PA black minister protests "inequity" in Sunday liquor sales

Philadelphia area minister Jesse W. Brown penned a letter to hislocal newspaper pointing out that the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board decided to have some urban package stores open on Sunday, while "state stores" in rural communities -- especially those with more conservative (of course this being code for "white") populations -- would be closed Sundays.

According to Jonathan Newman, Chairperson of the Liquor Control Board (LCB), some communities in the state would not be forced to accept the Sunday sales.

"We have some stores in rural pockets where it wouldn't work because of the religious, conservative beliefs," Newman said.

As an African American pastor in an urban community who has fought for years against the intrusion of liquor sales in our neighborhoods, I take great offense at Mr. Newman's statement, made in a city with population that is just 2.6 percent African American. The statement made it very clear that this Administration is far more concerned about religious beliefs of Whites than those of Black Pennsylvanians.

Hmm... Let's see. urban area where enough sales can be made on Sundays to justify the salary of the workers there, versus rural area where the amount of sales does not offset or justify the salary of the employees who would work Sunday.

Discrimination?

I don't think so!

More like sound business practice!

But then again, this is coming from a resident of a state that is dry Sundays (gotta love Georgia, right?), and would much rather be able to buy booze on Sunday morning after church while doing my regular grocery shopping as opposed to making a special trip Saturday night.

Posted by: mhking at 09:50 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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