Reg,

Determine if you neighbor smokes.  If he doesn't, sacrifice yourself to one cigarette--not inhaling of course--

just have a friendly neighborly conversation blowing second hand smoke in his face the whole time.  Shake his hand, glad you met him, and leave.

As far as the mistrusts, I'm especially fearful of that of education and the effort to privatize it.  Those are young minds being influenced by owners of charters, private religious schools, and wherever vouchers take these young, easily persuaded minds.

Give it a generation, democracy will be threatened as never before.  Public education with certain values being taught to all students is one of the cornerstones of our democracy.  It is the fabric of the social contract.  It must be revived and nourished to play its exceedingly important role in or country.