Just got a hold of this juicy number from Oklahoma, no pun intended: Tulsa World: Grocery wine measure corked. Apparently the State Senator Andrew Rice (D) from Oklahoma City tried to get a bill put on the floor that would allow grocery stores to sell wine and high-point beer. Right now grocery stores are not allowed to and Rice claims that it not only hurts businesses, since wine and beer are highly profitable, but it also prevents some big-chain stores from coming into Oklahoma, since many of their main profits come from the sale of wine and beer. Well, it didn't fail on the floor, because it never made it there. The bill was killed in a Senate committee before it even had a chance to be voted on by the people.
It still shocks me that, after all this time, there are still antique wine laws that exist like that. In some states you're not allowed to buy liquor on Sundays - all the bars and liquor stores have to close. And according to Free the Grapes, some states, including Maryland and New Jersey, still don't allow direct shipping of wine to consumers. It's actually a felony in Maryland. Can you believe it? An actual felony! Cruelty to animals and spousal abuse are only misdemeanors, yet receiving wine at your house is a felony? It's ridiculous!
I encourage anyone, especially those living in Oklahoma, Maryland and New Jersey, to speak out on behalf of our poor defenseless grapes ... after all, all they want is a home inside of our bellies!
Someone needs to remind those Oklahomians that Jesus's first miracle was to turn water into wine! Shouldn't that make not allowing wine anti Christian? Just a thought....
ReplyDeleteI agree, Liza! They drank it at the Last Supper - they even have it during Catholic Mass! It's not only criminal ... it's sacrilegious.
ReplyDeleteMy boyfriend and I went wine tasting on Valentine's Day, and at one of the wineries there was a list of "Safe" states - states where you can have wine shipped, no problem. And then the "not safe" states. There were I think 27? states that prohibit shipment of wine. Insane!
ReplyDeleteIt's also a felony to ship to Utah, but no big surprise there I suppose.
Yeah, it's a big problem in Kentucky too. They say it's as much an economic reason (bourbon sales) as it is religious/social.
ReplyDeleteMy sister lives in a dry county. And I worked at a gas station that sold lots of liquor; I wasn't allowed to sell any before noon on Sundays. I think. Something like that. I didn't really pay much attention to that job.
ReplyDeleteWow, seriously? Did people come in and try to buy it anyway, or was it common knowledge? What city and state were u in, btw?
ReplyDeleteI had an anti liqour law on sunday when I lived in Mass. It is rediculous that these things still exist, but not as bad as the anti marijuana laws that still exist in Florida. 20 years for posession is a bit extreme if you ask me.
ReplyDeleteMassachusetts is seriously whacked on wine. I think it's still a felony to ship it there are well. And 20 years just for possession? That's quite a risk!
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