Fuming Over New Smoking Ban, N.D. Laundromat Owner Closes Up Shop
8/06/05 9:59AM GMT
By JAMES MacPHERSON , Associated Press Writer

The day the Legislature approved a smoking ban for most North Dakota businesses, Dennis Laches put a sign on his laundry and television repair shop, announcing he would close when the ban took effect Aug. 1.

"Nobody knew if he was going to go through with it," said Troy Mosbrucker, the mayor of Mott, a town of about 800 in southwestern North Dakota. "He had a point to prove, and he proved it."

As promised, Laches closed his business that day. He said it had nothing to do with his pack-a-day habit. Rather, he said, it was a matter of fairness.

"The state of North Dakota is attempting to make me discriminate against another person or group of people," said Laches, 59. "I don't believe government of any kind should be allowed to dictate what I do at my own business and my own building."

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"If I find a job, it's going to have to be in a state that allows smoking," he said.

There isn't a link for this AP story, so I've cut it down to "fair use" size. I was just so proud of this guy--a real American!--that I wanted to make sure everybody was able to read his words.

Here's a link to the AP story. May be somewhat different, but the same story I believe.

This man reminded me of a story I read decades ago of a farmer in Iowa who wouldn't take a penny from any of the gov't programs he could have gotten money from. He said it wasn't right.

He was at a disadvantage for not doing it, but he did it anyway.

Try to find an anti who'll do something like that. The first things out of their mouths is "Due to budget cuts we'll no longer have anti-tobacco programs."