Tomorrow, December 5th, is truly a cool day to get totally wasted.
Cinco de Drinko, er December, marks the ratification of the Twenty-First Amendment which legalizes alcohol in the United States. This year marks the 75th anniversary of this joyous occasion.
The origin of Prohibition in the United States dates back to May 1657 in Massachusetts. Some people were pissed that others were throwing back too much rum, wine and brandy. Others getting sauced went against religious beliefs and then there were a small percentage of smart doctors said that alcohol caused physical and metal health issues. Regardless, over consumption of alcohol became illegal in Boston.
Flash forward to the later part of the 1800’s. The Methodists believed that alcohol and sex went hand in hand. Okay, really the Methodists said that watering holes typically had prostitutes. This than lead to the formation of women’s groups that would protest bars, destroy liquor and harass customers until the saloon stopped selling alcohol. Those bitches meant business. The “Prohibition Party” also formed at this time. It’s kinda funny because the words together seem like an oxymoron.
Like the issue of Gay Marriage in the ’08 election, during the 1916 race both Woodrow Wilson (D) and Charles Evans Huhes (R) ignored the Prohibition Issue. In December of 1917, Congress got together and with more “dry” people than “wet” Prohibition was passed by both houses.
Thirteen boring years later on December 5, 1933, prohibition was repealed with The Twenty-first Amendment. As it states, the amendment... “explicitly gives states the right to restrict or ban the purchase or sale of alcohol.” This then led to a plethora of laws, in which alcohol may be legally sold in some but not all towns or counties within a particular state.
I’ve recently seen a lot of alcohol companies and modern-day saloons preparing for Prohibition Parties tomorrow. Of the PR, I love the campaign from Dewars. From the old school pics to the whitty copy, these people know how to party like its 1933.
Here’s to the Repeal & the 21st Amendment! Stay wet!
(Sources: Wikipedia, dewarsrepealday.com, foobooz.com, thegreatdepression.co.uk)
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