Dry Vs. Wet…
This is my perspective and opinion. We have a system where majority rules. Like it or not. Except when there is voter fraud, the majority rules. I am against making it easier for irresponsible people because it is wrong and I am against paying for their irresponsible behavior. I have spent countless hours prying twisted, mangled bodies out of wrecked vehicles. I have picked up pieces of bodies off of our county roads… many of them children… transported them to the morgue and attended their autopsies… hundreds of them. I have had to wake up next of kin to inform them that their drunk loved one killed themself. I have refereed countless violent domestic disputes between drunk parents as horrified children looked on. I have bagged up the pieces of suicide victims who, while highly intoxicated, apparently lost their vision and hope for the future. I have worked many homicides. Most of them were alcohol related. I have been in life or death fights with intoxicated idiots in the middle of roadways during arrest situations while everyone else was asleep. Most of the rapes, robberies and other violent crimes I have worked in the last 23 years have been alcohol related. I have been shot at many times by drunks. The property damage that irresponsible drunks create is unbelievable. We often pay for this property damage. We pay the welfare, S.S.I. and we often pay to raise their victimized children and families. We pay to warehouse the abusers in jails and prisons. We pay with the lost lives of our loved ones and friends. We often pay the medical bills and for the autopsies. They often make excuses and blame others for their irresponsible behavior. Many drinkers and drunks keep it reasonably under control. Fine. That’s on them, but their inner circle of loved ones pay in countless ways.
It is my opinion that alcohol makes people much more stupid than they would normally be. They generally make extremely poor choices. I know a lot of good people who are in prison and jail as a direct result of their alcohol and substance abuse issues. I have friends that are not reaching their God given potential because of their alcohol and substance abuse issues. In all circumstances their families suffer dearly. We all pay for this… at least those of us who work. I do not judge them… Luke 6:37… There is only One True Judge, but I am also not going to enable them . My God gives us all free will to make good choices or bad choices… Deuteronomy 30:19. I pay enough for my own poor choices, but I am tired of paying the “stupid tax” for others and their careless behavior. I wish people would consider the impact on our society instead of their self-interests and agendas.
I don’t believe alcohol is the problem. I believe alcohol abuse is a symptom of the underlying problem. It’s people not willing to take personal responsibility for their words, their actions, their feelings and their emotions. It’s people not willing to face, and deal with, their inner demons, hurts and pains. It’s generally self-inflicted pain, suffering and drama. This is what tears relationships, families and careers apart. It’s a poverty builder and multiplier. It’s self-imposed slavery. I have seen countless numbers in our county, who can’t afford to keep a roof over their head without government assistance… our warped assistance… but they will spend “their” last cent for cheap booze. A majority of our repeat criminal activity comes from these same people. II Thessalonians 3:10… These facts are easy to confirm, but most prefer to pretend they don’t exist. It’s not quite as glamorous as the white collar drunks and country club drunks. In the past, these were released from jail before the arrest paperwork was done. These are some of the repercussions for a selfish, greed, power and control focused, God-less society. Galations 6:7… We reap what we sow, more than we sow, later than we sow. Most of these people have no vision or hope for the future. Proverbs 29:18…
As far as alcohol sales boosting our local economy, I believe the main reason our county fails to thrive is because we have a few people with lots of money choking out and blocking new, positive growth. Once again, I feel that this is so they can protect their own self-interest… greed, power, control and self-centered agendas. Proverbs 16:18… It also doesn’t help that we have more “tax suckers” per square inch than we do tax payers. In closing, I feel that easier access to alcohol is giving meth to a meth head. Until our nation collectively decides to cut the freeloading and enabling, and until we all take personal responsibility for ourselves, the anarchy will continue. II Chronicles 7:14… God gives each of us free will to make good choices or bad choices. I will not make things easier or enable the ones that I feel are making the poor choices. Yep, my vote is “No” on our county going wet.
Jude 1:2
With His blessing I serve, Mark W. Joost
