There is pollution occurring in nearly all of our restaurants and various eateries, yet it doesn't seem to be getting the attention of any legislators or business owners who have the power to curb it.
It's not pollution from smokers, and it probably won't affect your physical health at all -- just your mental state of being.
It's noise pollution, and it comes in the form of little children and babies everywhere screaming about God knows what, while their parents sit by appearing oblivious to the fact that if their children's voices get just one octave higher, they will shatter glasses and maybe even windows.
Fans of Family Guy may remember a scene of Brian screaming, "Wah, wah! You like that!? Yeah, you just tune it out don't you? Well tune this out: Wah! Wah!" at the parents of a loud child in Denny's.
Okay, so that was a cartoon, and hopefully no civil-minded person would ever actually scream at any child or parents -- at least not in front of the child -- because the child was making noise that was disturbing a meal.
Also, let's take into consideration that most parents would take the time to cease the incessant bleating coming from their children's mouths during a meal at a crowded eatery.
I say "most," but definitely not all.
An attempt at a peaceful breakfast/lunch at the Sunshine Cafe was recently destroyed by the random screaming of a little tyke as mom and dad sat idly by.
It's not that I'm anti-child or anti-family; I'm just pro-peace and quiet when it comes to meals.
For practical purposes, a new restriction of children to the family sections in restaurants could only be applied to buildings that are already nonsmoking. Dividing the business into four sections -- nonsmoking family, nonsmoking no-family, smoking no-family and smoking family -- would just be too much. Although that last one shouldn't be an issue, if the parents have half a brain anyway.
For those still not convinced, just compare the physics of this plan to many restaurants with nonsmoking and smoking sections. When smoke is involved, it almost always trails out of the designated area and into the faces and lungs of those who didn't order a side of smog with their meals.
With the exception of the few restaurants that have completely sealed the smoking section off from the rest of the building, it is just too tough to keep the air separated.
But when it comes to the noise of crying and random yells that children often make in public, it is much easier to keep this confined without extra construction.
The walls of the room where the families are will most likely have wallpaper and other items hanging from them that will keep the sound from resonating, and any echoes will most likely just stay in the area with the children.
If the parents don't mind the noise to begin with, I say let them enjoy the amplified version, and give me dining peace.
Write to Chris at
ccmeyers@bsu.edu
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