No Sunday funday for Indiana

Indiana doesn’t have too many distinguishing characterizations.

The Colts were kind of awesome once upon a time.

A bunch of highways go through our state.

But that’s really about it.

Oh, and we’re the only state in the country that prohibits the sale of wine, beer and liquor on Sundays.

There are 12 states in the union that restrict the sale of certain alcohols on Sunday, but we’re the only one to ban them all.

Way to go, Hoosiers.

In some states, like Georgia and Utah, the law forbids alcohol tastings. South Carolina and Kentucky also ban alcohol sale on state and national election days.

While alcohol sale laws are varied throughout the country, we’re the only state who has every retail-based alcohol aisle on full lockdown.

These laws, dating back to America’s colonial era, are commonly called Blue Laws or Sunday closing laws. They stem from traditional Christian beliefs and prohibit immoral conduct on the Lord’s Day.

They covered such behavior as gambling and the consumption of alcohol.

Many of these laws have been repealed in subsequent years, but many alcohol sale laws remain in the legal books, especially in Indiana.

Still, it isn’t impossible to drink in Indiana on a Sunday.

Wineries and microbreweries are allowed to sell their products carry-out to thirsty patrons. But even owners of such places don’t pay the useless law much thought.

Chris Johnson, the owner of People’s Brewing Co. in Lafayette, isn’t concerned about losing the monopoly his microbrewery has on Sundays.

“Personally I really don’t see it as a big deal,” Johnson said. “I’m not worried about our sales decreasing.”

While many Indiana legislators have tried for years to get the ban lifted, the bill last week had its first reading in an Indiana House of Representatives committee.

While a vote on lifting the ban is still a week or so away, opponents and supporters of the ban have been adamantly asserting their cause.

The argument for banning the sale of alcohol on Sundays is not completely without merit.

Liquor store owners and employees have long advocated for the retention of the law, saying that lifting the ban would heavily favor large grocery stores and

convenience store chains, that don’t face as many restrictions as stores that exclusively sell liquor.

But small business economics aside, it cannot be denied that the law is ultimately tired and outdated.

While in some religions Sunday may be a holy day on which one should abstain from drink, not every one thinks that way.

What one person sees as sin shouldn’t necessarily extend to an entire population, especially when no one is getting hurt regardless. This is simply an archaic law kept in the books for no conceivable reason.

Not to mention the potential for increased state tax revenue.

Either way, just let us buy alcohol on Sunday.

We won’t tell God if you don’t tell him.