The 8th Circuit Court has ruled in favor of the Native American Council of Tribes v. Weber, stating that South Dakota correctional officials violated the religious liberty of Native American prison inmates’ who use tobacco for religious reasons.

I have to snicker a little bit that a court says a jail must allow Native Americans to use tobacco for religious reasons but meanwhile the federal government is forcing Catholics of the non-inmate variety to pay for abortifacients.

The court ruled that the government should attempt to seek out a less restrictive means of furthering a compelling government interest.

I’ve often said that Jesus is viewed by the government as more dangerous than even secondhand smoke. This would seem to prove it. I’m fine with the ruling but I just hope that the courts are as amenable to the religious rights of non-minority prison inmates. We’ll see.