Dry counties?

Heineken Helen

I hadn't heard of these til recently and still think it's some kind of a joke on us Europeans... that it's just the southerners taking the piss out of us... 'yes we really DO forbid alcohol sales' ya know the way sometimes we'd go along with stereotypes to make fun of people who don't know any better

Anyway... SERIOUSLY??? What's the story? Are there really ENTIRE COUNTIES where you cannot buy alcohol? :eek:

Pacomc79

Heineken Helen wrote:

I hadn't heard of these til recently and still think it's some kind of a joke on us Europeans... that it's just the southerners taking the piss out of us... 'yes we really DO forbid alcohol sales' ya know the way sometimes we'd go along with stereotypes to make fun of people who don't know any better

Anyway... SERIOUSLY??? What's the story? Are there really ENTIRE COUNTIES where you cannot buy alcohol? :eek:

indeed, perhaps not unexpected the neighboring counties are all the more happy to get that extra business.

Look up "Blue Laws" and it should give you a good laugh.

Apparently we simply don't enjoy commerce at certain times of the day or on a certain day of the week.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_law

yeah, nothing like inforcing one groups morality on the rest of the population. No I don't want to do it and I don't want you to have the right to do it so I am going to use the police power of government to stop you from doing it....that kind of thing.

People who don't particularly enjoy freedom.

surfanddestroy

Heineken Helen wrote:

I hadn't heard of these til recently and still think it's some kind of a joke on us Europeans... that it's just the southerners taking the piss out of us... 'yes we really DO forbid alcohol sales' ya know the way sometimes we'd go along with stereotypes to make fun of people who don't know any better

Anyway... SERIOUSLY??? What's the story? Are there really ENTIRE COUNTIES where you cannot buy alcohol? :eek:

Yeah I always found it funny that Tennessee is one of them when they make JD there.

baraka

Ha ha, growing up all over the southern US, this is something very familiar to me. For some counties, alcohol is completely 'forbidden', others just forbid it's sale on Sunday, still others it is a free for all. Yeah, it is silly as you can usually just drive to the next county to get alcohol.

This might help

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_county

even flow?

Heineken Helen wrote:

I hadn't heard of these til recently and still think it's some kind of a joke on us Europeans... that it's just the southerners taking the piss out of us... 'yes we really DO forbid alcohol sales' ya know the way sometimes we'd go along with stereotypes to make fun of people who don't know any better

Anyway... SERIOUSLY??? What's the story? Are there really ENTIRE COUNTIES where you cannot buy alcohol? :eek:

Do you know how cute and questioning your title could have been with one letter missing? :eek:

baraka

surfanddestroy wrote:

Yeah I always found it funny that Tennessee is one of them when they make JD there.

I went to college in Memphis and alcohol is a way of life there!!!!! Alcohol is cool 24/7 in Memphis!

dunkman

even flow? wrote:

Do you know how cute and questioning your title could have been with one letter missing? :eek:

damn...... you got in before me!!! i'll post my witicism anyway



i thought this thread was a story about dyslexic nuns


*drums*

RainDog

Heineken Helen wrote:

I hadn't heard of these til recently and still think it's some kind of a joke on us Europeans... that it's just the southerners taking the piss out of us... 'yes we really DO forbid alcohol sales' ya know the way sometimes we'd go along with stereotypes to make fun of people who don't know any better

Anyway... SERIOUSLY??? What's the story? Are there really ENTIRE COUNTIES where you cannot buy alcohol? :eek:

Yes, there are. Liquor laws in the U.S. can be a little screwy. Look at South Carolina - until sometime last year, all the bars and restaraunts had to sell liquor from those little airline bottles. They had to make sure the bartenders weren't giving you a heavy pour. It made drinks with multiple shots and liquors - like a Long Island Iced Tea - extremely expensive.

But they changed that. I'm not sure how the law works now.

surfanddestroy

baraka wrote:

I went to college in Memphis and alcohol is a way of life there!!!!! Alcohol is cool 24/7 in Memphis!

Should have been more specific Moore County, Tennessee is where Jack Daniels is made annd that is dry.

