A lot of states here in the U.S. have laws banning alcohol sales on Sunday's. I've never really understood why. People are still going to drink if they really want to, so there's no big moral reason. That's even less of a reason if the state allows restaurants that sell adult beverages to operate on Sunday. It would be more moral to let people buy alcohol and drink at home than to make them go out for it and drive home drunk. I suppose there's always the argument that you should plan ahead. I don't know how many times I've been shopping on Sunday, when I have time, and not been able to purchase wine for meal later in the week.And that's part of the reason why the Colorado State Senate has taken up a bill that would allow Sunday sales of alcohol. On Friday it approved the bill, but it still has to pass another vote in the Senate and also be passed in the state's House of Representatives.
So it's not out of the woods yet, but the effort to have all week access to alcohol is looking better. Attitudes are changing. When the laws were originally passed, most stores were already closed on Sunday. Now, a lot of people do their grocery shopping on Sunday, and businesses are losing out on sales on Sunday, at least.
The government should work on teaching people how to be responsible, and maybe work on strategies to prevent the downsides of drinking. It should not, however, tell me when I can purchase alcohol. That's just un-American.
[Via Realbeer]
A fraking amazing Battlestar Galactica cake
Iced Tea 101
Pierogies + cheese + onions + kraut = Parmageddon!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-25-2008 @ 5:42PM
texasannie said...
The "blue laws" exist because some anti-alcohol church folk insisted on them years ago. So much for the separation of church and state! In Texas, stores can't sell alcohol until noon on Sundays. This always leads to a bunch of people hanging around the checkout at 11:45am, complaining about how they're going to miss the beginning of whatever sporting event they're planning to watch.
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2-25-2008 @ 6:00PM
Big John said...
Here in Michigan, we have a similar law. No alcohol sales between 2a and 12n every Sunday. As someone who used to stock a liquor store and currently works at a bar, it's insane to see the stocking up of alcohol at the end of the sales window Saturday. We used to get people lining up at the counter on Sundays around 11:45a or so, waiting for that clock to tick 12n. Just let go already folks, it's not that big of a deal to let people buy alcohol on Sunday mornings!
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2-25-2008 @ 6:04PM
Red Icculus said...
I sell beer for a living. Let me tell you, it stinks. In Indiana, there is no beer on Sundays. In Minnesota, it is the rotten 3.2% beer only. It's no wonder people drive the few extra miles to Wisconsin and Ohio for booze on Sunday!
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2-25-2008 @ 6:15PM
Mike said...
While I'm from California, I find it heartening that some states still have odd laws on buying and consuming alcohol. If I lived in one of those states with "odd" rules I might lobby for a change since I prefer to buy whaterver I want wherever I want.
But, the encouraging bit is that it's still possible for states to be different. Colorado should be happy that this yahoo in California isn't getting involved in how they sell their drinks. Neither I nor anyone ( or any company ) in CA has any business messing with what they do in their own state. If they want to go back to selling 3.2 beer to 18 year olds, let them. If they want to close the bars on election day, let them. Dry counties? Go ahead. It's none of my business unless I decide to move to Denver.
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2-26-2008 @ 7:42AM
JPN said...
I live in Indiana too, and it's ridiculous. Very outdated. I've always "heard" that the liquor stores are the ones who keep it from changing, which has always made zero sense to me. For summer concerts, athletic events, or any time you want alcohol on a Sunday, you better plan ahead.
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2-26-2008 @ 11:14AM
rckymtnski said...
So, I actually live in Colorado, and most of the liquor store owners seem to prefer having the day off and believe that people have learned to plan ahead..and you can even buy a "growler" or gallon jug of beer from your favorite microbrewery on Sunday as well as any other cocktail at a bar or restaurant. It is silly but doesn't seem like that big of a deal. Every now and then it turns into a fun adventure to raid everyone-you-knows supply of beer and wine so you can have drinks while watching sports or a movie on Sunday.
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2-27-2008 @ 2:12PM
Mike said...
Of course no one ever abuses alcohol and there aren't scores of people around the country who won't touch the stuff b/c of the evil and damage it's caused in their and others lives. I drink, but so responsibly. In Australia, there is a limit to how much beer one can purchase in a day b/c the aborigines were literally spending their entire paycheck on beer the day they got it. In one S. American country all alcohol sales are banned the day before elections. One side result is less overall lawlessness and rowdiness in general. As I said, I drink alcohol so I am not suggesting prohibition but certainly there are ways that law can and should rein in those who can demonstrate no self control.
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3-14-2008 @ 9:38PM
vigo88 said...
Not being able to buy on Sunday is a huge pain in the ass-- I agree with this. But a lot of people don't know that liquor store owners have been against this bill because it will change the way alcohol is sold in Colorado. The King Soopers (grocery store chain), Walmarts, all the big guys are going to be able to sell alcohol once this goes into effect... pushing out the mom and pop liquor stores. Once I learned this, it didn't seem like such a big deal to remember to buy my Sunday drinking materials on Saturday.
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