Wednesday, January 24, 2007

When Banning Becomes Banal

Last December, The Post compiled a list of things (some tangible, some inanimate) that a city councilmember had proposed banning during 2006:
  • pit bulls
  • trans-fats
  • aluminum baseball bats
  • the purchase of tobacco by 18- to 20-year-olds
  • foie gras
  • pedicabs in parks
  • new fast-food restaurants (but only in poor neighborhoods)
  • lobbyists from the floor of council chambers
  • lobbying city agencies after working at the same agency
  • vehicles in Central and Prospect parks
  • cell phones in upscale restaurants
  • the sale of pork products made in a processing plant in Tar Heel, N.C., because of a unionization dispute
  • mail-order pharmaceutical plans
  • candy-flavored cigarettes
  • gas-station operators adjusting prices more than once daily
  • Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
  • Wal-Mart
But it seems we forgot a few things. Councilmembers also recommended banning:
This year, the City Council is off to another fantastic start. So far, Leroy Comrie (D-Jamaica) has proposed banning the "n-word" (what, and crosses and gasoline get off scot-free?). And the City Council plans to ban pedicabs with electric-assist motors!

At this rate, councilmembers will have proposed banning 34 things by the end of the year, easily topping last year's impressive 19.

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