CURRENTS February 2019 | Page 3

Currents February 2019 3 Final Straw Liberty vs Common Good The United States continues to struggle with the status quo on personal freedom versus com- mon good. Half the country believes that one’s rights end where another person’s rights begin. That the Common Good outweighs the personal freedom. The other half of the country believes they can do anything based on the Ameri- can concept of personal freedom and regard the Common Good as socialism or communalism. Per- haps unwittingly influenced by Ayn Rand philosophy which per- meates the political zeitgeist. The divide is often noted by the calling common good decisions the nanny state. This was evidenced by cities banning single use or plastic straws and half the public react- ing less then kind. In early Janu- ary, a McDonald’s customer bat- tered an employee at an estab- lishment near the beach which has banned plastic straws. Pompano Beach has banned plastic straws along with Styro- foam within the city. Establish- ments will offer combustible straws in Pompano Beach, and for a short while, can ask for a plastic straw and receive one. The new ordinance will take effect in March. The City Attor- ney tells the story this way: “on or after March 1, 2019, “A person working shall ask each sign-in customer if they want a single use beverage straw.” If they want a straw, they are provided with a straw of renewable com- bustible material, sugar cane, paper or bamboo.” Exemptions are built in for physical needs to use the straws. See the commission response to the issue: Title: P.H. 2019-18: (PUBLIC HEARING 1ST READ- ING) AN ORDINANCE, "HEALTH AND SAFETY," OF THE CITY OF POMPANO BEACH CODE OF ORDI- NANCES BY AMENDING SEC- TION 96.62, “SALE OR USE OF PLASTIC BEVERAGE STRAWS,” TO PROVIDE ADDI- TIONAL DEFINITIONS AND TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS AND PROHI- BITIONS FOR THE DISTRIBU- TION OF PLASTIC BEVERAGE STRAWS WITHIN THE CITY. Mark A. Beaudreau, Recre- ation Programs Administrator, presented the item and indicated that on October 23, 2018, the Commission passed Ordinance No. 2019-05 containing language that prohibited plastic straws in continued on page 5 > S TOP Y OUR W INDOW L EAK P ROBLEMS Be Hu Prepa re rr Fi x you icane d for t r W Sea he NO indow son W! Lea ks Dried out gaskets and window stripping will cause window leaks. I have the proper window stripping to repair all types of windows. I also do Screening, Wrol-up Repair and Sliding Glass Doors. E FRE ATES M I EST C ALL P ATRICK Cell No. 954-829-4348 [email protected] FPL Independent Participating Contractor 3621 Washington Street • Hollywood, FL 33021