WE live in a world where, most times, majority rules. Our illustrious leaders are selected at the polls. The popularity of TV shows are determined by their number of fans. And that's quite all right, since this same majority must live with the consequences. The morality police
are making the lawsWho's to blame if a bozo is propelled into office? Whose downfall is it if really lame shows become so popular they beget even lamer ones? The good old majority, that's who (unless it discriminates against same-gender couples, but that's another column).
What happens, however, when a clear minority begins to throw its weight around and set the ground rules for everybody else? Even worse, what results when a vocal and powerful minority starts taking away rights? Then it's anarchy, pal, which is exactly what's happening when it comes to smoking, drinking and even going to hostess bars in this crazy town.
It all started when some members of the Honolulu City Council wanted to make smoking illegal in restaurants, bars and nightclubs. Never mind that this decision should be made by the owners of such businesses, since they are the ones who, if inept, will be filing for bankruptcy. Forget that there are already laws mandating no-smoking sections in certain eating establishments, and that most people don't mind others smoking, as long as it's not around them.
The members of the City Council had decided that smoking was bad, bad, bad so nobody was going to smoke in any gathering place.
OK, give 'em the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they were worried that second-hand smoke would hurt employees "forced" to toil in these dens of inequity (although they probably get lots more tips on average than those working in non-smoking places).
Yikes! The Council is at it again. The Health and Safety Committee passed a bill this week to ban alcohol sales at the Waikiki Shell, an idea that has been zealously championed by City Council Chairman John DeSoto.
Behind the scenes, it is a sad story. Since his son committed suicide a few years ago while under the influence of alcohol, DeSoto has made it his mission to rid the city's facilities of the demon drink. Thus, in effect, one guy has deemed it wrong for anybody wanting to sip wine or to have a beer during a concert at the Waikiki Shell, even though most people handle alcohol in a sane and responsible manner.
Where will this end? Over at the state Capitol, the Senate is trying to slap the owners of hostess bars and cabarets with a whopping 150 percent tax increase on their revenues to raise some much-needed moolah for government coffers. But why pick on them? Maybe these bars do have seedy reputations, but they must have an awfully big customer base or there wouldn't be so many. Yet the Senate has pinpointed this particular industry to be the target of a sin tax.
It's not a sin to all the folks who plunk down cash and credit cards at these places. Isn't it their right to do whatever they want with their money, as long as they're not breaking the law or hurting anybody else?
YET you won't see very many hostess bar clients testifying at the Legislature, just like you won't spot many of the hard-working Joes and Josephines who like to smoke when they eat out, or who want to drink at the Shell, making a fuss at Honolulu Hale.
It's because they are way too busy -- or maybe they're too embarrassed about having to defend a practice that's been labeled as "deviant" by a handful of decision-makers.
There sure are a lot of stones being cast these days. Duck!