Blue Laws

[staticprimer]

In North Carolina, there is a blue law that restricts the sale of all alcohol until noon on Sundays. I'm sure there are many other states that have similar laws, and maybe even some states, or at least counties or towns, that ban alcohol sale for the entire day. Really the only reason for laws such as these is because of the Christian dogma they were inspired by. I've worked at a grocery store and I would see dozens of refused sales on Sundays, especially during football season, and many of the people who were trying to buy them had just gotten out of church. So who exactly do these laws benefit? Does a kitten explode every time you buy drinks before noon on Sunday? The only benefit I can see is to those people who would obey regardless if there was a law or not. If someone can think of any good reason, please by all means enlighten me. It just seems that these laws are unjust and maybe even borderline unconstitutional. This rant can apply to other laws too, its just this one is the most prevalent of its kind from what I've seen.

 

[DeusExMachina]

It's the South.

Doesn't need explanation.

 

[kirovman]

Didn't used to serve alcohol on Sundays in the UK until a few years ago.

Still don't in Germany. It's a sabbath law.

 

[staticprimer]

It's the South.

Doesn't need explanation.

They have it in the North too.

I know the beliefs it stems from, it just seems so archaic and it should be done away with.

 

[ríomhaire]

Blue law?

 

[Flyingdebris]

people voted them in, if you want to get rid of them you got to bring it up to vote it out.

I don't think its so much christian dogma as it is simply the culture of the area, though the line between the two can get really blurry

 

[ZeroPointGun]

I am not sure why it would have anything to do with Christianity. After all was it not Jesus himself who, during His Last Supper, gave the disciples wine to drink? I am a Christian (Under legal drinking age) and lots of my parent's friends are drinkers. They aren't going to Hell because they drink. I personally think Blue Laws like that are ridiculous because people will stockpile alcohol and drink lots more at night increasing the chances of bashings, murders, rapes and car crashes. It's understandable if they said you cannot buy drinks after sundown but after noon seems pretty useless.

 

[Stigmata]

Old, stupid laws made by stupid people that nobody's gotten around to abolishing yet. That's really the only explanation.

 

[Flyingdebris]

i wouldn't say stupid people, its just laws from a different era that look silly in present day

or alternatively, might be the result of lots of old people voting in which case it would almost be the same thing.

at any rate, not all laws age well.

 

[CptStern]

laws are not voted into law books, at least not by the citizens

they're temperance laws, they had everything to do with religious groups

 

[Stigmata]

Hence, stupid people.

 

[CptStern]

agreed

 

[Absinthe]

Old, stupid laws made by stupid people that nobody's gotten around to abolishing yet. That's really the only explanation.

Indeed. I can't say I've ever met a person who actually agreed with such a law. The fact that it hasn't changed seems to indicate a very large problem with voter apathy. Shit, that seems to be a problem with a lot of drug laws in general in the United States. There are plenty of pro-pot people I've met as well whose stance consists of "It will never change, so why bother?". When it comes to blue laws, it's "I don't like it, but I don't care enough about it." Outcries always originate from small, marginalized groups that most people don't pay attention to.

I don't know how exactly it happened, but it's as if the population has simply stopped giving a crap, living in their own secluded bubbles where the rest of the country's affairs don't seem to apply to them.

 

[CptStern]

ya but you'll rarely see a mainstream candiadate running with a platform to decriminalize marijuana. And even then there's no guarentee that once elected they'll stick with their campaign promises ..it's just not that big of a campaign issue with most voters

 

[Absinthe]

I think that's mainly due to people being misinformed repeatedly over the years when it comes to marijuana. If people were presented with some honest, reliable data about it, you'd probably get a lot more people wanting to change the status quo.

Or not. As I said, even among those who do use it or support legalization, there's a severe absence of people putting their foot down and calling foul.

 

[Stigmata]

I think that has to do with the fear of backlash from the right. If there was a sudden push to make marijuana completely legal, that might be the straw that breaks the camel's back as far as apathetic prohibitionists go. It could get turned around via legal wrangling and pseudo-science, and we'd end up with it criminalized all over again, and nobody wants that D:

 

[CptStern]

canada has the Marijuana party ...guess what their election platform is? ...but even in Canada when the ruling party says it'll look into decriminalising it takes so long that it's axed by the current government after winning the last election. Candiadates will only ever use that as a platform if there's a pressing need (overcrowded jails, too many innocents spending time in jail) or if there's a public outcry for some scandal. If it were as much in use as alcohol things would change but for the most part the voting public still sees it as something hippies or college kids do. also the average voter is middle aged to senior, not at the top of their lists ...unless they need chemo or have glucoma. The best avenue towards decriminalization is through medicinal marijuana

 

[Asus]

I think there was something like that when I used to live in KC. I believe it was on the Kansas side. Would be easy to drive to the Missouri side on Sundays.
Not sure if it's the same way today.

 

[No Limit]

Do what I do, stock up on beer at 11:59pm on Saturday.

This law exists here too and its hard to believe it has nothing to do with religion. Sunday before noon is way too early for me to start drinking but the fact this stupid law is on the books drives me nuts.

 

[Ennui]

I've always wondered why that law still exists. Relics of a different time, I guess. I thought it was a city thing, I didn't know it was throughout NC.

 

[CyberPitz]

Yeah, I just stockpile on saturday night. Not like I drink on Sunday, since I Have to be up at ..what, 6:30 AM. Gah, no time to get drunk.

 

[tehsolace]

i lived in SC for awhile and by my impressions, 99% of the people there (hicks and complete retards) would vote to be able to drink 24/7 non-stop if they could.

they're all alcoholics. the "bob the beer-belly" type alcoholics.

 

[CptStern]

I visited SC ..myrtle beach to be specific ..we got there on a saturday went to a bar and at 11:45 the waitress comes up and asks us if we want something for last call ...last call? apparently bars on saturday nights close (well stop serving liquor) at midnight cuz it's now sunday ..pretty sure no bars served on sunday ..although this was over a decade ago, things most likely have changed since then ...I did notice a shitload of Jesus Saves type billboards in the carolinas so I can see how liquor laws would be strict

 

[PvtRyan]

"Jesus Saves money by not blowing it on liquor."

 

[CptStern]

ya but Jesus' stanky ho just blows it on crack ..there's no savings to be had