inside a hookah shop. I would think that same logic would apply to a private cigar club. There is a certain amount of logic that is lost among the right wing morality police. Fight them hard. Fight them long. Fight them with a brain.

I would be happy to help out by supplying any documents that we have used...most of these bans look the same whether in Kentucky or Alaska.

???

Take a look inside his profile. It is a picture of him and the kremlin in the background. lol.

 

[MadMonk]

Well, there is the Defiance cigar, but at 5%, what does that add up to a year? I doubt very much. What are the big Cigar companies doing?
I am 1000% convinced that this is all about private agendas, and absolutely nothing to do with brotherly love.
This overbearing attitude has become too prevalent in our society, and will continue to manifest itself into many areas of our lives unless society as a whole wakes up and stops letting sound bites and pretty people lead us.

Where in hell is Charlie Wilson when you really need him? :angry:

 

[TheVitaleMob]

Wow.....

Might you contact the guys at the Cigar Rights of America? I saw a post for them earlier this week. I don't know if they are ready to go, but this would be a way to start some noise.

 

[bilder]

The state got involved because the city had nothing on the shop, so they called big brother on them to look for any arcane law on the books that may be used to shut them down or make life miserable for them.

One of the state guys said as much to one of the owners. The only reason they were there is because someone at the Muni gave them a call. Now some bored guy with the state has something to do to justify his position.

 

[MoeCizlak]

The state got involved because the city had nothing on the shop, so they called big brother on them to look for any arcane law on the books that may be used to shut them down or make life miserable for them.

One of the state guys said as much to one of the owners. The only reason they were there is because someone at the Muni gave them a call. Now some bored guy with the state has something to do to justify his position.

That is one of the most distrubing things I've ever heard in my life. Although you said this wasn't the only means of income to the owner, think for a minute that it was!!?? Some guy or gal trying to support their family is purposefully being messed with in hopes of closing it down because they are catering to a hobby that someone in a governmental position doesn't agree with. That sends chills down my spine.

 

[punk_lawyer]

I think it is funny that I, with my Rasputin avatar, agree so much with MadMonk. By the way, that is not the Kremlin in my profile, it is St. Basil's Cathedral...but the shot was taken while standing in Red Square beside the Kremlin Wall! No problem finding Cubans in Russia by the way...no problem at all!


Actually, I am not very political...that was not intended to be much of a political statement. I do hate that individual rights have been declining so rapidly though.

 

[MadMonk]

I think it is funny that I, with my Rasputin avatar, agree so much with MadMonk. By the way, that is not the Kremlin in my profile, it is St. Basil's Cathedral...but the shot was taken while standing in Red Square beside the Kremlin Wall! No problem finding Cubans in Russia by the way...no problem at all!


Actually, I am not very political...that was not intended to be much of a political statement. I do hate that individual rights have been declining so rapidly though.

:laugh: Well at least I didnt get my nickname the same way that guy did. But, I remember a history professor I knew stating that we were rapidly losing rights and freedoms, and that was probably 16 or so years ago. He sort of woke me up to that idea, and I have become more aware of it. Thomas Jefferson was very eloquent in describing just what constitutes an individuals rights and personal freedoms. All politics aside.

edit for spelling

 

[Nimrod]

The death of individual rights has been quick but certain over the past few years. I have been representing a guy in Lexington, KY who owns a hookah shop. He has about a dozen or so booths where people smoke while having coffee. Besides hookah tobacco, the only other thing he sells is coffee. The City is on him like nothing else. We got the charges filed against him (for breaking the smoking ban) dismissed but I have a feeling they will be re-filed soon.

I suppose that anyone in their right mind who wants to avoid second hand smoke would avoid going inside a hookah shop. I would think that same logic would apply to a private cigar club. There is a certain amount of logic that is lost among the right wing morality police. Fight them hard. Fight them long. Fight them with a brain.

I would be happy to help out by supplying any documents that we have used...most of these bans look the same whether in Kentucky or Alaska.

I think it is funny that I, with my Rasputin avatar, agree so much with MadMonk. By the way, that is not the Kremlin in my profile, it is St. Basil's Cathedral...but the shot was taken while standing in Red Square beside the Kremlin Wall! No problem finding Cubans in Russia by the way...no problem at all!


Actually, I am not very political...that was not intended to be much of a political statement. I do hate that individual rights have been declining so rapidly though.

So you admit it was a political statement.

Rod has rules here. And you broke one.

Please refrain from discussing politics and other "touchy" subjects, as they tend to cause flame wars.

Please apologize to Rod for breaking a rule and to other people on the board who do not agree with your political position.

 

[jfields]

The death of individual rights has been quick but certain over the past few years. I have been representing a guy in Lexington, KY who owns a hookah shop. He has about a dozen or so booths where people smoke while having coffee. Besides hookah tobacco, the only other thing he sells is coffee. The City is on him like nothing else. We got the charges filed against him (for breaking the smoking ban) dismissed but I have a feeling they will be re-filed soon.

I suppose that anyone in their right mind who wants to avoid second hand smoke would avoid going inside a hookah shop. I would think that same logic would apply to a private cigar club. There is a certain amount of logic that is lost among the right wing morality police. Fight them hard. Fight them long. Fight them with a brain.

I would be happy to help out by supplying any documents that we have used...most of these bans look the same whether in Kentucky or Alaska.

I think it is funny that I, with my Rasputin avatar, agree so much with MadMonk. By the way, that is not the Kremlin in my profile, it is St. Basil's Cathedral...but the shot was taken while standing in Red Square beside the Kremlin Wall! No problem finding Cubans in Russia by the way...no problem at all!


