Dan Real, the Senior V.P. of Harrah's New Orleans wrote a Point of View commentary in the Times Picayune of 4/12/15 concerning the smoking ban ordinance and used the usual BS excuses that businesses are know to do to escape any kind of regulations. Mr. Real pats himself and Harrahs on the back and trys to tell the people how much the Casino has meant to the City, State and the people financially.
It is the usual crud with a subtle threat that the smoking ban will cost Harrahs and there fore the state and City needed revenue. As a compromise Real offers a physical separation of the gaming floor to isolate smoking from non smoking areas. Any one who has been in a Casino should get a good laugh out of that one. If Mr. Real is so concerned with his workers and the people's health why has Harrahs not done that on their own? After all, they have been in operation over 15 years. The answer is simple, Casino's will not do any thing on their own to change the status quo.
The Mayor and City Council has to hang tough and make no concessions to the smoking ban ordinance. It's worth while repeating that smokers also go to movie houses, churches and other indoor events where smoking is not allowed and they are there a few hours and they survive. They can do the same at Harrahs.
Erick Erickson, the new right wing conservative writing opinion for the Times Picayune in a article dated 4/12/15 does not like people who's orientation may be different than his to ban together and oppose the so called "Religious Freedom" legislation that has cropped up among a number of states. However he is for conservatives to ban together and oppose the right of some and even says he himself will regulary comment on the subject matter.
Some how the subject of abortion creeps into his article but fails to mention it was a conservative led Supreme Court that approved of abortion in Roe V. Wade over 30 years ago. It is obvious that Erick feels people can use "Freedom of Religion" to discriminate when they want to. Like most conservatives in his position he does not understand the difference between the constitution, man made laws and religious laws and as a result joins his fellow conservatives in trying to divide the country with ideology.
Erick says Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy is set to impose gay marriage, one of the issues conservatives use often to divide the country. He should remember what Pope Francis said in a speech carried by the Times Picayune of 9/20/13 when the Pope said. "The Roman Catholic Church had grown obsessed with preaching about abortion, gay marriage and contraception and that he has chosen not to speak of these issues despite recriminations from some critics." The Pope went on to say, "Who am I to judge concerning the sexual orientation of some one." And he also said, "The proclamation of the saving love of God comes before moral and religious imperatives."
This writer finds value in the Pope's message.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
