Priest Jams Cell Phones at Mass

[Jason Dunn]

<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20020326_1149.html">http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20020326_1149.html</a><br /><br />What do you think about this? I can see both sides of this point - I think it's rude to not turn off your cell phone in church, movies, etc. But I also know that if I was someplace and I needed to get an emergency phone call, I'd want to get it. What about you?<br /><br />"A priest fed up with mobile phones ringing during Mass has installed an electronic jammer to keep his flock in tune with God. The Rev. Francisco Llopis, pastor of the Church of the Defenseless, said the beeps, tunes and other digital noise emitted by today's omnipresent cell phones are incompatible with quiet worship.<br /><br />Llopis' church in the southeast coastal town of Moraira is the first in Spain to install such a device, which transmits low-power radio signals that sever communications between cellular handsets and cellular base-stations."

[Aceze]

People, people, people... Havent you heard of Vibrate mode???

Aceze

[Chubbergott]

Indeed.

Though I feel I should abstain fellowship when I'm on call (I play in the basnd and don't want to cause a fuss if I get buzzed), I think this pastor guy needs to realise that he's excluding people who need to be contacted.

Does he realise he may well be putting a stop on doctors and other professionals from attending his services?

[Aceze]

After some thought, this whole issue is somewhat ironic on two counts:

1) The maker of the cell phone jammer is an Israeli company.

2) Church of the Defenseless?

Aceze

[Lotak]

I think it would be better if there was a way to emit a signal that forces electronic devices into their vibrate mode.

[brownzilla]

Its just like anything else. We can keep the cellphones if 99% of us were smart enough to put it on vibrate. But most people are jerks and dont do that because they dont want to miss their calls. So I hate to say it, I'm on the priests side. There are some places that loud cellphone ringing is not appropriate. Church, libraries, weddings, movies, school, seminars, lectures etc. Turn on the damn vibrate and we wont have people trying to jam us. :twisted:

Anyway, Isnt it odd that its such an inconvenience to not have a cell 24X7, but 5 years ago we were all fine without one? :lol:

[mja8105]

i also agree with the priest.

so what, if it IS some sort of emergency, i would rather be in the house of God anyways... 8)

[DaleReeck]

What if you are a doctor though? Or have one of those "transplant" beepers where they beep you when awaiting an organ transplant? Obscure possibilites, true - especially that second one - but possible.

[Paragon]

If one of my kids was on a list for a kidney transplant and my doctor missed the call because his priest felt it was more important that he was not interupted. Then I think the priest is at the right church. "The Church of the Defenseless".

I think it comes down to this, which is more important, to act as Christian as possible, or to preach to the Christians.

I think this is going to be a "real" issue in the future. (I have added this statement) The issue of cellphones ringing in public places.

Dave

[Jonathan1]

When did the cell phone become an essential item in life?

No one NEEDS to have a cell phone. Tell me how most people got by without one before they were invented. Its called coping without tech. People should learn to do it. Sort of like learning to interact with Windows without a mouse. Its nice to have one but what happens if your mouse goes dead?

Same deal with cells. You should be a be able to live without any tech and still get your job done. Cell phones, pagers, blackberry, Pocket PC, Palms, and even to an extent Laptops are all luxuries. They are tools to HELP you do your job. Myself I never take my cell out of my car. If I'm in a movie, mall, shopping center I have NO reason to be contacted. I've trained myself to check my phone when I get back to the car. (Ahh the beauty of voice messaging.)

Personally I think these scramblers should be in every theater, shopping center, church in the world. With a sign out front saying this building blocks cell phone usage. If people don't like it tough. Go somewhere else.

[squirrelist]

I attended a church before I moved where nearly 1/3rd of the members were doctors. It was a small congregation, maybe 60 attendees each week. I don't think a week went by where there was not a single beeper or cell phone ringing in church. But everyone tolerated it well because we knew that if we didn't want the doctors to come to church when they are on call, the church would be emptied considerably, and many of our most valuable members would only be able to come every other week. Most of the pagers or phones that they had did not have a vibrate option. They are doctors, not gadgeteers. They get the free phone (or the cheapest phone) that comes with their cellular plan because they don't have the time or don't want to get frustrated with all the extra features. Personally, I don't think that it should be legal to manufacture phones w/out a vibrate option.

