Arrowman

Last Friday (which apparently was some sort of religious holiday ) a friend and I sat down in a bar to enjoy an afternoon "hair of the dog". After serving the drinks, the barman returned to the table to say "I'm sorry gentlemen but I'm going to have to ask you to have a sandwich with those drinks".

Today I checked with the local Liquor Licensing authority and sure enough - on Christmas Day and Good Friday (and no other days) most liquor licences require that a meal be served; you can't just have a drink by itself.

As I said to my friend at the time - "aren't you glad we live in a secular society."
I think I'll write to the relevant officials about this - not "uppity atheist" style, just a polite question about the appropriateness of restricting otherwise legal activities on the holy days of a particular religion.

What happens in other parts of the world? Do your licensing laws discriminate on the grounds of religion?

Corwin

Well here in Oregon the liquor stores are all closed on Sundays. (That's changing here shortly tho, I don't know details but soon they'll be open. WOOHOO!!!) Now if we could just get them to stock liquor in the grocery store. (That's just about the only part of California I actually LIKED... )

Writer@Large

There's a law here in Mt. Pleasant (a city ordinance, but I'm prety sure it's widespread and popular) that prohibits the sale of alcohol between 2am Saturday and 12 noon Sunday ... not just by bars, but by ANYONE. So on Sunday mornings, when I do most of my grocery shopping (avoids the crowds who do it after Church), I have to watch my clock--I like to buy a bottle of wine every week to have after work, and more than once I've been turned down because "it isn't Noon yet." Sigh ...

I'd like to believe there's a practical purpose to the law, but I know it's a religious thing. Of course, it doesn't stop the Churches from *serving* wine on Sunday morning .

--W@L

Skid

W@L - I think that the 2am to 12pm on Sundays ordinance may be a Michigan law, and not just a local ordinance. I don't recall being able to buy before noon on Sunday anywhere in Michigan.

There are a few areas in very conservative parts of West Michigan that are still dry, and other places where you can't get beer or wine on Sundays, but mixed drinks are OK.

The laws in the dry areas are local in nature, and seemed to be based on religious objections to drinking. I've personally never had a problem with this -- as the registered voters in the town were allowed to vote on the ban.

However, I find it amusing how package liquor stores mysteriously "pop-up" right across the town line.

Corwin

Yeah, Monmouth is dry too. (Some religious group passed that law years ago... Methodists? Maybe... I don't remember exactly.)

Of course there is a pretty hard core party college in the town, and several of the state's best award winning vineyards are just outside of town.... go fig.

One of the better wines we produce, (and we're known for producing extremely good wine) is made just outside of a dry town. Ironic, no?

KJELLMUSIC

But...aren't they serving wine in church?

Flynn McKerrow

If I recall correctly, Nelson County, Kentucky is a dry county. The county seat is Bardstown, which is known for many of the fine bourbons that are distilled there.

I wouldn't be surprised if the county that Lynchburg (Tennessee) is located in is dry as well.

I went to college in Richmond, Kentucky. The town itself is wet, but the rest of the county is dry.

Weird, eh?

nogods4me

Indeed Jack Daniels is made in a dry county, very weird.

Derek

<strong>
Indeed Jack Daniels is made in a dry county, very weird.</strong>

It is in Moore County to be exact. I lived in Tullahoma, TN (next county over and 20 minutes from the distillery) and was depressed when I went on my first tour. Walked around for 45 minutes thinking I was going to get to sample some fresh, right out of barrel Jack, only to find out the county was dry. I almost cried. Some lessons are hard to accept. Later, to my delight, I found that the George Dickel distillery was 25 minutes from me in the opposite direction. YES! They give samples!

[ April 03, 2002: Message edited by: Derek ]

[ April 03, 2002: Message edited by: Derek ]</p>

cricket

Writer@large

EVERY night here in St Louis it's like that... really took an adjustment when I moved here 1 1/2 years ago. I like to grocery shop at 3:00 am or so; it's the only time I can get in and out quickly. But for several hours every night you cant purchase alcohol; it's still right there and there are no signs, but they snatch it from your collection at the register!