“When Prohibition was introduced, I hoped that it would be widely supported by public opinion and the day would soon come when the evil effects of alcohol would be recognised. I have slowly and reluctantly come to believe that this has not been the result. Instead, drinking has generally increased; the speakeasy has replaced the saloon; a vast army of lawbreakers has appeared; many of our best citizens have openly ignored Prohibition; respect for the law has been greatly lessened; and crime has increased to a level never seen before.” – John D. Rockefeller
Earlier this year Dr. Debs commented on the start of prohibition in the U.S., but I promised her that Dec. 5th was the day I would remember. On this day in 1933 the Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, repealing the Eighteenth Amendment (the prohibition of alcohol).
Let us raise a glass today to the rebirth of the American wine industry, and keep this day as a reminder to always be wary of the dark forces of the temperance movement...
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5 comments:
Happy End of Prohibition! How great that you remembered--I forgot!
Joe,
Lets take it a step more there are many laws still on the books from those days that have restricted the shipping of wine interstate. I just wrote an article or two and so did Thomas of vinofictions check them out and give us your thoughts. http://winelimo.typepad.com/winery_times/2007/12/interstate-ship.html
Hi Debs. Of course I remembered - I never forget a wine promise!
Hi Mark - As a Montrealer I can only dream of the 'permissive' laws south of the border...
Joe,
Certainly a day to celebrate! The closest we came in Australia was the temperance movement, which called for prohibition, but never succeeded. I have some sympathies for the women who were largely the driving force behind the temperance movement. I can only imagine how difficult it would be dealing with a spouse with a serious drinking problem.
You and I are of course non serious, as long as we keep insisting on taking photos of wine bottles in the garden. . .
Hi Edward, Canada also had a temperance movement, but with only fleeting success. Yes, a spouse with a problem would be difficult, but we winos are different...sniffing a glass for an hour before drinking is not a drinking problem! However, taking pictures of wine bottles in the garden is surely some psychosis...
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