Actually, I am not very political...that was not intended to be much of a political statement. I do hate that individual rights have been declining so rapidly though.

So you admit it was a political statement.

Rod has rules here. And you broke one.

Please refrain from discussing politics and other "touchy" subjects, as they tend to cause flame wars.

Please apologize to Rod for breaking a rule and to other people on the board who do not agree with your political position.

I wouldn't get too bent out of shape over this. It wasn't like the guy went on some huge diatribe, or anything like that.
I'm pretty sure that Rod would agree that the subject matter at hand is something that needs to be openly discussed. Also, that he himself, and most others would agree it is hard to discuss the subject without taking on somewhat of a political discussion semblance.
As long as it does not get too out of hand is all that matters, and I have not seen that yet.

Spelling edit.

 

[Wurm]

No need to apologize to me... I hate Political Correctness bullshit.

 

[MoeCizlak]

I called it into question because I don't think it has anything to do with morality, like Prohibition did. I have experienced people advocating govermental control pushing this agenda and that usually comes from the other side of the political spectrum. Although the bandwagon is full of Donkeys and Elephants (and RINOs too).

 

[Macion Grey]

The death of individual rights has been quick but certain over the past few years. I have been representing a guy in Lexington, KY who owns a hookah shop. He has about a dozen or so booths where people smoke while having coffee. Besides hookah tobacco, the only other thing he sells is coffee. The City is on him like nothing else. We got the charges filed against him (for breaking the smoking ban) dismissed but I have a feeling they will be re-filed soon.

I suppose that anyone in their right mind who wants to avoid second hand smoke would avoid going inside a hookah shop. I would think that same logic would apply to a private cigar club. There is a certain amount of logic that is lost among the right wing morality police. Fight them hard. Fight them long. Fight them with a brain.

I would be happy to help out by supplying any documents that we have used...most of these bans look the same whether in Kentucky or Alaska.

I think it is funny that I, with my Rasputin avatar, agree so much with MadMonk. By the way, that is not the Kremlin in my profile, it is St. Basil's Cathedral...but the shot was taken while standing in Red Square beside the Kremlin Wall! No problem finding Cubans in Russia by the way...no problem at all!


Actually, I am not very political...that was not intended to be much of a political statement. I do hate that individual rights have been declining so rapidly though.

So you admit it was a political statement.

Rod has rules here. And you broke one.

Please refrain from discussing politics and other "touchy" subjects, as they tend to cause flame wars.

Please apologize to Rod for breaking a rule and to other people on the board who do not agree with your political position.

Mate.. I may be wrong here, but isn't this a political post to a certain extent? It is certainly an outcry against governmental agendas concerning the harassment of smokers, and questioning the government is a political post, yes?

Then again... the term 'political' in this forum may just be referring to clearly defined talk of political parties?

 

[NullSmurf]

We have overlooked most political discussions in the context of smoker's rights. By the way, though, anti-smoking crowds are usually left wing freaks, not right wing nut jobs.

 

[jfields]

Then again... the term 'political' in this forum may just be referring to clearly defined talk of political parties?

Correct!

The "My political views," or "My religon is better than your religon is" discussions definitely have no place here.

However, like Bruce and I said, it is typically overlooked when someone basically says we need to fight the good fight against those tring to infringe on our smoker rights. This fight is typically against someone, or groups with a political agenda.

 

[Macion Grey]

Hmm... in that case: Down with Anti-Smoking Nazis! In fact, down with Nanny-States and Bus-Stop-Bitch-Lobbyists who are cutting down our freedoms with reckless abandon.

What would the great Winston Churchill (who rationed himself to 15 cigars a day btw) say if he were alive today? The nation he lead was instrumental in the fight for freedom, and now it is a key player in the eradication of that hard-won freedom... pish posh. What shilly-shams.



*edited for spelling

 

[punk_lawyer]

I do not feel much need to apologize on this one since I fully agree with others that have said that arguing against government action...whether your take is that it comes from the left or right...is inherently political. We are being restricted from smoking in public by our government. Governments are political institutions. If someone has experienced anti-smoking pressure from the left then their experience is different than mine here in Ohio...not to mention what is happening with the case I mentioned in Lexington, Ky. (I represent 5 bar owners and the 1 hookah shop owner - there is an element involved in trying to put these folks out of business that does recall the days of prohibition).

I did not rant politically and I was clear in stating that I am not very political. I have not made my own politics an issue - other than arguing against smoking bans - and I never will.

That being said, it really does not matter because the end result has caused us all to suffer a loss of individual freedom. Can I comment that the President of the Ohio Liquor License Association is mounting a campaign to have the smoking ban in Ohio lifted or amended? Given the fact that he certainly has a political statement, should I apologize for even mentioning his campaign? If he is our friend and champion but he is political then can we look at our greater good or not?

I really don't want to get into a political statement on this or any other post. We are all in this together. My offer to provide assistance from my one successful defense case still stands.

 

[MadMonk]

How many businesses exist that are at risk of being legal today, and illegal tomorrow? My heart really goes out to the B&Ms whos livelihood is in a state of constant turmoil. I'm not a wordsmith my any means. I would love to see an effort to devlop a letter that we can send to government officials, but I wonder if that would just give them fuel to add to the fire. I.e., the divide and conquer strategy.
Churchill was a very pragmatic man, but his greatness comes from the fact that he was a true uniter of people.
I wonder what the ratio is of anti-smoking gang to Tobacco Lovers? Based on the number of cigars sold every year, it seems like we might be a sleeping giant.



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