Local leaders not warm to idea of Sunday sales

I must say that I have been really impressed with Anthony Dove’s leadership and management of Madison County in the last two years. However, he has now disappointed me on two counts.

First, Chairman Dove chose to take the low road in his pointed response to Commissioner Pethel at the last meeting concerning time keeping. Rather than taking the high road by keeping a sharp focus on the issue at hand, he chose to vent his personal feelings. While I fully understand the sensitivities that would prompt him to feel the need to defend himself against a perceived attack, a pubic meeting is not the place for that. The issue was time keeping; Chairman Dove should have let the issue run its course to defeat with the proper procedures, which he did, but without his personal footnote. Later, outside the official meeting, he could have made a statement to demonstrate his awareness of Commissioner Pethel’s “stirring it up” for “political purposes”. I would rather he have the maturity to simply let it go.

Secondly, Chairman Dove took the very first opportunity to make it clear that he was not going to propose a vote on Sunday alcohol sales now that the State of Georgia is allowing local control of this issue. ““I won’t even put it on the agenda — as far as my feelings on it,” said county commission chairman Anthony Dove.” Chairman Dove’s feelings are not the issue here. One would get the sense that Dove would curtail voter’s rights under state law just to support his own opinions. Apparently other commissioners would do the same. This seems highly un-American and un-patriotic. If they feel they are reflecting the majority view, then why would they be afraid to allow a vote? What are they afraid of? Put it out there and get this decided right away, one way or the other.

What practical difference would it make if alcohol were sold on Sunday? Even the liquor store owners know that they will sell no more overall by being open one more day, which they really do not want to do (and, of course, don’t have to). As it is now, people who failed to plan ahead for their booze at home will simply go out for alcoholic drinks by the glass and then drive home impaired. How nice. Remember Prohibition? Didn’t work! I don’t have anything to do with alcohol; if I could magically make it disappear from the face of the earth, I would. It causes so much misery and tragedy in so many ways. It’s here to stay, unfortunately, so we just have to deal with it as best we can.

One Georgia lawmaker wanted no sales on Sunday because Sunday was the Sabbath. Who’s Sabbath?? Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath, so we would have to stop all sales of alcohol on Saturday, too. And Wednesday, also, if there is some religion out there which honors Wednesday. This tells me that this issue is, to some extent, about religion, specifically Christianity. Is the Madison County commission attempting to inject religion into their governance? I hope not. Put it to the voters and get this over with now before the next election!