Quite honestly, I really DON'T remember what was done before we had cell phones. Did doctors stay at home the whole time they were on call? If that is the case, I think that we can all suffer a few beeps every once in a while so that doctors can leave their houses and live their lives while on call. Insisting that they stay home so that we don't hear beeping is a bit selfish. (Jonathan1 - No, sometimes you can't use your computer without a mouse. There are certain functions where it's absolutely nessecary. Or at least where it would be easier to WALK to CompUSA and buy a replacement. I couldn't do my job without modern technology. (web designing) Or if I use technology that's a few years old I'd be forced out of the job. Sometimes you simply have to move with the times - survival of the fittest)

It's not the beeping in public places that bothers me as much as it is the people who try to hold a conversation on their phones in a theater or at a church service. The least they can do is answer it, whisper "hold on" to the person on the phone and then leave the room.

Personally, I ALWAYS leave my phone on vibrate as a curtesy to others around me.

Lotak - I remember reading about a year ago about how Bluetooth would make things easier. Soon all phones will have Bluetooth capability. There would be a bluetooth broadcaster in the church sanctuary that would broadcast an instruction to all the phones to switch to vibrate mode. I think that this would be a far better solution. But the problem is the slow adoption of Bluetooth.

Just my 2¢

[Marc Zimmermann]

There are so many ways to get in touch with someone if need be, such as answering machines, voice mail and email. Maybe not in real time, but damn close. It's proven that many people are not sensible enough to turn off their f---ing phones in certain public places where these intrusive ring tones are not appreciated and I fully agree with anyone who installs a blocking device in church, theaters, cinemas, restaurants and even airplanes.

[Tari Akpodiete]

i've had a cell phone since cell phones were available and extremely expensive and very large. even though i was young and not making much money. they're handy and i like having one. that said, let me also say that while they can be great to have, they are hardly a necessity.

i was quite disgusted with these gold plated diamond studded phones coming on the market that will cost 20 to 200 grand. pretty no one is so important in our society that they have to have a cell phone welded to them. they may think that they are but they're not. and stop screaming into your phone. no one cares what you are saying. stop showing off and being stupid and pretentious and tiresome and selfish.

that's not to say that a cardiac specialist or a brain surgeon shouldn't have a cell phone, and they can always set them to vibrate. and to answer the person who didn't know what doctors did before cell phones - pagers have been around for decades. also, those people on transplant lists carry them and have been carrying them for years. also, one can leave a message and say that i am at 'such-and-such' a place. common sense.

anyway, in this consumer-mad society, people whine about all their toys. what a bunch of low-life losers. even the poorest person in North America is living large compared to the rest of the world. kids are dying of hunger and going blind for want of simple medicines. people are drowning in floods and dying in earthquakes. many nations are engaged in long-term vicious civils wars, real wars by the way, not one made up for the media. AIDS is devastating Africa and diseases we don't worry about are killing off entire generations in developing nations.

and what do we do? we sit and watch it on CNN and whine that we need bigger tvs, faster cars, bigger boats and more, More, MORE. and if you resemble that remark and are resentful of what i am writing: then well and good, you should get angry, not at me, but at yourself. the world does not revolve around you and your toys. remember the saying: I USED TO CRY BECAUSE I HAD NO SHOES UNTIL I MET SOMEONE WHO HAD NO FEET.

[bjornkeizers]

What if you are a doctor though? Or have one of those "transplant" beepers where they beep you when awaiting an organ transplant? Obscure possibilites, true - especially that second one - but possible.


Then don't go to church if you are awaiting an organ. Besides, and don't take offense, this is just an opinion.. why would you really go to church if you're awaiting an organ? I really don't think it would make a difference.

[bchristian]

This is a tough call for me. I guess it really comes down to two things; safety, and freedom.

Safety: Even though the chance of missing a call is not _likely_ to cause any real danger, it is a possibility especially in the case of a doctor.

Freedom:We have to balance the freedom of the priest with the freedom of his parishoners. And the freedom of the mobile phone toting parishoners who feel they need to stay in touch with the non phone carriers who want to go to church in peace.

So for me I believe that people should be able to go to church and not hear a cell phone, but I also believe that people should have a right to have their phone on but they should also be considerate and put their phone on a silent/vibrate mode while in church, a library or the movie theater, etc. I don't know how you could handle this in a church, but if I ran a movie theater my policy would be: If your phone rings or beeps, etc. during the movie then you are out and they take your name, etc. If it happens a second time with the same person then you are banned from the theater for a period of time, say 6 months. A third time and you are not welcome back for a year. That would be enough to induce most people to be SURE their phone was off or in silent mode before they went in. Of course, that probably wouldn't work for a church.

