Blue laws, why do any of them exist?

[Kadarin]

Oh, so you're saying that non-bible belt states have legalized all drugs, alcohol can be sold 24/7 and prostitution is legal?

Don't get so high and mighty, you're just slightly less fucked up than the bible belt.

I'm "slightly less fucked up than the bible belt" because I believe prostitution should be legal, marijuana should be legal, and that alcohol should be able to be sold 24/7? Wow.

Wait, does this mean that you're admitting the bible belt is pretty fucked up?

 

[Fern]

Blue laws, why do any of them exist?

Easy answer - because the majority of the people in that community want them and voted for them.

-snip-
And then it happened " Sir, we can't sell this to you. It's not 12:00 This immediately made me ask her if she was serious. And then when she confirmed that she was serious, I let her know it was ridiculous.

Awesome. You're ignorant of your own local laws and then you BERATE an employee, who has nothing to do with it, for those laws?

Fern

 

[Fern]

I'm "slightly less fucked up than the bible belt" because I believe prostitution should be legal, marijuana should be legal, and that alcohol should be able to be sold 24/7? Wow.

Wait, does this mean that you're admitting the bible belt is pretty fucked up?

No.

If you're "fucked up" it's because you don't know that these laws exist all over the country. I lived in Manhatten and you can't buy liquor AT ALL on Sunday.

So WTH does the Bible Belt have to do with this?

Fern

 

[woolfe9999]

No.

So WTH does the Bible Belt have to do with this?

Fern

Did you puruse the link provided by Scotteq on page 1? You'll discover something that is not surprising - that far more counties in bible belt states ban or otherwise restrict alcohol than non-bible belt states. Citing the exception to disprove the rule is a pretty transparent fallacy.

 

[sactoking]

Because we live in a country with a legal system that allows local communities to make laws to suit their own ideological preferences. Don't like it? Vote it down, or move somewhere else. That's the whole point of a free society.

So it is the requirement of a society to be free that the preferences of one individual overrule the preferences of an entire local community? Or does that logic only apply when you ideologically agree with that preference?

Actually, it is the requirement of a free society that the ideological preferences of the majority cannot abridge the individual rights of the minority. The fact that a "majority" of residents want to be dry on specific days or entirely is irrelevant. If their imposition of said requirement impinges the rights of the minority the society is by definition not free and the requirement should be abolished in any free society.

 

[Kadarin]

No.

If you're "fucked up" it's because you don't know that these laws exist all over the country. I lived in Manhatten and you can't buy liquor AT ALL on Sunday.

So WTH does the Bible Belt have to do with this?

Fern

I live in CA, where AFAIK there are no dry counties. We do restrict the sale of alcoholic beverages from 2am to 6am every day, but this is not for religious reasons. I know blue laws exist, and my position on them is that they're wrong because not everyone shares the religion behind their existence. I am very, very much against restricting everyone's right to do something due to religious restriction; you SHOULD be able to buy liquor in Manhattan on Sunday, IMO.

My position on the bible belt is in this thread because Texashiker mentioned the bible belt.

 

[Bryf50]

Actually, it is the requirement of a free society that the ideological preferences of the majority cannot abridge the individual rights of the minority. The fact that a "majority" of residents want to be dry on specific days or entirely is irrelevant. If their imposition of said requirement impinges the rights of the minority the society is by definition not free and the requirement should be abolished in any free society.

This. You guys must not have paid attention in your U.S. History class.

 

[Fern]

Did you puruse the link provided by Scotteq on page 1? You'll discover something that is not surprising - that far more counties in bible belt states ban or otherwise restrict alcohol than non-bible belt states. Citing the exception to disprove the rule is a pretty transparent fallacy.

It's not the "exception to the rule".

The number of counties isn't relevent. The OP's complaint is sales on Sunday, not dry counties. Non- Bible Belt states also have statewide bans on Sundays.

Also regarding dry counties, as many in dry counties know there are exceptions in dry counties - most towns/cities within dry counties are 'wet'. I.e., you just drive into town to buy your booze. No real biggie because that's where the liquor stores are gonna be anyway - with or without the dry law.

Also, there are about twice as many non-Bible Belt states in that list than Bible Belt states.

