REPEAL!

This post is a day late, but I just learned of the subject matter late yesterday. While we all went about our business on Friday, there were parties across the nation celebrating our great freedoms....one in particular.

Yesterday was the 75th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition. As I listened to NPR, they spoke of bars from New York to Oregon serving gin in teacups and patrons had to have a password to get in. Speakeasy style.

They interviewed a bartender in EUGENE, OREGON of all places who has made it his mission to promote our freedom to drink liquor. They didn't mention the name of his blog, but apparently he has been getting the word out for awhile.

Prohibition began as a deterrent to crime. The Prohibitionists theorized that if people didn't get drunk, there would be no more murders, robberies, etc. Truly, household violence did go down, as did other crimes. Some cities even closed down jails and decreased their law enforcement efforts in anticipation of a no criminal society.

But always, the best intentions get screwed up. The Prohibitionists had not counted on the theory "where there's a will, there's a way." Stopping legal liquor sales just opened up a whole new style of crime---organized crime, that is.

And before Prohibition went into effect, people drank in moderation---wine before dinner, a shot of whiskey to warm the soul. During Prohibition, a new type of drinker emerged---the binge drinker. A practice of drinking still alive today under the auspices of higher learning. Take something away from the American public, and they will do what they can to store up, buy up, and use up all available sources. (If you are over 50, you probably remember the toilet paper and lettuce shortages!)

Organized crime became big business and "Joe Six Pack" became an amateur distiller of spirits---bathtub gin.

Also, prior to Prohibition, sweet and flavored cocktails were rare, but bartenders began flavoring alcohol to mask the horrible taste of homemade liquor.

Prohibition was a wild time. But, the American public got through it (unless you got gunned down by a machine gun in a passing Model T Ford).

Currently we are in wild times with fluctuating markets, big bail-outs, foreclosures, etc. Given a choice, I would prefer Prohibition.