This issue takes me back to when digital watches first came out and for several years after that. It seemed like everybody liked to set them to beep once or twice on the hour. You would be at a house of worship or at a movie and you would hear this chorus of beeps over several seconds around the top of the hour. The other thing that would happen is that people would have their alarms set and not know it or not even know how to turn them off and they would go off in church or theaters and other places where they would disturb others. Pagers too went through this as they were much more prevalent than phones much earlier. They would go off, the person would turn red and either silence it or run out of the auditorium, theater, chapel, etc. Eventually people learned to turn off the annoying watch beeps and alarms and to get silent mode pagers and keep them on silent mode. This will happen with phones too. It is just too early.

So, in the final analysis I think the rights to carry a mobile phone for purposes the owner of the phone feels are important enough outweigh a persons right not to be occasionally annoyed. Especially when you consider that mobile phones are likely to be less and less annoying as people get used to them and as society is more sensitive to the annoyance factor of them. Believe it or not, there is no inviolate right to peace and quiet in public places. Remember, cell phones aren't the only noise makers in church. Babies probably cause more of a disturbance than phones. Do we want to ban them or muzzle them? Of course not. I am a parent and I went through that stage with all of my kids. All week long you try to get them to talk and you cheer over any unintelligible giberish they scream out. Then you take them to your place of worship and they continue to "talk" to you and you try to hush them up. Or they cry or make some other noise. You try to get them to stop crying or talking or whatever. It doesn't work. The people turn around and look at you with that look that says "can't you control your baby? Take them out!" And then you do take them into the lobby.

Of course, this is just my considered yet humble opinion.

[Al @Home]

right on Father Francisco... :)

[GregWard]

What's the area of coverage of these "blockers"? Presumably it must be (roughly) spherical - all other things being equal.
Don't know about anybody else but I don't recall seeing that many spherical churches!
So - either there must still be a valid signal in the corners (ie the "blocked" area is smaller than the church) or the blocking must extend beyond the legal boundaries.
That could make for an interesting precedent. Think how chuffed you'd be if you ran a 24/7 IT support function and suddenly discovered that your mobile/pager didn't work because you lived or worked next to a Church (or Cinema, or Restaurant etc).

[griph]

i also agree with the priest.

so what, if it IS some sort of emergency, i would rather be in the house of God anyways... 8)


I also agree - there are situations where a ringing phone just is not on. In Hospitals and aircraft in the UK we are required to turn off mobile phones - there is no requirement to deactivate pagers as far as I have seen. In church the ring of a mobile phone is not acceptable and people should turn them off without being forced to do so. For the FEW who absolutely have to be contactable vibro mode is available in many phones and the excuse that a person eg a Doctor needs to be contactable cuts no ice with me. Switch them off - or silence them.

[Paragon]

Hmmm... I always thougtht one of the basics of Christianity was tolerance. It would appear I'm wrong.

Dave

[Jason Dunn]

Hmmm... I always thougtht one of the basics of Christianity was tolerance. It would appear I'm wrong.


Do you REALLY want to go there? I don't want to see this thread turn into an anti-Christian Jihad, so I'm not going to respond to this. And you're doing this on Easter Sunday of all times &lt;sigh>. :cry:

[Paragon]

Sorry It isn't my intent to start an anti-Christian Jihad on Easter. I just simply thought that some of us were being a little intolerant of a silly little phone ringing in church when you consider the bigger issues in life.

I would edit it, but many may think the statement was "bigger' than it is.

Happy Easter
Dave

[DaleReeck]

Then don't go to church if you are awaiting an organ. Besides, and don't take offense, this is just an opinion.. why would you really go to church if you're awaiting an organ? I really don't think it would make a difference.


These are just some examples, but there are others too. For instance, officers of strategic bomb wings who are not on ready-alert sometimes carry pagers to alert them to haul it back to base. Or what if your kid gets sick like what happened to Will Smith at the Oscars? Kid had a 103 degree temperature that could have been life-threatening. The point is, there are some real legitimate circumstances where a cell phone or pager is required. If people are setting up blockers on a whim, how does one of these people who needs the cell phone or pager know they are walking into a "dead" zone? Not everyone may be so considerate to put up a sign warning people. If a situation happens where someone doesn't get an important message, a lawsuit wouldn't be far behind.

