Only 119 Days Until Repeal Day!

"Once, during Prohibition, I was forced to live for days on nothing but food and water."
- W.C. Fields

The "Good Ol' Days" weren't always that good. Once upon a time, the United States outlawed the manufacture, transport, and sale of alcohol. It was called Prohibition and it lasted from 1920 until 1933. They were the Dark Ages. Dark and dry. Well, at least dry in principle. And the result of that grand experiment? A huge black market with an unprecedented surge in organized crime (can we say Al Capone, children?).

Thirteen years after it started, Prohibition met its match: the Twenty-First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Section one of that Amendment was simple and powerful: "The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed." And it was the will of the People -- State Conventions were specifically convened for the sole purpose of passing the Amendment. Think about that. The only other time we convened State Conventions was to pass the original Constitution. Heck, even Utah voted to ratify the 21st Amendment; in fact, they are often credited as the final state needed to garner the requisite two-thirds approval.

The Eighteenth Amendment is hereby repealed. Repealed. December 5, 1933. That was Repeal Day.

Jeffrey Morganthaler, Bartender/Blogger Extraordinaire, suggests that we should celebrate Repeal Day every December 5th. I agree. His advocacy is compelling:

First, he argues, although we have various "drinking" holidays in the United States (St Patrick's Day, New Year's, Cinco de Mayo, Halloween), none of them celebrates our right to be drinking. Indeed. Even if we don't have a Constitutional Right to drink alcohol, we at very least have an Amendment that strongly argues the People's will to remain free of prohibition. And that's worth celebrating.

Second, Morganthaler correctly argues that it falls at the right time on our calendar:

Conveniently located about halfway between Thanksgiving and Christmas, at a time when we’re probably not with our families, the Fifth of December represents a great time to get together with friends and celebrate our constitutional rights.

Third, unlike many other holidays, which cater to specific groups or beliefs, Repeal Day is all-inclusive and open to everyone. Do you appreciate the freedoms available in the United States? Well, if so, join the party. You're invited.

Finally, he suggests, it's easy. Just stop by your local bar and buy a round. Propose a toast to our freedoms. Be with friends. Share a bottle of wine with a loved one. Again, he's right. There's no need to dress up as a green leprechaun. No need to feel guilty about making New Year's resolutions you'll never follow. No need to put out that cigarette when the Illinois smoking ban hits at midnight.

This December 5th, I will celebrate Repeal Day. I hope many others will join me. As Morganthaler suggests, "Just do it because you can."

Prohibition Fact: The Illinois legislature did not vote for Prohibition. But, the Illinois State Convention was the tenth to vote for repeal!

"Prohibition? HA! They tried that in the movies and it didn't work."
- Homer Simpson