What you do in your the privacy of your own home...

is your business right? Not if you live in Minnesota. In Minnesota, we have a thing called "Tobacco Free Community Grants" a government subsidy that is given to communitys to use in preventing tobacco use - as a matter of public health. The Dakota County Tribune (article not available online) ran a story in it's November 2 issue (front page above the fold too) about two Dakota County (MN) commisioners who were fighting the county's application for a "Tobacco Free Community Grant" to be used to promote smoke free homes and cars. Both board members were absent from the October 17 meeting when the board approved the grant application. Their concern is that government would involve itself with legal activities that go on inside a private home....you know - like consensual sex between same sex couples maybe?????

Commissioner Mike Turner said that he thought the action was "very intrusive" and that he "can not support anything that requires people not to smoke in their home or car". Bravo Commissioner Turner! He then goes on to say that he does support government involvement in promoting healthy lifestyles. Does that mean you support banning consensual sex between two men - as a matter of promoting a healthy lifestyle? Do you really want to go down that slippery slope in light of the above linked Lawrence decision?

As I said here, if you are really that concerned about the health of smokers and their families then you need to make tobacco ILLEGAL - just like marijuana and cocaine! Forego the tax dollars that pour into the state and county and city coffers as a result of tobacco taxes and MAKE SMOKING COMPLETELY ILLEGAL!!!!!

However, that will never happen. The politicans are too addicted to the tax dollars that come in. Don't listen to them when they say that they are concerned about your health...they aren't! All they want is to intrude in your private affairs!