ATLANTA - As an Athens resident, Venn Chesteine has seen many football fans from other states go "ballistic" at the grocery store on Sundays when they learn the alcohol aisles are on lockdown.
"We call it beer rage," Mr. Ches-teine said.
Like the majority of Georgians, at least according to several polls taken in recent weeks, Mr. Chesteine thinks Georgia's blue laws are outdated and need changing.
One measure moving through the state Legislature could ease some of the restrictions on alcohol sales, or at least pass the decision to counties, where voters would decide whether they should be allowed to buy beer and wine at stores on Sunday.
It would be the same process that allowed counties to hold ballot referendums during the past decade to determine whether local restaurants could sell alcohol on Sunday.
The bill, however, faces sizable opposition from religious groups, hard liquor retailers and even Gov. Sonny Perdue, based on comments he made on the issue last week to an Atlanta radio station.
The bill's sponsor, Sen. Seth Harp, R-Midland, said, however, he has public opinion backing his measure.
"There's been a groundswell for support for this legislation," said Mr. Harp, whose district includes Columbus, home to Fort Benning. "A lot of our military families come down here, and they just shake their heads in disbelief."
Mr. Harp said he realizes people hold strong opinions against allowing Sunday sales, which is why he is framing the debate around an issue of local control. Senate Bill 26, which is scheduled to be assigned to a committee Monday, would leave it up to county and city governments to decide whether they want to hold a vote to change the law.
But others already have formed an opinion on what they will support if the bill giving them a local option is approved.
"I'm definitely in favor of pushing it locally, at least to allow the taxpayers to decide," Augusta Commissioner Joe Bowles said, adding that Augusta is focusing on becoming a more progressive and economically developed city. "I think that's another option that we should pursue."
Georgia is one of three states that do not allow package beer and wine sales on Sunday. Opponents of the bill see no reason to change.
"When you have six days out of the week to buy beer and wine for the weekend, we think that's enough," said Sadie Fields, the chairwoman of the Georgia Christian Alliance, which has been speaking to lawmakers against the bill. "We believe that Sunday has been historically a day for worship, reflection and family. This is simply another infringement on that."
Sundays also are becoming something else - the primary grocery shopping day of the week for many consumers, said Jim Tudor, the president of the Georgia Association of Convenience Stores.
"It doesn't mean that they still don't attend church," he said about shoppers. "It's an issue that's been driven by our customers."
Mr. Tudor's group and the association representing retail grocers are pushing hard for Mr. Harp's bill.
"It's simply an issue of local control and what people want in their local market," he said.
If the measure passes and Athens-Clarke County voter approve Sunday sales, Leonard Sumner said he would open his liquor store for a while to see how it goes but doubts it would be worth the trouble.
"I'm against it. I don't look forward to working on Sunday."
Reach Vicky Eckenrode at (404) 681-1701 or vicky.eckenrode@morris.com.
SUNDAY SALES IN THE SOUTHEAST
North Carolina: Wine and beer only; restrictions or local regulations apply
South Carolina: Wine and beer only; restrictions or local regulations apply
Tennessee: Beer only; restrictions or local regulations apply
Georgia: No Sunday sales allowed
Alabama: Wine and beer only; restrictions or local regulations apply
Mississippi: Beer only
Florida: Liquor, wine and beer; restrictions or local regulations apply
Sources: Georgia Association of Convenience Stores, Georgia Food Industry Association
CONTACT INFO
To share your opinion for or against the measure, contact the chairman Sen. David Shafer, R-Duluth, at (404) 656-0048 or david.shafer@senate.ga.gov.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Should Georgia eliminate laws prohibiting Sunday beer and wine sales in stores? Vote online at www.augustachronicle.com/polls.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010. All Rights Reserved.
Of all the silly things a government can do, the blue laws are the silliest. When support for any of the blue laws is vocalized it comes out just plain silly. The most complimentary thing to be said of blue laws is that they are legislating morality. Blue laws are like an itch you can't reach. No real harm or good is done by them, but darned if they're not irritating. Ban all blue laws!
The only reason blue laws exist is to try and keep people from drinking on the Sabbath. The fact of the matter is, the USA is a country built on freedom. For example, the freedom of choosing one's own religion and beliefs. People who don't celebrate Sunday as a religious holiday are unable to buy liquor and I don't feel this should be so. What is the harm? Nobody who celebrates the Sabbath will be purchasing liquor anyway, but banning the blue laws will allow others the freedom to purchase on Sundays if that is convenient for them. It's not like you can't drink on Sundays already if you stock up on liquor during the week! It is merely a convenience to those who wish to shop on Sundays. I'll tell you what...I'm certainly tired of religious groups interfering in my life...it's okay to do your own thing without pushing your beliefs on others who feel differently than you do. Banning the blue laws just makes sense..
The worst is South Carolina. If you go to Walmart on Sunday morning, you can buy all you want in the grocery section, and you browse in the rest of the store, but no, no, don't even think about buying a TV or clothing. What do they think this has accomplished. Many of us go to church early and like to shop afterwards. These laws are outdated and only serve to impede commerce.
I agree the laws are outdated and attempts at legislating morality but what about laws against prostitution, porn, sex with children. Aren't they doing the same thing? Are these laws not a part of a moral society? ... And what's with "beer rage"?!? Weren't these same laws in effect last Sunday, last month, last year? Why should they be surprised, much less in a rage?
The Blue Laws are an embarassment to Southerners. Georgia is supposed to be the progressive southern state and every one of my out of town friends/guests are in disbelief that we cannot go out and have a drink on a Sunday night when they visit. If the Blue Laws are here to let people celebrate religion and family then nothing is stopping them.... Nobody is making them drink on a Sunday!
Vice laws typically attempt to regulate behavior so as to prevent people from being victimized, usually women and children. Sunday sales is a whole different ballgame. There would be no victim to allowing on Sunday what is allowed the rest of the week. If one can legally buy groceries on Sunday, why restrict alcohol? Because some select group has determined that they want to force everyone else to observe their set of morals, and those morals allow for buying food but not alcohol? I am a Christian and I don't see the point in forcing someone in America to obey my religious morals first off, and secondly if people are allowed, in this free America, to disobey a particular group's morals 6 days a week, it seems ridiculous to make them obey that group's morals on one day. "By golly we're going to make you do what we want you to ONE day out of the week." Is that the point? And by the way, if any Christian would think such violation of the sabbath too much to let others do, isn't buying groceries a violation? Furthermore, read Colossians 2:16 which tells you and me not to judge ANYBODY regarding observing a sabbath day. Obey that command and let Sunday sales happen.
When I first came to this area in 1999, I was shocked to find out you couldn't get a beer on a Sunday. I tried buying a non-food item one time on a Sunday in S.C. and was told I couldn't because of something called a "Blue Law". That law is bass ackwards and needs to go. Look at all the revenue businesses are losing to these rediculous laws. It's time to abolish these laws. It's pretty sad that a bunch of folks pass a law against alcohol sales on a certain day based on their principles forcing others to follow suit. It may be their right to believe in something like no alcohol on the Sabbath, but it's just as much my right to have/buy a beer on such a day as well.
Shows you the level of intellegence the lawmakers at the time considered their constituents had.