Beerly Legal

I draw your attention to a report from N.P.R. (National Public Radio)  (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88602422 ) that observes there are still communities in the United States of America where the consumption of beer that has more than 5% alcohol by volume is prohibited. That report also presented a 78 year old activist who, seventy five years after the repeal of Prohibition, still dedicates himself to the prohibition of the consumption of beverage alcohol not only in his community but in all others as well. I can understand dedication but delusion is another thing entirely.

I applaud the involvement of people in serving their community in local government. I appreciate that the number of votes cast for a representative or referendum determines who gets elected to office and what laws govern the community. I acknowledge that the community deserves the results of elections and allow that there are found the seeds of discontent. This is almost always the case when a vocal minority marches to the polls while the self-absorbed majority smugly lets it happen. Then, governed by the will of the minority the seeds bear fruit in the increase in citations issued and fines paid.

As I mentioned above, there was a decade in the history of the United States when the consumption of beverage alcohol was banned. The only fruit that grew from that was organized crime. “Prohibition” of any sort is doomed from inception simply because someone, just to do it, will break the commandment.

Mississippi and West Virginia presently have laws restricting the alcohol content of beer to below 6% by volume.

It seems that the folks of Alabama would like to “Free the Hops” is a way similar to the legislation recently passed in North Carolina allowing brewers and retailers to “Pop the Cap” on alcohol content in beer sold in that State.

I wish the good folks of Alabama the best of luck in freeing the hops. And I toast the success of popping the “cap” in North Carolina, and the brave souls who carry on the fight in Mississippi and Vest Virginia.