In my opinion, too many pitfalls concerning this just because you don't want to be interupted or annoyed. You hope people have the sense to only have a phone or pager on if it's truely important and not have to force blocking on them. Besides, I wonder if blocking is even legal?

[Tari Akpodiete]

are you comparing a child to a cellphone?

[Ashley Dunn]

I know myself, as both a church-goer and a student, it's got to be one of the most disrespectful things for people to leave their phones on in the middle of either of these places. I have done it before, and felt like a complete moron. It's just a common sense thing - treat those around you with respect, and turn off your cell phone. Why do you think the makers of these devices gave them a vibrate mode? :wink:

[bchristian]

Or what if your kid gets sick like what happened to Will Smith at the Oscars? Kid had a 103 degree temperature that could have been life-threatening.


Just to clarify here. I am not a doctor but I watch one on TV ;). Actually I have had kids and that ought to at least count toward a few years of med school. ;)...
A temperature of 103 in a child is not life threatening. In fact, my Children's pediatrician says not to worry until it reaches 105. Don' take that as the gospel truth. It is just what I have been told. Will and Jada were probably just tired or maybe Will actually did punch Ethan Hawke and they had to go. Hmmm. ;)

Still, I say it is about the freedom of people to decide if they want to stay in touch. Why should the mistakes of the few limit the rights of the many. Maybe instead they should put a device in churches and theaters that amplifies the radio signal of the cell phones so that if somone leaves it on they will irradiate them, make them sterile and then they can't breed more inconsiderate boobs. ;) Just kidding. Lighten up.

[Jason Dunn]

Besides, I wonder if blocking is even legal?


In most places, it's not - this is why the article is about a church in Spain. The blockers are illegal in the US, Canada, and I believe Europe as well (the article talks about it).

I think this is a pretty classic case of "My Rights". Some people believe their rights superseded the rights of others. Their right to get an important message is more important than the rights of 100 people around them to enjoy church, an opera, a movie, etc. That's the real issue here.

Some of you are fixating on the church issue, which is unfortunate - you're trying to turn it into a question of religion, when of course that's not what it's about at all. It really saddens me to see such persecution of faith and hidden agendas coming to the surface. If I knew that would happen, I wouldn't have posted on this. :cry:

Let's consider something more benign, like a movie theatre. If you're expecting an important phone call, should you be there in the first place? If you're a doctor on call, or a fighter pilot, should you be going to a movie? And if you are, wouldn't it be nice if your phone were in vibrate mode? I think the concept of having a "switcher" vs. a "jammer", something that forced devices into a silent/vibrate mode, is a far better solution. People can still stay in contact, but it doesn't disturb others around them. I know that it would make me uncomfortable if I went into a building and my phone was shut off without me knowing it - there's obviously a reason why these things are illegal in much of the world. :wink:

[Tari Akpodiete]

exactly, Jason! this issue is about rights and respect, not about religion. enough red herrings, people, let's get to the really quite simple point: you don't have a right to have a cell phone surgically attached and you don't have the right to disturb other people with either your ringing or your conversations. put it on vibrate and keep your conversations low volume. and oh yes, don't drive while talking. you're probably not the great driver you imagine yourself to be anyway, and being on the phone makes you an even worse one.

[Marc Zimmermann]

Or what if your kid gets sick like what happened to Will Smith at the Oscars? Kid had a 103 degree temperature that could have been life-threatening.


If it was me and my kid, I wouldn't have gone out in the first place.


In my opinion, too many pitfalls concerning this just because you don't want to be interupted or annoyed.


This is the result of people not respecting other people's desire for enjoying an uninterrupted time. Having a cell phone go off in an area where silence is common, a beeping phone is simply rude and disrespectful.


Besides, I wonder if blocking is even legal?


At least in France it is now. Way to go.

[Marc Zimmermann]

I know myself, as both a church-goer and a student, it's got to be one of the most disrespectful things for people to leave their phones on in the middle of either of these places. I have done it before, and felt like a complete moron. It's just a common sense thing - treat those around you with respect, and turn off your cell phone. Why do you think the makers of these devices gave them a vibrate mode? :wink:


How about powering it off completely and using the mailbox for the time being?

Someone standing up in the middle of the service, running out or even taking the call on the way out is not much better than a beeping phone.

