VANITY: Sunday Alcohol Sales....Blue laws good or bad?

Georgia Dawg

[GeorgiaDawg]

Hi all....

FReepers have been very helpful in the past and I wanted to touch base to see if you could help again.

Our city council is debating putting Sunday alcohol sales on the ballot, yet again. The matter has been defeated twice in the past few years, but they are considering the referendum again.

While I am a believer of seperation of church and state, I also believe in keeping the Sabbath holy....can this be reconciled? I'd appreciate any thoughts or comments on any experience any of you have had with this issue...

Georgia Dawg

[sageb1]

"It's just unseemly to be buying beer/liquor at 8 am on a Sunday"

Unless the bbq is before noon. ;)

[BunnySlippers]

Blue Laws are BAD no matter what for.

[Bigh4u2]

You only win when you shout 'BINGO' once!

:0)

[NinoFan]

loved the blue laws. I think they helped make life more civil. I cried when large stores opened on Sundays. It changed the entire tenor of the state.

Exactly. And to imagine that people are willing to throw it away out of greed.

[MineralMan]

"Look, if a person can't go one day out of seven without buying alcohol, they surely have problems.
"

Oh, that's just silly. I drink wine with meals. It's good for my digestion, and it's what Paul advised one person to do, to help with digestion. My doctor agrees with this, and says that it also helps with some other things.

I have no problems with alcohol. I happen to live in a state where alcohol off-sales are prohibited on Sunday. It's hardly a problem, of course, since I can simply buy it on the other six days.

However, to make it illegal to sell bottles of wine on Sundays, while allowing its sale in restaurants and bars, just seems silly to me. Doesn't it seem silly to you?

[Froufrou]

You thought my post was doubly good? ;o)

[Non-Sequitur]

If Kansas, home of the Women's Christian Temeperance Union, can sell liquor on Sunday then I guess anyone can.

[-YYZ-]

"While I am a believer of seperation of church and state, I also believe in keeping the Sabbath holy....can this be reconciled?"


Yes. If your belief in keeping the Sabbath holy includes not buying or consuming alcohol, I suggest that you don't buy or consume alcohol on Sunday. Surely the mere ability to buy booze on Sunday doesn't keep you from keeping the Sabbath?

[Al Gator]

Not when you just got off work at 6 am.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

I grew up in New Orleans. One of the grocery stores sold beer on the tap as you walked in 7 days a week...so perhaps I have a view shaped by where I grew up.

But why single out alcohol? if you allow other sales on Sunday, why not?

Selective blue laws never did make sense to me...either have a day off where commerce is not allowed so everybody gets a mandantory day off or allow it all.

[kellynla]

"moderation" is the key
only problem...most folks who drink too much can't even spell moderation, much less know the meaning & practice it. :-]

of course I remember the days when even grocery stores, department stores etc. weren't open on Sundays...

[MountainMenace]

Not really. We judge these laws by our day's standards, which are nothing to brag about. It should actually be viewed as a sign of innocence lost since most people used to go to church on Sundays. I can remember being told in high school that I would have to get my pastor's recommendation in my resume or I would never get a job! Quite a contrast isn't it? It has only been thirty years.

[Niteranger68]

I can't believe the reply of most of the FReepers here. Look, if a person can't go one day out of seven without buying alcohol, they surely have problems.

Sounds like their "problems" consist of other people caring about what they buy and when they buy it. Honestly, what does it matter to you?

[Michael.SF.]

I can't believe the reply of most of the FReepers here

I can't believe that Freeper's here want the government to pass laws controlling my behavior. If I want to booze it up at 8:00 AM. I should be able to.

PS: I don't by the way, it sounds disgusting to me, but, not as much as the government telling me:

I have to shop at their stores.

I cannot buy beer on Sunday

I cannot buy beer in some counties, on any day (in some states)

etc. etc.

Would you be happier if the government said everyone must attend a church of their choice on each Sabbath?

[NinoFan]

Look, OUR tradition recognizes Sunday to be a special day. Yes, it is based on Christian tradition, but so what? I doubt most people here would last two minutes in 18th, 19th, or even early-20th Century America if they can't even handle the Blue Laws.

[Xenalyte]

Yow! I've been out of high school 20 years, and I was never advised to put a pastor on my resume. Actually, I was always told to omit all references to religion, unless I was SURE the reference would score me points.

[pollyannaish]

In my area, many still aren't. Which is fine (although, sometimes it confuses the heck out of tourists.) But it has nothing to do with laws that force them to close for a religious observance.

IMO, that is a completely different issue.

[jackieaxe]

Since I consider myself pro-freedom (provided you are not impacting me) I say repeal the Blue Laws. No one is holding a gun to the liquor owners to be open on Sunday and they could remained closed if they wish.

[Lou L]

I agree with most of the others on this post: "blue laws" appear to have little value in keeping holy the Sabbath.

Let me ask this question. Why stop at laws that only prohibit alcohol? Why not shut down ALL businesses on the Sabbath? Surely, people running off to retail sales, sporting events, or dining in fancy restaurants or other non-religious activities aren't necessarily keeping the Sabbath, are they?

[NinoFan]

However, to make it illegal to sell bottles of wine on Sundays, while allowing its sale in restaurants and bars, just seems silly to me. Doesn't it seem silly to you?

I agree, but then I don't think it should be sold in restaurants or bars on Sunday either.