Heineken Helen

Pacomc79 wrote:

indeed, perhaps not unexpected the neighboring counties are all the more happy to get that extra business.

Look up "Blue Laws" and it should give you a good laugh.

Apparently we simply don't enjoy commerce at certain times of the day or on a certain day of the week.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_law

yeah, nothing like inforcing one groups morality on the rest of the population. No I don't want to do it and I don't want you to have the right to do it so I am going to use the police power of government to stop you from doing it....that kind of thing.

People who don't particularly enjoy freedom.

:eek: That link's giving me a good laugh... but please... I still kinda believe that you lot ARE taking the piss! I mean, is America not the land of the free and the home of all things good and all that? And then there's THIS????? Kinda takes from my dream of an easy rider style road trip... what's the fucking point if there's no alcohol? :eek:

baraka

surfanddestroy wrote:

Should have been more specific Moore County, Tennessee is where Jack Daniels is made annd that is dry.

That IS interesting! Yeah, there is no problem getting your drink on in Shelby County whenever you want. Also, I don't believe there is an 'open container' law in Memphis.

even flow?

surfanddestroy wrote:

Should have been more specific Moore County, Tennessee is where Jack Daniels is made annd that is dry.

Yet on the tour of JD the guide joked about coming in hungover and what they do to cure it. I just can't imagine that much booze hanging around and the law actually being enforced.

Heineken Helen

baraka wrote:

Ha ha, growing up all over the southern US, this is something very familiar to me. For some counties, alcohol is completely 'forbidden', others just forbid it's sale on Sunday, still others it is a free for all. Yeah, it is silly as you can usually just drive to the next county to get alcohol.

This might help

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_county

well thing is we've had similar laws here... like pubs DO close earlier and open later on a Sunday than other days... and ALL pubs are closed Christmas day and Good Friday (which have become two of the biggest drinking days of the year BECAUSE of this - house parties everywhere good friday ). I read recently that all pubs were closed until the 70s in Ireland on fucking PADDYS DAY And look at how that turned out, lol.

even flow?

Heineken Helen wrote:

Kinda takes from my dream of an easy rider style road trip... what's the fucking point if there's no alcohol? :eek:

A banjo and inbreeding will have to replace the alcoolhol on that trip of the south. Just funnin' peoples as I saw it in a movie.

Heineken Helen

RainDog wrote:

Yes, there are. Liquor laws in the U.S. can be a little screwy. Look at South Carolina - until sometime last year, all the bars and restaraunts had to sell liquor from those little airline bottles. They had to make sure the bartenders weren't giving you a heavy pour. It made drinks with multiple shots and liquors - like a Long Island Iced Tea - extremely expensive.

But they changed that. I'm not sure how the law works now.

:eek: could that maybe be more of a money thing? All shots here are poured from measurements... and you rarely get a bartender going OVER the measurement.

Heineken Helen

even flow? wrote:

A banjo and inbreeding will have to replace the alcoolhol on that trip of the south. Just funnin' peoples as I saw it in a movie.

Shite... I can't play and I've no relatives in the South and I'm not a sheep... I think the roadtrip's off :mad:

baraka

Heineken Helen wrote:

well thing is we've had similar laws here... like pubs DO close earlier and open later on a Sunday than other days... and ALL pubs are closed Christmas day and Good Friday (which have become two of the biggest drinking days of the year BECAUSE of this - house parties everywhere good friday ). I read recently that all pubs were closed until the 70s in Ireland on fucking PADDYS DAY And look at how that turned out, lol.

I thought St Paddy's Day was synonymous with drinking!

baraka

Heineken Helen wrote:

Shite... I can't play and I've no relatives in the South and I'm not a sheep... I think the roadtrip's off :mad:

You can always come visit me, Helen, if you visit the south. We have our ways around these silly laws and you won't have to hook up with a sheep on your first visit.

Heineken Helen

baraka wrote:

I thought St Paddy's Day was synonymous with drinking!

