The biggest joke in Alabama: Alabama legislators
One of the bills on this year’s Libertarian Party of Alabama legislative agenda is to free the hops. I’m not talking about the movie Footloose or a sock hop, but ending a state law that is somewhat neo-prohibitionist and somewhat racist (and somewhat Anheuser-Busch protectionistic) in nature.
The LPA is a proud sponsor (financial, media and otherwise) of a bill which would allow people in my state to drink beers from the world’s best selections.
If one wishes to understand the racial nature of the issue, simply consider the stereotypes of people who drink fortified malt products from a brown paper bag. Alabama law is there for a purpose: To allow rich white folks to drink scotch and champagne but to ensure that darker-skinned citizens aren’t slurping from a straw on the street corner.
My local blogger friend Dan just pumped out this YouTube, which my buds at Reason picked up because of this friend. Make sure you watch the moment at time mark 5:33. It’s a short clip, and the rest is good, too.
Editorial Note: Another recent Shroud Award was issued to the guy who introduced legislation to legalize sex toys in Alabama—a case which the Supreme Court decided wasn’t a due process issue.
March 18th, 2008 at 6:08 am
What the hell is this Democrat Party you keep talking about? Are they related to the Republic Party?
March 18th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Oops! Typo repaired.
March 18th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Great work!
As a fan of high end beers such as European beers, Imperial Stouts and Barleywines myself, and a long time (and still part-time) resident of Alabama, this has always been a major annoyance to me.
I’m glad the LPA is helping do something about this ridiculous edict.
What I like to drink when I am in Alabama now is wine made from Muscadine grapes. Excellent stuff, and grown and bottled in Alabama. I’m not sure if it doesn’t travel or what, because I haven’t seen it in other parts of the country – certainly, at least, not in supermarkets.
March 18th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Just returned from a weekend trip to Chattanooga with a side trip to Ft. Ogelthorpe, GA to, you guessed it, buy good beer. I told the clerk that I could probably be arrested for bootlegging if caught (I spent a little over $100, so presumably $10 of tax $ stayed in GA).
I studiously observed the speed limit coming back through TN and through NW Georgia; I believe we counted 10 traffic stops in that short section of highway. It makes me proud that AL is short on the budget to hire more state troopers, at least I can run 70 without TOO much worry.