Be sure to exercise your constitutional right!

I'll drink to that!

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
I'll drink to that!

Raise a glass!

I don't drink much or often, but today, I'll raise a glass.

Cheers!

I am drinking a Coors as I read this.

Today should be a National holiday.

Better that potable alcohol had never existed in nature. The damage it has caused to individuals and families and societies over the course of human existence is immeasurably tragic. On a daily basis, alcohol ruins lives and destroys families; this is no exaggeration.

But, stuck with it, we are, and Prohibition, though a noble idea, made matters worse.

Drinking some Old Forester "Medicinal Bourbon" right now.

As a side note they were one of six permits holders that produced medical spirits.

ARman

While alcohol is no longer prohibited, there are still dozens if not hundreds of prohibitions in place with more every day.

Given that Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine, I'd say that even He is OK with a couple of drinks. I'm on call so can't partake, but I'll tip one or three back next week.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Better that potable alcohol had never existed in nature. The damage it has caused to individuals and families and societies over the course of human existence is immeasurably tragic. On a daily basis, alcohol ruins lives and destroys families; this is no exaggeration.

But, stuck with it, we are, and Prohibition, though a noble idea, made matters worse.

No doubt. I experienced the effects of unbridled abuse of alcohol as a child. It killed my mother, but it took 40 years to achieve its end, and it was not pleasant.

That said, prohibition did no favor to the people of these United States, the crime, and establishment of government further digging into the body of America, like a blood starved tick, has left us with a legacy of infestation we may never be rid of.

As I grow older, I look back on those in my life that abused and were slave to alcohol, and realize most of those individuals were not evil people, just overwhelmed and "self medicating" pan and circumstance in life, although their efforts afforded them little respite, and numbed them to the damage they did.

But for the grace of God and choosing everyday to not follow their footsteps, in the hopes of breaking a cycle.

Amazing that the Constitution was amended twice in a decade, in completely opposite directions over the same issue.
Right now it seems like there will never be another successful amendment yet somehow they did it.

Organized crime was tremendously strengthened by the imposition of prohibition. The lasting effects still with us although the drug version of prohibition has given it a tremendous boost in the last few decades.

You know how the Prohibitionists got the 18th Amendment passed?

Unlimited free, poor quality booze given to Congressmen the night before. They voted their hangovers.

You know how the anti-Prohibitionists got the 21th Amendment passed?

Unlimited free, poor quality booze given to Congressmen the night before. They voted their hangovers.

The point is Congresscritters flock to free shit like carrion eaters, never considering the unintended effects.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Better that potable alcohol had never existed in nature. The damage it has caused to individuals and families and societies over the course of human existence is immeasurably tragic. On a daily basis, alcohol ruins lives and destroys families; this is no exaggeration.

But, stuck with it, we are, and Prohibition, though a noble idea, made matters worse.

There is no doubt that alcohol (abuse) kills people on a daily basis, alcohol (abuse) ruins lives and destroys families.

Yes, Prohibition, though a noble idea, made matters worse.

When are we going to learn that we cannot control the actions of other people? People make bad choices with alcohol, with marijuana and other drugs, and with guns. Trying to ban the substance or the instrument has never eliminated the problem with any of these things.

Self-destructive behavior should be discouraged, but it cannot be stopped as long as humans have free will.

quote:

When are we going to learn that we cannot control the actions of other people? People make bad choices with alcohol, with marijuana and other drugs, and with guns. Trying to ban the substance or the instrument has never eliminated the problem with any of these things.

Self-destructive behavior should be discouraged, but it cannot be stopped as long as humans have free will.

I agree with all that and more. I'm a libertarian leaning person when it comes to the state interfering with rights. But somewhere there needs to be a better balance.

The problem now, in some places more than others, is the extreme in the direction of enabling bad behavior by allowing this to effect the general public. San Fransisco is the poster child but it applies to most large cities.

We don't allow people to drive cars on public roads while intoxicated. But in many places, (urban areas mostly) the public is placed at varying degrees of risk of harm due to a hands off approach to the same problem.

And only two years later Alcoholics Anonymous was founded.
Kind of like celebrating making abortions legal.