You thought right! That's why I thought that hilarious, the pubs were closed cos it was a religious holiday which we should respect apparently. Then the pubs were allowed open and suddenly it's a long weekend and a GREAT drinking opportunity. Then they decide to have all these parades and stuff... it's just asking for trouble really

Heineken Helen

baraka wrote:

You can always come visit me, Helen, if you visit the south. We have our ways around these silly laws and you won't have to hook up with a sheep on your first visit.

but what if I want to?

baraka

Heineken Helen wrote:

but what if I want to?

Now that I think about it, I don't think we have many sheep around here. Will a cow do? Perhaps a chicken, we have lots of those! Ha ha

chime

Helen I've seen it with my own eyes ... when I lived in the US I lived next to a dry county ... first street in our county ... row of liquor stores ... they're not having you on :cool:

Heineken Helen

baraka wrote:

Now that I think about it, I don't think we have many sheep around here. Will a cow do? Perhaps a chicken, we have lots of those! Ha ha

sounds like you have plenty of experience

Chime :eek: so it means you can't buy alcohol EVER??? EVER?? In those places? defies belief really.

baraka

Heineken Helen wrote:

sounds like you have plenty of experience

LOL! Only in 'cow tipping'........:D Chickens scare me.

norm

dunkman wrote:

i thought this thread was a story about dyslexic nuns


*drums*

There aren't enough smilies to demonstrate how funny that was.


Well played sir. Well played. :D:D

nick1977

Yeah....it is sad but true.

I live in a fucking dry county. They are predominate in the American South....in the "Bible Belt." It is extraordinarily difficult to change a dry county to a wet county (here, you have to get a petition signed by 1/3 of registered voters just to get it on the ballot).

It is ridiculous. We do have "private clubs" where you can pay a membership fee, and then drink there. Other than that, you have to drive to the county line to the liquor store.

It is ridiculous, I tell you.

Heineken Helen

nick1977 wrote:

Yeah....it is sad but true.

I live in a fucking dry county. They are predominate in the American South....in the "Bible Belt." It is extraordinarily difficult to change a dry county to a wet county (here, you have to get a petition signed by 1/3 of registered voters just to get it on the ballot).

It is ridiculous. We do have "private clubs" where you can pay a membership fee, and then drink there. Other than that, you have to drive to the county line to the liquor store.

It is ridiculous, I tell you.

:( I'm sorry Nick... and how big are counties over there? Like what would be the furthest you may have to drive to buy alcohol?

nick1977

Heineken Helen wrote:

:( I'm sorry Nick... and how big are counties over there? Like what would be the furthest you may have to drive to buy alcohol?

Oh, I can get to a liquor store in 10 minutes.

Like I said, there is a loophole, and there are restaurants that are "private clubs" so I can have wine with my meal if I go to those places (and I often do).

Anyway, all the people under the age of 40 want to change the law. All people over the age of 40 want it to be a dry county because they don't want our town filled with drunks and crime. lol The folks in support of it being dry claim "the majority voted it that way, so there should be no alcohol here." Well, it was voted that way in 1962. The town has tripled in size since that time.

It is a joke.....fundamentalist conservative Christians want to keep alcohol out of our hands. If it were voted on today, I guarantee you the law would be changed, but like I said, it is impossible to get the issue on the ballot.

OR......I could just make my own moonshine.

mookie blaylock 10

it all sounds like a simpson's episode!

Riverrunner

I am sitting in my office in Paducah, Kentucky which is in McCracken County. All surrounding Kentucky counties are dry with one exception. About a year ago the State passed a law allowing municipalities to serve alcoholic drinks with food at restaurants. But the restaurants had to be big enough to seat 100 people. So such places are still few and far between. I live across the river in Metropolis, Illinois which is a "wet county." However, all liquor establishments must be closed on Sunday, but the surrounding Illinois counties are allowed to be open even on Sundays. McCracken County just recently passed an ordinance allowing alcohol to be served at restaurants on Sundays.

Heineken Helen

mookie blaylock 10 wrote:

it all sounds like a simpson's episode!

Does indeed!

So Nick, you need to get 1/3 of the electorate to sign a petition in order for it to go to the ballots? Would that be an option then? I know I would just to piss them there ole folks off