The Georgia legislation is in the process of lifting the Sunday alcohol ban, also known as blue laws. A blue law, as defined by the Encyclopedia Britannica, is “a law forbidding certain secular activities on Sunday.” According to a poll conducted from the Atlanta- Journal Constitution 68% of the poll takers are for the lift. Some Christians in this state have made it very clear that they find it completely all right to force others in this state to follow their religious code. But people are in opposition to the outdated blue laws of this state, and are determined to be heard.
The problem with the ban here in Georgia is the fact that it is still legal in some counties to drink in restaurants. The people in counties, like Fulton, can go out to eat or to a bar, drink all they want, get in their cars, and drive home. According to alcoholalert.com, in 2005, 27% of traffic fatalities involved a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or more. Although lifting the Sunday alcohol ban may not greatly reduce this number it would help to some extent.
Of course, fundamentally, the reason for a Sunday ban is religious. Since the separation of Church and State is a constitutional protection, enacting a law for religious purposes is contrary to the ideology our country was founded on. When considering religion in 2007, it must be considered that Muslims holy day is on Friday, and the Jewish Sabbath is on Saturday, and not to offend any of the three prominent religions in Georgia should we not ban alcohol on all three holy days? Of course not, in no way does the lifting of the ban make it a requirement to drink on any of these days. It only allows those in this state that do not participate in Christianity to drink on Sunday.
The Sunday alcohol ban is a blue law that was passed in the 1800’s, when much more of the population of Georgia was in agreement of religious views, and is outdated in today’s society of wider views and believes.