I remember watching the Prohibition miniseries on PBS, and how the people voting for it assumed that they were cutting off booze for the ethnic people. They didn't realize that the white Protestants having a glass of wine with dinner would be affected, too.

Of course, as it turned out, they weren't all THAT affected. Especially if they were willing to buy their "medicine" from the Catholics, who got it for sacramental purposes. IIRC.

Gah. It drives me batshit when people don't understand the 1st Amendment.

Yeah.

Palin is the worst at this. Didn't she complain about her 1st Amendment rights when a reporter criticized her?

"I wasn't aware that he had been arrested."

The argument in my head does include the fact that he can say whatever the hell he pleases - then he is required to be responsible for what he has been pleased to say.

But it's staying in my head because I'm super conflict-avoidant so still spun up about the apostrophe attack (seriously - he asked me to show him where it's documented that what I'm trying to correct is required to be correct - seriously!)

Is he the anti-Buffista?

He would be tossed off the board so fast his head would spin. He always attacks first, then generally ends up doing what you asked anyway. So, I'm still emotional from the fight, and he's currently doing the corrections.

Anyway, Bastion of Sanity, I love you so (even from the lurky place I usually live).

My grandfather made some good money off that Prohibition silliness.

My grandfather made some good money off that Prohibition silliness.

As did my great-grandfather, who lived in Chicago and ran booze for gangsters (family legend says Al Capone, and at this point, despite the fact that I can't verify it, I'm going with it because then at least *someone* in my progenitors had some level of badassery) in his flower truck. He always said that he only ran booze because the guys who ran guns eventually ended up dead.

Are you of Irish descent, Sue?

Especially if they were willing to buy their "medicine" from the Catholics, who got it for sacramental purposes. IIRC.

My favorite workaround for wine during Prohibition was vineyards selling concentrated grape juice, and putting "warning" labels on the box that said "DO NOT DILUTE WITH WATER AND ALLOW TO FERMENT OR THIS WILL TURN INTO WINE"

family legend says Al Capone

It's a pretty safe bet, since Capone killed off his competition in Chicago.

A guy in the next section (who I normally like perfectly fine) just went on a rant about how Rush's 1st Amendment Rights are under attack.

Oh man I hate that argument. Freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom from criticism.

It's a pretty safe bet, since Capone killed off his competition in Chicago.

At this point in my life, whenever I picture my great-grandpa bootlegging for gangsters, I end up picturing Bart Simpson working for Fat Tony.

(My great-grandpa looked nothing like Bart Simpson.)