Awww, Arnie in the shit for smoking.

Cartoon; By Penava.

This site is not really well known for its sympathy for Arnold Schwarzenegger, but in this case it is worth coming to his defense. Of all the busybodies aligned with the love of state intervention other than the green activists, the anti-smoking lobby is probably the most puritanical.

The anti-gun mob is pretty much over the top, but the smoking Nazis are so crazy, that even the most puritanical Iranian Mullah, probably regards them as a Fatwa or two short of the full Jihad. Take this for example:

Arnold Schwarzenegger is in trouble in his native Austria for allegedly lighting up a cigar at an airport.

An anti-smoking group in the European nation is considering launching a suit against the disgraced Hollywood star after he was spotted smoking one of his trademark cigars at Salzburg Airport in June.

But a spokesman for the airport insists the movie star's stogie was not lit as he walked from his plane to the terminal.

If the cigar was unlit then it seems no offense occurred, although there are conflicting reports at present, most of which seem to be coming out of California, thus the weirdness factor comes into play.

Smoking in any enclosed area without the permission of the owner or other occupiers of that place is thought of, as inconsiderate in a rational society. It has always been considered that asking if it is OK to smoke is the proper manners to use in company.

Property owners, or occupiers naturally have the right to decide what activities may take place in the area that they control. This right has been usurped by the bigot state in the modern era to the point where even an owner who smokes may be prevented from doing so on his own premises, even if he is a tobacconist.

The idea though that someone commits an offense for merely having one in his mouth, even unlit, is draconian. This applies even in the case of RINO liberal cause loving political whores like Arnie.