By Rev. Mark Creech
Executive Director
The Charlotte Observer
House Majority Leader Rep. Hugh Holliman’s state-wide bill (H2) to prohibit smoking in work sites and public places, including restaurants, is generating considerable debate. But the suggestion by some conservatives that the measure is inconsistent with good conservatism is just too much. In fact, there are a number of reasons why thoughtful conservatives should support the bill.
First, conservatives have supported statewide smoking bans elsewhere. Utah and Arizona, ranked among the nation’s top 10 Republican states, both approved statewide smoking bans with no exemptions. Moreover, according to an Elon University poll, in North Carolina, largely a conservative state, 67 percent of respondents support a statewide smoking ban in restaurants and public places. Read the rest of this entry
Rep. Thom Tillis (R-Mecklenburg) responded to Rev. Creech’s Op-ed in the Charlotte Observer by submitting a rebuttal to the paper and posting that rebuttal on his web site, which can be accessed by clicking here
Rev. Creech Responded to Rep. Tillis by acknowledging that he is s a choice and exceptional lawmaker for his district and the great State of North Carolina. Nevertheless, in this response Rev. Creech seeks to correct his conservative friend’s rebuttal. click here