Dear editor,
There have been many articles written to the Gazette against the sale of alcoholic beverages in Santa Rosa County. Right now the law is that they may not be sold on Sunday.
We believe that just because a certain group is against these sales that we should have a choice as to if we want to drink them or not on any given day, Sunday included.
Our belief is that it is a personal choice (for) those who don't drink alcohol on Sunday and those who want to. No one has to buy or drink alcohol — it is their choice.
We like to go out to dinner on Sundays and have a drink with our meal. Instead of having a meal in Santa Rosa County, we will go to Pensacola.
This law hurts local restaurants, grocery stores, and other businesses that serve or sell beer, wine or liquor. We would like to patronize local business on Sunday but, because of an outdated law, we cannot.
The 21st Amendment to the Constitution ending national prohibition became effective on Dec. 15, 1933 and was ratified by the state of Florida on Nov. 14, 1933.
We also think that this law was made because of religious groups. There is a separation of church and state in the Constitution.
John F. Kennedy said, "I believe in an America, where separation of church and state are absolute. Our elected officials should not mandate that we all abide by religious opinions."
If our leaders in Santa Rosa County do not put this on a ballot so that the residents can vote on it, they should be voted out of office. They allow the residents of Gulf Breeze to buy liquor on Sunday — why not the rest of the county?
GEORGE and HELEN THOMSON
Milton
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: LETTER:Santa Rosa leaders should end ban on Sunday alcohol sales