It has now pissed me off.

On January 1st, 2008, a smoking ban went into effect in Illinois. No smoking in any public location or withing 15 feet of any door, window, or air intake. This means all bars, places of business, and company vehicles used by more than one person.

Some people heralded this measure as a victory for public health. Others screamed foul (to no avail). Personally, I feel it is a major overstepping of the bounds of the government. Not because I like to go to bars and smoke or that I smoke at work. To me, it is a personal choice to smoke or not to smoke, to frequent or not frequent an establishment that allows smoking. I by no means frequent bars. It's just my style. I would rather sit around with a close group of friends. But when I did darken a corner of a bar, I would usually sit back enjoying a beer and smoking a pipe. I thought it made the place smell better. Even had people walk all the way across the bar just to tell me how good it smelled.

Anyway, all of this is out the door. No longer allowed by state law.

Like I said, this is a MAJOR overstepping of the realm where government should tread. But this week, this law went from being an overstepping of bounds that I could survive, to pissing me off. For you see, in April, I attend the Les Pays de Illinois Colonial Trade Faire and Rifle and Musket Frolic, hosted by the Chasseurs du Datchurat. This juried pre-1790 event is probably the finest event in the Midwest. It is as close to a trip back in time as I have ever found. On Saturday afternoon, there is the Gentlemen's Smoker at the tavern. There is pitcher of beer and hard cider, and a large box of tobacco for all to indulge their pipe. A truly fine time. On Friday and Saturday night, the tavern opens up and when you walk through the door, you have truly passed through a time portal and entered 1765. The wenches pour beer, cider, and shrub all night, along with period foods on the tables. The tobacco box on the table as well.

But now, because of the Illinois Smoking Ban, we can't smoke in the tavern since it is a building on state property. So no smoking in the tavern, and the Gentlemen's Smoker might as well be the Ladies Tea.

I wonder, and I am looking Sari's way for this, if we could file a court injunction to allow smoking during the Gentlemen's Smoker and in the Tavern based on historical accuracy grounds.