The Politics of Emergencies?

I her essay, "The Ethics of Emergencies" within The Virtue of Selfishness, Ayn Rand makes a clear distinction between the normal metaphysical conditions of man's existence and emergency situations when examining a type of fallacious argument in favor of altruism. "The principle that one should help men in an emergency cannot be extended," she warned, "to regard all human suffering as an emergency and to turn the misfortune of some into a first mortgage on the lives of others."

Case in point: Some city officials in Omaha, Nebraska, are urging its citizens to call 9-1-1 to report violations of a new smoking ordinance as if the effects (real, or imagined) of "second-hand-smoke" are an "emergency" of the same order as a three-alarm fire or a violent crime in progress!

The Nebraska city's elected leaders and police department are urging residents who see violations to call the 9-1-1 emergency system for an immediate response.

Omaha banned smoking in public Oct. 2. Penalties are $100 for the first offense, $200 for the second and $500 for the third and subsequent infractions.

Teresa Negron, sergeant in charge of public information for the police, explained the department encourages observers of infractions to pick up the phone to report the infraction -- just like they would for any other crime they observe being committed. [link dropped]

The article goes on to note that:

The Mayor's Hot Line hasn't had any complaint calls, the 9-1-1 dispatch director said call volume related to smoking complaints has been "insignificant," and city prosecutor Marty Conboy said he hasn't had any citations cross his desk.

"We're very grateful people in the city have taken it seriously," Conboy told a local television station. "So far, we have not seen any reports or citations. And as near as I can tell, there have not been any arrests."

I wish I could believe that the low volume of calls is because Omaha's citizens, at least, can still make a rational distinction between what constitutes an emergency and what does not -- but then they were the ones who elected these clowns in the first place....

But at least they have given the rest of us a clear-cut case of why a common confusion -- between emergency situations and the metaphysically normal -- cannot lead us to rules of conduct appropriate to normal lives as men.

On one last note, I think we have here something else of interest. Leaving my sarcasm about the low call volume aside, this is an excellent example of the government abdicating its proper role, as defender of individual rights. At the moment, the only thing between a few lit cigarettes and a total collapse of the ability of the police department in Omaha to respond promptly to an emergency is whatever residual rationality the public has left. And that rationality has to be implemented in the form of breaking the law -- by turning a blind eye to a "crime" in progress!

Rule of law and respect for rule of law are in for a beating in Omaha. But then this is true with all instances of nonobjective law. This is just one of the most clear-cut examples yet. More, I fear, are on the way.

-- CAV