112 of 207

No

Write now Article Tools

To even see this argument up here is why the very idea of our country shifting from a Republic to a Democracy is so scary. There is no legal basis for any city, state or the federal government to impose this type of ban. The restaurant owner can impose such a restriction, but no one else. He or she has the individual right to set the rules of their establishment, and that (the individual right) is the core essence of liberty in our country.

If we continue to slide into democracy as we are, we will find more of our individual rights being over ridden to benefit the majority. We can see it in the recent court decisions for eminent domain, whereby private lands and homes where taken, torn down, and a shopping center built on top of them. Progress, right? Many people said, in fact screamed, that it is for the greater good, however not one of those screaming was in danger of loosing their families home or property.

If this sounds familiar to you it's because the same thing, only on a massive scale, happened to the soviet era communist block countries. The greater good meant that any persons property was also everyone else property. If John has the only land with a well on it, and doesn't want to share with Sally or Tom, but they live in a democracy, Sally and Tom (and the rest of city) can easily vote to take John's land and well "for the greater good".

I know this article is not addressing the intent of the topic, that is, should we ban cell phones in restaurants? It intends to address the annoyingness of the call phone user. The point is though, the very fact that people seem to think we can (and more frighteningly, should) legally force a business owner to impose rules and restrictions on their customers, especially ones that do not effect in a physical way, other people is completely against everything that this country was founded on. Freedoms are individual and the more that we allow them to be deteriorated, the faster it will happen, and the more like a communist/socialist environment we will find ourselves.

So in short, the question is not should we ban cell phones in restaurants (for no reason other than our annoyance), it is can we ban them, and in this case the answer is NO.

Learn more about this author, Thomas Howard Elliot.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Should cell phones be banned in restaurants??
We want to hear your view. Write now!