# Aurora CO city councilman, Bob FitzGerald.. Come On Down... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 6, 2007, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073 "2007-02-06T15:01:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073/21 "2007-02-06T17:35:22Z")
[QUOTE=FuriousGeorge] So Bob, fuck you up the ass with Rosie O’Donnell’s “Spikey Twat Scrubber of a Million Suns” (in stores now). [/QUOTE] I think I’d be scared to go into one of those stores. Can you post a few of them, so I can be sure to give them a wide berth? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073/22 "2007-02-06T17:42:41Z")
[QUOTE=saoirse] You only have to open the window about an inch, and hold the cigarette in your left hand, and the smoke disappears out the window. Try it sometime. [/QUOTE] I’ve tried it, and it helps a great deal, but it doesn’t eliminate all of the smoke. But yeah, you’re generally right. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073/23 "2007-02-06T17:46:15Z")
[QUOTE=FuriousGeorge] We bark about the government interfering in our personal sex lives. [/QUOTE] Yes, we do. We bark far less when the governement interferes with our raping children, of course, which is a slightly more apt analogy. I can see where you’re coming from, and I too want the government out of my bedroom and my lungs. But I can see the wisdom of banning smoking in some areas. How about elevators? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073/24 "2007-02-06T17:46:17Z")
[QUOTE=mhendo] I’ve always been ambivalent about smoking bans in bars and restaurants. Although i don’t smoke myself, and like eating and drinking in a smoke-free environment, i’m still uneasy about the bans in some ways. But, for me at least, a car with kids in it is a no-brainer. It’s a very confined space, and the senses and the lungs of young children can be very sensitive. I think it’s better not to put kids in situations that could help to bring on asthma and other problems, especially when the situation is so easily avoided. [/QUOTE] I’m generally very libertarian on this issue, but I tend to agree on this. Exposing children to second-hand smoke in a car is child abuse. > [@Liberal](#): > > I used to have a car like that. But our new car has a button which, by pushing it, ventilates the car by means of air. Why do you hate children and want to freeze them to death in the winter? I’m only half joking here, **Lib**. If we could be assured that all windows would be rolled down anytime someone is smoking in a car with kids, then you’re point would have merit. But we can’t, and it would be impossible to enforce legislation about how much the window had to be open. Don’t smoke in a car with kids. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073/25 "2007-02-06T17:46:45Z")
3.5/10. There’s far more pit-worthy craziness up the road in Boulder. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073/26 "2007-02-06T18:09:29Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] Why do you hate children and want to freeze them to death in the winter? I’m only half joking here, **Lib**. [/quote] Half joking? I wish I knew which half. 😃 > [@](#): > > If we could be assured that all windows would be rolled down anytime someone is smoking in a car with kids, then you’re point would have merit. Well, \*my \* point still has merit. Yours would too if rolling down the windows were the only way to ventilate the car. Unfortunately, the alternate method is much more complex than the single-button window method. In my car, I have to press two buttons — the one that has a fan symbol on it, and the one that has a damper symbol. My temp is maintained automatically, but I have heard of cars that force you to turn a knob or slide a lever along a gradient of green and red until the temperature of the incoming air is within acceptable parameters. 😉 > [@](#): > > But we can’t, and it would be impossible to enforce legislation about how much the window had to be open. Yeah. God forbid we should face the nightmare of making a personal decision without the intrusion of Congress. 😉 > [@](#): > > Don’t smoke in a car with kids. Also, don’t spare the rod. Don’t teach evolution. Don’t take prayer out of schools. Don’t let atheists influence our children. And don’t let children be adopted by gays. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073/27 "2007-02-06T18:16:28Z")
I think where the OP swings and misses is trying to demonize a politician for advancing an issue on which reasonable people can disagree. There’s cogent arguments to be made on both sides: personal liberty versus the health of minors. Calling a politician a scumhole, jackbag, or assoff for this is simply unwarranted overkill. Now, if said politician were attempting to ban smoking outdoors because minors could be exposed, or he wanted to ban allowing minors in cars altogether because of the possibility of an accident, then you might have something. ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073/28 "2007-02-06T18:17:25Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] Yes, we do. We bark far less when the governement interferes with our raping children, of course, which is a slightly more apt analogy. [/QUOTE] Child raping is more analgous to a personal choice of smoking in your car than making a personal choice about your sex life? Really? Did I miss the memo? [QUOTE=tdn] I can see where you’re coming from, and I too want the government out of my bedroom and my lungs. But I can see the wisdom of banning smoking in some areas. How about elevators? [/QUOTE] How about elevators? Oh, you are smoking? Thanks, I’ll take the next one. ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073/29 "2007-02-06T18:19:56Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] I can see where you’re coming from, and I too want the government out of my bedroom and my lungs. But I can see the wisdom of banning smoking in some areas. How about elevators? [/QUOTE] Err.. on second thought. how many people have elevators in their homes or cars? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073/30 "2007-02-06T18:22:36Z")
