“Fishing for Beer,” thirty pieces of silver, and the “final assault on the Sabbath”

Note: For what it’s worth, I couldn’t care less about liquor sales, Sunday or otherwise. I drink rarely enough that I probably deserve to be kicked out of the People’s Republic of Athens-Clarke County for an illegally low BAC (probably due to the fact that I’m half-Indian, so it takes about a tablespoon of the stuff to get me good and liquored-up — thus, I generally shun it unless I have a good reason not to ). However, this issue has, IMHO, now progressed well beyond the ridiculous.

The Georgia Christian Coalition (yes, it does still exist, even without the savior Sadie, who bolted the Christian Coalition shortly after smiting a Macon affiliate for daring to not support Ralph Reed, and subsequently establishing the Georgia Christian Alliance) issued a press release yesterday in which they offered some poll numbers regarding Sunday sales, and some choice words for those who would even consider passing such horrifying legislation as that which would allow alcohol to be sold on all seven days of the week.

The GCC polled 500 active voters (who participated in the most recent Gubernatorial and Presidential primaries), from “the districts of State Senators who serve on the Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee,” and reportely found that:

Among Republican Primary voters 61 % of those responding opposed the passage of Senate Bill 26 while 54% of Democratic Primary voters are opposed.

GCC Chairman Jim Beck had this to say about the poll and about the horrific prospect of people being able to purchase alcohol on Sundays, rather than stocking up the night before (all emphasis added):

There is a moral component to our opposition to this bill for which we make no apologies, we believe this is the final assault on the sanctity of the Sabbath but there are also compelling public policy arguments against passing the measure.Young people often engage in the deadly game they call “Fishing for Beer” where they go from store to store hoping to “hook” some distracted clerk who will sell them alcohol without requiring identification- if lawmakers vote for this measure they are doubling the weekend hours for young people to engage in this deadly game.

Good heavens! Another chance for kids to purchase alcohol! Did you hear that, lawmakers? You are doubling the weekend hours for young people to engage in this deadly game. I think that such a powerful statistic (young people are twice as likely to die if you pass this legislation encouraging Russian roulette…er, making it legal to purchase alcohol underage…no, allowing something which is available six days per week to be allowed seven days a week instead. Have you no conscience!!??) should speak for itself.

Beck concluded:

There are a host of products that the State could generate tax revenue off of- but we are not considering legalizing crack just so we can tax it. We cannot sell the soul of Georgia for, ‘30 pieces of silver.’

Darn right. And you know this wouldn’t even be considered in Ralph Reed’s Georgia.

For goodness sake, GCC folks, lighten up and focus on something that might actually be a real threat to our state. (And no, I’m not talking about Harry Potter, either).

Oh, and while you’re at it? Either grab a copy of Elements of Style, or hire a proofreader for your press releases. I’m just sayin’…