Well St. Louis County has voted to ban smoking in many public places. I think all of us should really think about what we are doing to our freedoms. If you owned a restaurant etc. don't you think it should be your choice whether or not you want to allow your customers to smoke? If you can't relate to that then think of this. We are allowing out govts. be it Fed or State to tell us how to live our lives more and more. Sooner or later there will be a vote against something that you (people who voted for the ban) like to do like drink and people that don't will want the govt to say you can only drink in your own home. How would you feel? The truth is that with every little personal freedom we allow our elected officials to create some legislation for or against it we are giving up one freedom at a time and where is it going to end. The Fed govt now takes a blood sample from every baby born in the USA and they consider the blood/dna govt property. Excuse me but I would never want my baby to be in the system just because the child was born. This is way too big brother. We need to start opening our mouths again. We were not afraid to confront our govt in the 1960's and that is one of the most effective decades when it comes to opening eyes to keep hold of as many of our freedoms and rights in the 20th century. Come on all you people who think only of yourselves as you will be the target of some loss of a right that matters to you. There are plenty of places that are non-smoking and if smoke offends you that much then choose such an establishment mentioned above!! Don't take others freedoms away because they don't fit your life. Freedom means being tolerant of other peoples differences for the sole purpose that they will be tolerant of you and your vices or ideals. We have become a wimp of a country who doesn't let people celebrate Christmas in school and all types of similar things as we are afraid of hurting someones feelings. Well if someone chooses to live in the USA they need to just shut up and enjoy what they like. Speak english and celebrate the whole reason we liberated ourselves in the 18th century. There are more personal freedoms in many European countries today than there are in what is supposed to be the land of the free. Open your mouths people and to you who don't understand tolerance...then move to Iraq or somewhere because you don't have the right to call yourselves Americans in my mind. You are just selfish and only worried about your needs and wants. Get over it or get lost as someday soon we are going to start a new war and it will be against our ever increasing bully govt. that is supposed to be for the people but obviously they are just for the money! Yes Obama I even voted for you and I never thought you could make a lot of change too quickly, but other then healthcare you have done nothing for the down trodden and seem to be more interested in kissing the asses of whom didn't vote for you! FYI they won't vote for you ever so you should be focusing on those of us who did because you aren't putting time in the issues that made us think you actually cared and were different and stood for change. Its you that has changed more then anything else I have noticed as of yet. Get with it!