[QUOTE=FuriousGeorge] Child raping is more analgous to a personal choice of smoking in your car than making a personal choice about your sex life? Really? Did I miss the memo? [/QUOTE] Normally, sex between two people is consentual and harms no one else. Child rape does not fall into that category. An adult in the car can choose to roll down the window or refuse the ride. A child in a car normally does not have those options. Yes, it’s a weak analogy, but it’s better than yours. ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073/31 "2007-02-06T18:29:17Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] Normally, sex between two people is consentual and harms no one else. Child rape does not fall into that category. An adult in the car can choose to roll down the window or refuse the ride. A child in a car normally does not have those options. Yes, it’s a weak analogy, but it’s better than yours. [/QUOTE] Err… does that make tobacco farmers like Thomas Jefferson and George Washington child pimps? ---
**Author:** ![samm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/858c86/32.png) [@samm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samm)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073/32 "2007-02-06T18:29:33Z")
[QUOTE=FuriousGeorge] Child raping is more analgous to a personal choice of smoking in your car than making a personal choice about your sex life? Really? Did I miss the memo? [/QUOTE] How about: we don’t want the government interfering with our sexual relationships with other adults or whether we smoke around other adults. We may want the government interfering with sexual relationships with children or whether we smoke around children. I remember my mom smoking in the car when I was a child and it was freaking suffocating and miserable. I also remember even when the window was down having a hard time taking a full breath because of the rush of air in my face. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073/33 "2007-02-06T18:34:21Z")
[QUOTE=FuriousGeorge] Err… does that make tobacco farmers like Thomas Jefferson and George Washington child pimps? [/QUOTE] Huh? Point taken about elevators being public property (although often they are not), if that was your point. On the other hand, I’m allowed to wear a blindfold in my home. I’m not allowed to wear one in my car (assuming I’m driving). ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073/34 "2007-02-06T18:34:38Z")
[QUOTE=samm] How about: we don’t want the government interfering with our sexual relationships with other adults or whether we smoke around other adults. We may want the government interfering with sexual relationships with children or whether we smoke around children. I remember my mom smoking in the car when I was a child and it was freaking suffocating and miserable. I also remember even when the window was down having a hard time taking a full breath because of the rush of air in my face. [/QUOTE] And look you made it to adulthood ( I assume of course)… I also remeber my mother force feeding me that fried liver. G-d, I was miserable. I had a hard time taking a full breath cuz of stench… ---
**Author:** ![samm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/858c86/32.png) [@samm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samm)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073/35 "2007-02-06T18:37:32Z")
Okay, then I would also support legislation against force-feeding fried liver to children if it was shown to cause health problems in anyway. ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073/36 "2007-02-06T18:39:27Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] Huh? Point taken about elevators being public property (although often they are not), if that was your point. On the other hand, I’m allowed to wear a blindfold in my home. I’m not allowed to wear one in my car (assuming I’m driving). [/QUOTE] The point is that , do you, as a smoker, REALLY consider smoking in front of your child akin to child rape? If so, I realy have to question your continued smoking. Or is that an emotional appeal towards hyperbole for purposes of sidetracking the real crux of the debate? ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073/37 "2007-02-06T19:00:45Z")
What about cats? Should cats be allowed around infants? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073/38 "2007-02-06T19:00:56Z")
[QUOTE=FuriousGeorge] The point is that , do you, as a smoker, REALLY consider smoking in front of your child akin to child rape? If so, I realy have to question your continued smoking. Or is that an emotional appeal towards hyperbole for purposes of sidetracking the real crux of the debate? [/QUOTE] First of all, I don’t have kids. Second, it may sound like hyperbole, but it wasn’t intended as such. You compared smoking in the car with kids to gay sex. I was merely trying to move your analogy a step towards, uh, more, um, analogous. Third, I can’t believe that you’re not getting the analogy. It seems to me that you’re just playing stupid. Cut it out. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073/39 "2007-02-06T19:02:07Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] What about cats? Should cats be allowed around infants? [/QUOTE] Not if they’re smoking. Especially if they’re also driving. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073/40 "2007-02-06T19:18:50Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] Well, \*my \* point still has merit. Yours would too if rolling down the windows were the only way to ventilate the car. Unfortunately, the alternate method is much more complex than the single-button window method. In my car, I have to press two buttons — the one that has a fan symbol on it, and the one that has a damper symbol. My temp is maintained automatically, but I have heard of cars that force you to turn a knob or slide a lever along a gradient of green and red until the temperature of the incoming air is within acceptable parameters. [/quote] I’m glad you have a nice car. Not everyone does. > [@](#): > > Yeah. God forbid we should face the nightmare of making a personal decision without the intrusion of Congress. Remind me which personal choice the minor children made again. Especially at a very young age when exposure to second hand smoke is probably the most harmful. > [@](#): > > Also, don’t spare the rod. Don’t teach evolution. Don’t take prayer out of schools. Don’t let atheists influence our children. And don’t let children be adopted by gays. Each of those can be addressed on its own merit or lack thereof. Neither has any relevance wrt the OP’s topic. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aurora-co-city-councilman-bob-fitzgerald-come-on-down/391073.md?page=3)