Fern

 

[BoberFett]

I'm "slightly less fucked up than the bible belt" because I believe prostitution should be legal, marijuana should be legal, and that alcohol should be able to be sold 24/7? Wow.

Wait, does this mean that you're admitting the bible belt is pretty fucked up?

No, you illiterate buffoon. I'm saying that unless your state has made all of those things legal, your state is only slightly less bad than those bible belt states you despise.

 

[matt0611]

No, you illiterate buffoon. I'm saying that unless your state has made all of those things legal, your state is only slightly less bad than those bible belt states you despise.

I live in Massachusetts, you can't buy alcohol here before noon on Sundays.

WTF?
Whats the point of this anyway? Not like people can't store alcohol at their house and drink Sunday morning if they wanted to...

 

[Svnla]

Some areas of the US would not let you buy any alcohol at all/no alcohol avaiable (dry counties).

 

[Fern]

-snip-
I know that many of our laws have roots in basic religious principals of not raping your neighbor and just being a decent person.

There is absolutely no reason why I shouldn't be able to buy a bottle of wine as a gift at 10am on a sunday... why does it matter at all?

Yes, many likely originated for religious purposes. Particularly Quakers and such. Many started out in the northern colonies where they dunked people and burned witches.

I think many now remain for practical purposes. A problem for Police/sheriff's dept is domestic violence. From what I see, most violent crimes result from domestic problems. Usually drugs or alcohol are involved. I don't think the police want people getting into arguments then running out to buy booze at all hours of the night and stirring up trouble.

There are non-religious practical reasons these laws exist. While you may have been inconvenienced on the morning of Mother's Day, I think most people would just suggest you not wait until the very last minute before shopping.

Fern

 

[Kadarin]

There are non-religious practical reasons these laws exist.

Making life MORE inconvenient is practical? How?

 

[airdata]

I was just using the alcohol incident as an example.

There are alot of other similar laws that simply shouldn't exist in today's world. If the lawmakers back then had the internet, we wouldn't have to put up w\ as much BS.

Marijuana for example. When they made the push to make it illegal, if people had the internet, they would have realized that blacks and mexican's weren't going around raping women after getting high. And before anybody jumps on that statement... that was one of the ways they convinced people to make marijuana illegal.. they said blacks and mexicans were smoking it and then raping women. Which of course we know is a complete lie.

 

[illusion88]

That's nothing compared to Utah!

Try getting a full strength beer on any day! You can't even get it from the tap at a bar, it has to be bottled or canned. You can't buy it cold from the liquor store (which is state run and regulated). The only alcohol I can buy outside of state run liquor store, which isn't open on sundays, holidays, or election days, is 3.2% beer.

You want to buy two shots at a bar? Nope, think again! You want more than 1.5oz or liquor (with an addition of 2oz of liqeur), nope, cant do that. Oddly enough, you can order a jack a coke, and a shot on the side, but that shot can't be of jack. It could of rum or some other liquor, just not the same as what you have in the glass.

Say you are drinking shots and beers and your cocktail waitress is slow, so you order your round in advance. She can't put down any booze until one of your two drinks are finished.

Thank god for the mountains otherwise there would be no reason for this state to be here!

 

[woolfe9999]

It's not the "exception to the rule".

The number of counties isn't relevent. The OP's complaint is sales on Sunday, not dry counties. Non- Bible Belt states also have statewide bans on Sundays.

Also regarding dry counties, as many in dry counties know there are exceptions in dry counties - most towns/cities within dry counties are 'wet'. I.e., you just drive into town to buy your booze. No real biggie because that's where the liquor stores are gonna be anyway - with or without the dry law.

Also, there are about twice as many non-Bible Belt states in that list than Bible Belt states.

Fern

Nice try, but the subject of alcohol prohibition in general is completely fair game for this thread and it was raised and discussed by many posters before me. And that last little bit about the number of states on the list is disengenuous at best. Which non bible belt state has anywhere near the number of dry counties as Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky or Texas, which appear to collectively house about 80% of the dry counties in the United States? That they are all bible belt is not a coincidence. One need only look at the history of the alcohol prohibition movement in this country to know who generally supported/supports it and upon what rationale.

