But like most things in this world the ‘fence’ is actually a kilometre wide, muddy swamp of grey morality and ambiguous opinions. For every person standing absolutely on one side or the other, there are a hundred more right in the thick of that muck.
I for example am completely indifferent about the fact that people can now buy alcohol on a Sunday. However I am firmly against the fact that alcohol is so freely available. You see what I mean about an ambiguous opinion?
Allow me to explain with a little word picture. Imagine a world where alcohol is sold to South Africans around the clock, six days a week from beer in cases to ‘celebration’ size two-litre bottles of wine, and even spirits and a loaf of bread.
Consider happy hour specials at clubs, and a free draught with a rack of ribs at family restaurants. Now imagine in this world that one day out of the week retailers are not allowed to sell alcohol. The people of this world are resourceful and clever. Many simply buy two bottles of whiskey on a Saturday instead of one. Others see a gap in the market and open establishments called shebeens that sell alcohol illegally on a Sunday yet stay open for business regardless. People drink just as much alcohol as they would on any other day of the week. Can you imagine a world like that?
Well if your creative juices are not flowing normally these weeks, then you are in luck because even though it may be hard to believe, this crazy world is not so different from our own. I say this as I leap boldly into the wide, dark depths of the ‘sarcasm’.
I don’t like that drunk driving causes thousands of road accident each year, or that alcohol abuse is directly linked to crimes like assault, domestic violence, and child abuse. Study after study links alcohol to depression, cancer, and liver damage. I especially do not like the fact that it is sold at every function, event, and show, from charity drives, to some church events.
All this law is doing is taking the money away from shabeens and hopefully putting it in the tills of regulated liquor stores. Look at what happened to the USA when they tried to ban alcohol in the 1920s it gave rise to one of the most powerful criminal organisations in history and people still got their drink on. So when I say I have a problem with how easily alcohol is accessible I am not pointing my finger at the Laws, I am pointing my finger at the people.
I would like to leave you with a thought, if you have ever had a drink on a Sunday keep your opinion to yourself. If you have ever had alcohol on a Sunday keep your opinion to yourself, and if you are a shabeen owner or opposing the law from some moral high ground then you can always block of the N4 highway in protest.
