We’ve written before about states with “blue laws” on the books. These are the rules preventing the sale of certain items like alcohol on Sunday mornings because that time is reserved for Jesus, dammit.

North Carolina used to ban liquor sales before noon on Sundays, but the state legislature passed a “brunch bill” earlier this year allowing alcohol to be sold on Sundays beginning at 10:00 a.m… if the local governments agreed to it.

This week, as business owners watched in despair, three of the four members of the Bryson City Board of Aldermen decided they wouldn’t approve of the change. And their reasons were based entirely on religion.

Alderman Janine Crisp, who is up for election this year, made her position on the matter known during a board work session last month. In speaking to people in the community, she said she just couldn’t support a measure that offends the community’s Christian values. … Alderman Rick Bryson, also up for election this year, said he too had a problem with passing the ordinance extending alcohol sales on Sundays because it didn’t fit with Bryson City’s community standards. “I’m astonished the so-called conservative legislature in Raleigh passed this bill at all,” he said. “I have a problem with alcohol being served when kids are in Sunday school — I think it’s inappropriate.”

Jesus Christ… NO ONE’S SERVING THOSE CHILDREN ALCOHOL, SO WHO CARES?! Does anyone think the alcohol ban would still be in effect if Christian teens met for youth group on Wednesday nights? Why can’t the churches just hold Sunday School earlier for the sake of local businesses? It’s a ridiculous argument.

I have a problem with guns being sold while any kids are in school, so are they going to put a stop to that, too?

And the idea that the community has “Christian values” is absurd. Some Christians may have those values, but we shouldn’t base our laws on their religious whims. North Carolina, of all places, should know better than to force conservative Christian “values” upon everyone in the state. The governor is now a Democrat in large part because people were sick of faith-based irrationality in the state legislature hurting the state’s economy.

I promise you Christians in Bryson City are going to go to brunch on Sunday mornings — and some of them won’t leave a tip because the waitstaff defied God by working on the Sabbath. The least they could do is let the employees get tips from the sale of alcohol from people who know how to treat them well.

And keep in mind this is a city that relies on tourists. It’s a small community at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. So not serving alcohol on Sunday mornings has a serious impact on local businesses. But nothing will change unless Crisp, Bryson, and Alderman Jim Gribble are voted out.

People in Bryson City need to elect officials that do what’s best for the community instead of trying to please their imaginary friend. This was a simple vote and they bungled it.

(Image via Shutterstock. Thanks to Ellen for the link)