I'll give you one thing. What state the countries are in is somewhat beside the point, because it's a good bet that virtually every dry county in the United States is generally conservative and religious regardless of what state it's in. Even blue states have their bastions of religious conservatism.

Next to outright prohibition, laws that restrict alcohol sales on Sunday are merely an annoyance.

 

[sactoking]

Say you are drinking shots and beers and your cocktail waitress is slow, so you order your round in advance. She can't put down any booze until one of your two drinks are finished.

Oddly enough, this exact same requirement exists in Nevada casinos, some of the drinkingest places in the country. I don't know the number, but I think regulations promulgated by the NGCB and Taxation (which regulates alcohol) prohibit the dispensing of more than one complimentary alcoholic drink to a patron at a time. This requirement does not exist as far as I know for purchased alcohol, just comped.

 

[spidey07]

Actually, it is the requirement of a free society that the ideological preferences of the majority cannot abridge the individual rights of the minority. The fact that a "majority" of residents want to be dry on specific days or entirely is irrelevant. If their imposition of said requirement impinges the rights of the minority the society is by definition not free and the requirement should be abolished in any free society.

So I take it your against smoking bans then?

 

[Kanalua]

So...you can't purchase alcohol one day of the week? It's like you're living in Iran or something!

 

[spidey07]

It's not the "exception to the rule".

The number of counties isn't relevent. The OP's complaint is sales on Sunday, not dry counties. Non- Bible Belt states also have statewide bans on Sundays.

Also regarding dry counties, as many in dry counties know there are exceptions in dry counties - most towns/cities within dry counties are 'wet'. I.e., you just drive into town to buy your booze. No real biggie because that's where the liquor stores are gonna be anyway - with or without the dry law.

Also, there are about twice as many non-Bible Belt states in that list than Bible Belt states.

Fern

In parts of southern KY I can't get any booze for a 100 mile radius. On a fishing trip recently I went though that area (I knew better but wanted to pick up some extra for the guys) and asked somebody at Wendy's "Where can I get some beer or liquor?"

She looked at me with this bewildered look and said "you mean to drink?" I asked some other people in the restaurant, same look, same reaction.

Same with Oldham County, probably the richest county in the state less than 10 miles from me. Dry and they're going to keep it that way.

 

[sactoking]

So I take it your against smoking bans then?

My personal views on a tangental topic are irrelevant. I was merely pointing out that the argument "It's a free country and the majority are free to impose their will on the minority and if you don't like it you can just get out" was used a small handful of times and that in each instance it was completely, 100% wrong to state that a country is free if the majority can wantonly impose their will on the minority.

 

[spidey07]

My personal views on a tangental topic are irrelevant. I was merely pointing out that the argument "It's a free country and the majority are free to impose their will on the minority and if you don't like it you can just get out" was used a small handful of times and that in each instance it was completely, 100% wrong to state that a country is free if the majority can wantonly impose their will on the minority.

So we're in agreement. A state or locality should not and cannot restrict legal behavior like selling alcohol or allowing smoking.

The reason I brought that up is because the defenders here of rights are quick to support smoking bans in a private business property. Sorry for the tangent, but it's relevant.

-edit-
As far as blue laws, the federal government has no say so it's up to the state. If the state allows such blue laws, then it's up to the county.

 

[Kanalua]

So we're in agreement. A state or locality should not and cannot restrict legal behavior like selling alcohol or allowing smoking.

Well, the States can, and do, make these activities illegal. They can restrict rights, even (free speech, assembly, "bare arms," press, etc). States are well within their power (10th amendment) to restrict otherwise legal activities.

 

[Texashiker]

Next to outright prohibition, laws that restrict alcohol sales on Sunday are merely an annoyance.

Just means you have to stockup on friday or saturday

 

[spidey07]

Well, the States can, and do, make these activities illegal. They can restrict rights, even (free speech, assembly, "bare arms," press, etc). States are well within their power (10th amendment) to restrict otherwise legal activities.

Unless incorporated via the 14th. But that's another thread/discussion.

But you're right, if a state wanted to ban all sales of alcohol, nothing is preventing them. Which is why many/most leave it up to the county provided it's not a Control State, where the state itself has enacted controls of sales and distribution statewide.

Nothing in The Constitution prevents the state from allowing/disallowing "blue laws."