An article in today's New York Times -- "Toasting the End of an Error" -- talks about the end of Prohibition which took place just about 75-years ago when FDR ratified the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, which did away with the 18th Amendment's ban on alcohol consumption.
The article points out that there are still "dry counties" in the United States -- places where the sale of alcohol remains prohibited. Fannin County, home to Blue Ridge, is one of those communities. You can buy beer and wine in Fannin County -- heck, the drive-thru Beer Barn boasts "the coldest beer in town" -- but it cannot be served 'by the drink.' And, most restaurants will allow you to bring your own wine and beer with you...and, let's face it, that actually makes it a less expensive meal.
The clamor to allow beer & wine by the drink has gotten stronger through the years as more folks move to the area from other parts of the country. But, whenever it comes up for a vote, it gets turned down -- a testament to the strong voting bloc of the Southern Baptists -- or the fact that folks for whom Blue Ridge is a second home are not able to vote on the matter, depending on how you choose to look at it. There is no end to the lively debate on the subject, both publicly and privately.
As for me, the matter is academic. I'm not much of a drinker -- I can usually count on one hand the number of times in a year that I'll have a drink. Sometimes I'll go to a party planning to have at least two drinks, by God, and after half of one, the thrill is gone and I move on to my real drink of choice -- sweet tea.
I knew Fannin County was a dry county when I moved here, and I'm not one of those folks who think that just because I moved here, folks who have lived in Fannin their whole lives -- and their parents, grandparents & great-grandparents before them -- need to change to suit my way of looking at things. I am quite content with Blue Ridge just the way it is.
However, in my estimation, there are two good reasons to be able to serve liquor by the drink: to bring more good restaurants to the area; and, by extension, for job creation. Like it or not, it is hard to attract top-notch dining establishments when one of the top revenue producers for them -- serving alcohol -- is not allowed. Don't get me wrong, we have a number of great places to dine out -- Repaz, Great Eats and Cucina Rustica are delighful! -- but a few more good restaurants would be nice, along with the jobs they would create.
I believe that it is only a matter of time before the ban on by the drink alcohol is overturned. The economics alone are compelling enough, but as more and more folks discover the magic of Blue Ridge and move in to the area full-time -- and can vote here -- the politics of a dry county will get diluted, so-to-speak.
And when that day comes, I'll be glad to hoist my sweet tea and say "Cheers."
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