[Marc Zimmermann]

In most places, it's not - this is why the article is about a church in Spain. The blockers are illegal in the US, Canada, and I believe Europe as well (the article talks about it).


Ahem... Spain is part of Europe... ;-)


I think the concept of having a "switcher" vs. a "jammer", something that forced devices into a silent/vibrate mode, is a far better solution.


Yes. And one that could power phones off, for use in airplanes. On almost every flight that I'm on lately, some dumbhead's phone goes off even after the flight attendance has explicitly informed everyone to turn off all electronic devices, including freaking cell phones. During my last flight, one passenger needed to be reminded THREE times by the attendant to turn off his laptop because the plane has started approach. I'd go ahead and take it away from this type of person.

People are stupid, rude and apparently not even concerned about their own safety. I say a loud and clear YES to this type of external control.

[Tari Akpodiete]

i second all your points, Marc. the decline in manners is most appalling. people are obsessed with themselves.

enough of the all too prevelant 'me-me' attitude, please, and more consideration as to how ones acts and activities impact on others.

[bk227865]

I think if its clearly stated outside the building that inside mobile reception is impossible then its a good thing.
but people should be warned before entering a mobile jammed zone.

[Paragon]

I would like to tell a couple of stories that explain why I think we should be a little tolerant of this issue. Niether have anything to do with the church. Sorry if I led anyone to believe so previously. It was my mistake.

Someone asked what people did years ago before cellphone and pagers were widely used. Well, they stayed put.

My wife is a nurse and 20 years ago before cellphone would fit in your pocket she worked at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, one of the best childrens hospitals in the world. What did parents do when their kids were there, nothing, they spent their time at the hospital or somewhere like Ronald McDonald house, so they could be reached at a moments notice. Some of those stories had happy endings, many did not. Many marriages broke up from all the pressures. Imagine being one of those parents today and your doctor says"why don't the two of you get away from all this for a couple of hours. Go watch a movie or something. We will call you if anything happens" Imagine the relief you must feel being able to do this. So when a cellphone goes off in a theater it could be someone getting the worst piece of news they will ever get. For others in the theater the worst thing that happened in their day was someones cellphone went of when they were watching a movie.

Second story.... I year and three weeks ago both my parents died. Two days and 300 miles apart. It was impossible for me to be in both places at once. My sister was with my mother and I was with my father. As that week unfolded it became apparent that that there was only one way to communicate... by cellphone. We tried setting up times we would call so we could each leave the hospital and call. That did not work. I asked the hospital staff if I could leave my cellphone on. Since there was no electronic equipment in the area they saw no problem. If I recieved a call to walk to the end of the hall, out fo the way to taKe it. When the call came that my mother died a vistor to the hospital decided to pick that same moment to chew me out for using my cellphone. When I explained (not very nicely) the situation to her she turned about as white as a person can. I think she felt as rough as I did at that moment. She had no idea and felt so bad for acting the way she did over something that appeared so trivial.

I agree that all cellphone should have vibrating batterries, and I too think that most people who leave their phones on where they shouldn't are very rude. I also think that we should not all have to pay the price of the actions of the stupid and rude amongst us.

Dave

[mmidgley]

I agree with Paragon.

Cell phones are certainly not absolutely needed, and we know this because people have been around much longer than cell phones, and they got along acceptibly well without them. However, I do not say this to imply that we should revert to not having them.

The fact that we can have cell phones is reason enough to allow them to better our lives, as they did for Paragon (hopefully).

I find a pager, watch alarm, phone, automobile horn, etc equally annoying, but see no reason to advance technology so that these can be forcibly silenced in geographical areas because the owners are disrespectful. It just happens to be "easy" for cell phones to be silenced because they are RF devices that can be jammed. Perhaps someday a bluetooth-type technology will be friendly to all devices and can automatically notify users that their devices should be quiet, but until such convenience exists for all types of noise-makers, its the person that needs self-control and respect, not some automatic rule-enforcing device installed anywhere they may go (I don't want to live there). We all believe we have rights, but we all agree to live among those that make poor choices. That covers a broad range of social issues.

I hope that church in the article is required to post their RF jammer activities, and to ensure they don't go beyond their property borders.

