Blue Laws

Hattiesburg, MS for all of it’s new found sophistication, metropolitanness, etc., is still at the bottom of it’s soul a small southern town. This was brought to my attention the other day while I was mowing my lawn. (Sorry, Ann) I decided to get a refreshing adult beverage. So, I walked up to my neighborhood convenience store where I was informed that because of the blue law I would have to wait another 25 minutes before they would be allowed to sell me a beer. I had completely forgotten that it is illegal to sell beer before noon on Sunday. I don’t know how denying me a morning beer is going to improve me or the community at large since I’m not going to church drunk or sober.
Of course, it hasn’t been so long ago that the sale of adult beverages on the sabbath was forbidden entirely in our little town. Back then one had to drive thirty miles to Laurel for a Sunday brew. Laurel was considered a "resort" community & therefore the sale of beer on Sunday was essential to their tourist industry. Although, as far as I could tell, the only tourists they had were thirsty folks from Hattiesburg.
Other blue laws include no selling alcohol within a certain number of yards from a church or school and my personal favorite no exposed alcoholic beverage containers. Apparently the sight of a bottle of alcohol is so offensive to some people that a law had to be passed whereby if you are in a public place you must drink out of a paper bag.
Since the slackening of the blue laws it is now possible to sell beer on Sunday (albeit after noon), bars & restaurants may serve both beer and liquor on Sunday, and bars may now stay open till 2:00 a.m. instead of midnight. This last change effectively killed off what used to be a thriving after-party scene in Hattiesburg. Anyone who hung out and Nick’s in the late eighty’s may now utter a wistful sight.
I suppose I don’t really mind our quaint little blue laws. They harken back to simpler and arguably more sober times. I do, however, find it ironic that the State that gave us these laws is also the only source for the purchase of alcoholic beverages.