I love this issue: the blind support for the persecution of smoking proves my point that the majority of the American people have been schooled out of an understanding of the principles of liberty upon which the United States was founded.

I also know not to waste my time discussing anything with anyone who supports this national disgrace: he is merely a fascist whose opinions on other issues will be similarly tyrannical, and I have never seen such change his mind in the face of superior argument. He cannot reform because his personal vanity is involved, seeing as he believes his personal preferences are moral imperatives requiring the submission of all.

I do hope the Age of Tolerance for our overschooled rulers will come to an end. At the very least, the enablers of the progressive reduction of individual liberty should be hosed out of the public trough.

If the Tyrannt bans smoking what will the nasty leeches suck off of to get the money for their free health care?

"the majority of the American people have been schooled out of an understanding of the principles of liberty upon which the United States was founded."

Isn't it time to end the practice of tenure since it serves only to protect the multitude of worthless, brain damaging college Professors?

I don't understand the ban on smoking.
1) People who are going to smoke are going to smoke anyways
2) It provides the government with a nice income
3) Smoking controls the population.

Christopher Hamilton

I read through the comments on Richard Miniter’s site. They are similar to those that have been posted elsewhere -- health and SMELL. When exactly did tobacco smoke come to smell so uniquely vile? Worse than any other possible smell? Only one generation ago, one would have been hard put to find many people who were so thoroughly revolted by a mere whiff of tobacco smoke. It seems that the campaign against tobacco has created an entire mindset, just the sort of “gut reaction” that one would want to instill if one were attempting to create a groundswell of revulsion against something. What is next? In a few years will car exhaust give everyone headaches? Will the smell of a sizzling Big Mac make people sick?

Damn betcha, Anon. I have seen children being taught to "cough" whenever they recognize the smell of smoke. I'm expecting to see little "sample puffs" soon, like the bag of oregano Officer Dare used to bring to class so you'd know what it looked like.

Never forget that Jim Crow and forced segregation arrived after slavery ended. Given state monopoly of education, science, and the "opinion-making process," you can get about 7/8 of the people to outlaw any old thing. We will all have our turn in the barrel.

"Worse than any other possible smell"

Vegan farts, now that is a vile smell.

"Smoking controls the population."

So will AIDS, why then are billions spent to find a cure when all that needs to be done is to put on a condom?

God rest Cathy Seipps, she died young from lung cancer and never smoked. Why is it that Science always ends up on the wrong side of everything.

When exactly did tobacco smoke come to smell so uniquely vile?

Somewhere around the time daily bathing and perfumed grooming products became the cultural ideal. Cigarette smoke is a great cover for BO--yours or cubemate's.

(I don't understand why people think they have a right not to breathe cigarette smoke when I don't have a right not to breathe diesel fumes belched out by city buses with one or two passengers. I'm sure someone will enlighten me.)

Having been raised in sawmill and logging camps where everything ran on diesel, I love the smell of those fumes.

I don't know what greyhound does to their bus engines, but those things do stink.

It's perfumed beauty products I could do without. Oh, and sickly sweet perfumed "cleaning" products used by owners of older motels to cover up the smell of mildew, mold, and rot.

I'm one of those rare smokers with an intensely sensitive nose. I can smell the smoke on my clothes and in my house, but it doesn't bother me the way a vanilla scented candle does.