I ususally turn off my phone in the movie theater, but on occasion when I may get a call related to my 2 year-old daughter, I set it on silent and quietly answer indicating I will start talking when outside the theater (I strategically sit near the exit where I won't disturb others by leaving, at least not any more than the guy going for popcorn). I have the highest regards for those that display respect in this or any similar manner, AND show tolerance toward those that annoy.

m.

ps- sorry for the long post, but if you don't like them, then you are reading the wrong thread. :)

[jmulder]

you don't have a right to have a cell phone surgically attached

Actually, I do have the RIGHT to have a cell phone surgically attached (if I can find a doctor to do so), but I have a RESPONSIBILITY to others in exercising my right.

It is my RIGHT to have a phone with me at all times.
It is my RESPONSIBILITY to turn it off or set it on vibrate when it is inappropriate to have it ring.
It is my RESPONSIBILITY (both to others around me and the caller) not to answer if it is inappropriate or unsafe to talk.
I even consider it my RESPONSIBILITY to pull over and call 911 if I have witnessed an injury accident.

Too many people today demand their RIGHTS without considering their RESPONSIBILITIES. It doesn't apply only to cell phones. (Think about driving...the RIGHT to drive vs. the RESPONSIBILITY to drive safely)

Just my 2 cents, your mileage may vary.

-Jim

[Tari Akpodiete]

you don't have a right to have a cell phone surgically attached

Actually, I do have the RIGHT to have a cell phone surgically attached (if I can find a doctor to do so), but I have a RESPONSIBILITY to others in exercising my right.

good one, jmulder! i must remember to word things more carefully in the future. and if one can't find a willing surgeon, well, there is always 'krazy glue'.

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

I agree with Paragon.

I think a lot of us are getting caught up in this "me, me" argument and the "tech toys are so important" argument.

Sure, a lot of us love tech toys because we love riding on the bleeding edge of technology, but the fact is that on a broader scale, technology allows us greater flexibility in life, and in some cases become a necessary part of living.

Someone may state, "well, we got along just fine without them... why do we suddenly do we need them?". Well, then you have to apply that argument to all technology. Centuries ago, we didn't have transportation vehicles that could take us great distances in a short time or even telephones (let alone cellphones) that allowed us to communicate with people long distances away.

Sure, you can make an argument that motor vehicles and regular phones are not essential as well, but tell that to a person that needs to dial 911 to request paramedic services.

With that said, I agree that MOST people don't NEED to have their cellphones with them and they don't NEED to have them on at all times, but let's stop thinking of cellphones as "gadgets" for a moment and remember that their true function is communication, which for some people can be absolutely essential given the circumstances.

Just my $0.02.

Ekkie

[Jonathan1]

Um when did it become illegal to block a signal on your own property? Sure I know there are laws that the FCC has put in place for devices creating interference. Hence the reason if you look on the back or your Pocket PC you have a device class. But this is totally diff. For that matter when did it become a god given right to get a cell phone call? Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Oops I guess you can't be happy if you can't be contacted off of a land line. :roll: Hey! :idea: Everyone lets make a constitutional amendment to the bill of rights that says everyone has the right to have a cell phone, use it anywhere they want, and screw the people around you. Everyone loves to keep throwing that word around. Its my right. I have the right. You don't have the right. HEH. It appears that since the time this country was formed what rights a person/s should and shouldn't have, have become distorted. The RIGHTS we are talking about here are pathetic. The right to use a cell phone anywhere you want. That ranks up there with abolishing slavery, roe vs wade, et al. :roll:

Look. A property owner should be able to do whatever he/she wants with their property. Hence the reason they call it an OWNER. This IS a legit RIGHT. And if they want to block a signal then so be it. However they should be forced to put up signage that says just that. So the person entering that area has the "RIGHT" to make a choice. Enter and not receive a phone call or stay out and receive that all important call. That person's rights are still very much intact. The difference is that he/she has to make a *gasp* choice on what is more important. Ever hear of the phrase you can't have your cake and eat it too? Seems as if the majority of American. Heck the world! Want just that.

In the end I think this is going to end up like smoking and nonsmoking sections. Excuse me sir I would like to sit in the non cell phone section tonight.

PS- Here's a question. How is cell phone usage treated around the globe? Is it more accepted (Read: You don't get stares from people in stores.) in certain places then in others? It seems like here in the US there is a distinct divide. Where there are people who are perfectly comfortable with using a cell anywhere they go and others that loath cell phones altogether. :D Personally I'm a happy middle. If you aren't bugging me or holding me up (Use to be a cashier at Blockbuster, F-ing customers on the phone while they try and make a transaction!!! GRRRR) then live and let live