Slog - Comments on Sober Home Alabama http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama If an upcoming ballot measure passes, the city of Athens, Alabama, may soon be dry. A measure to end the sale of alcohol in Athens is up for a citywide vote, a rare instance where voters could overturn a previous vote to allow sales. Business interests are against repeal, but church leaders who helped organize the petition drive that got the measure on the ballot are asking members to pray and fast in support of a ban. Christians who oppose drinking on moral grounds believe they have a chance to win, however small. "If it can be voted out anywhere,... Copyright 2008 Tue, 14 Aug 2007 16:03:45 -0800 Wed, 15 Aug 2007 10:29:50 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by monkey Ooops, too late, just the fact that they are voting on it makes us all think they are backwards.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20249460/?GT1=10252

]]> monkey http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783323 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783323 Religion Tue, 14 Aug 2007 16:18:25 -0800 Comment by COMTE Funny no one there has sponsored a petition to change the name of their city while they're at it.

Surely, good God-fearing Christians such as live there must bridle every time someone even mentions the name of Athens, seeing as it used to be the Capital of a pagan, polytheistic society that advocated drinking, democracy, epistemological inquiry, and having sex with young boys.

]]> COMTE http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783326 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783326 Religion Tue, 14 Aug 2007 16:20:05 -0800 Comment by Dianna Agreed with no.1. No need to worry.

]]> Dianna http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783333 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783333 Religion Tue, 14 Aug 2007 16:25:43 -0800 Comment by Mariana These Christians are aware that Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine at a wedding - AFTER everyone was already drunk, correct?

]]> Mariana http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783353 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783353 Religion Tue, 14 Aug 2007 16:37:47 -0800 Comment by catalina vel-duray So they outlaw liquor. Big deal. They'll just end up with their own version of White Center.

Booze and sex are eternal. They've been around much longer than Christianity.

]]> catalina vel-duray http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783433 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783433 Religion Tue, 14 Aug 2007 18:00:23 -0800 Comment by dw Honestly, having just gotten back from Bama, I can tell you they don't have to vote on being dry thanks to that drought of theirs. Much of the state is 20"+ below normal for the year.

But, of course, there's no such thing as global warming.

]]> dw http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783453 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783453 Religion Tue, 14 Aug 2007 18:54:46 -0800 Comment by Fnarf Oh noes! And I was planning my next vacation there!

Like anybody gives a shit what happens in Pinchfart, Alabama.

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783458 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783458 Religion Tue, 14 Aug 2007 18:57:13 -0800 Comment by Lloyd Clydesdale The worst thing about a dry town or county is when you don't realize that you're there looking for a frosty drink.

Happened to me once in Mexico - after a loooong drive - and after about an hour of walking around, some dude that we asked pointed us to a non-descript, small locale, upstairs, that featured beers, a one-man keyboard band/mc thing, non-bottomless titty dancing, and the stubble of the town's citizenry as audience - one of whom did nothing but sit directly between me and the titties, staring me menacingly in the eyeball. I tried to act respectful. It was Sunday.

]]> Lloyd Clydesdale http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783465 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783465 Religion Tue, 14 Aug 2007 19:21:49 -0800 Comment by Gitai Note to self: Open liquor store just outside the city limits of Athens, Alabama.

]]> Gitai http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783468 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783468 Religion Tue, 14 Aug 2007 19:31:55 -0800 Comment by Matt from Denver This is nothing new for down south. They have dry COUNTIES in Alabama.

Gitai @ 9 has it right. The locals who want a drink (which naturally includes a lot of people who go to the churches that are behind these petitions) just drive to the nearest locale where it's legal and stock up.

]]> Matt from Denver http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783491 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783491 Religion Tue, 14 Aug 2007 21:17:08 -0800 Comment by Matt from Denver Sorry, forgot to add that Fnarf @ 7 expresses the right sentiment... This would be news if it were happening in Washington, Oregon, or any other blue state (excluding reservations). Since this is Alabama, this definitely falls under "dog bites man" as far as newsworthiness goes.

]]> Matt from Denver http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783492 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783492 Religion Tue, 14 Aug 2007 21:19:01 -0800 Comment by Katelyn Gitai @9's got it. I'll deliver the goods to customers in town who don't mind tipping big... and prayers for their damned immortal souls cost extra.

]]> Katelyn http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783503 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783503 Religion Tue, 14 Aug 2007 22:33:47 -0800 Comment by Roger Williams Matt, this does happen in blue states. I grew up in a town in bluer-than-blue Massachusetts that had been dry since the early nineteenth century. If you wanted to drink, you'd drive over the town line to the packie. Definitely a man bites dog story.

]]> Roger Williams http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783562 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783562 Religion Tue, 14 Aug 2007 23:07:15 -0800 Comment by Giffy Obligatory I'd have to be drunk to live in Alabama joke.

]]> Giffy http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783651 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783651 Religion Wed, 15 Aug 2007 00:25:14 -0800 Comment by matthew fisher wilder @13 FTW

Look no further than our own liquor board. I'm sure there are counties in WA that might compete with these counties in Bama.

]]> matthew fisher wilder http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783753 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783753 Religion Wed, 15 Aug 2007 10:13:24 -0800 Comment by genevieve I grew up in a dry town - one with a well-known college, no less! not that big of a deal, everyone went to the next town over for booze. You were even allowed to bring your own wine to the local restaurants (although somehow I don't think that will fly in Athens). The worst thing about it is that it encourages drunk driving if there are no bars to which one can walk.

]]> genevieve http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783766 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/sober_home_alabama#c783766 Religion Wed, 15 Aug 2007 10:29:50 -0800