Dear Editor,

Many claim to be voting their conscience November 4 by not voting for alcohol sales so as to not tempt the alcoholic. Unfortunately, they miss the true nature of what they are voting for. Voting YES is a vote for more liberty for our neighbors and, therefore, for ourselves. To clear up the confusion, I wish to expose the tyranny of voting NO as a vote for using government force against neighbors that would dare buy or sell alcohol in Hartselle. Now the Emperor of government enforced “morality” has no clothes.

Our choice isn’t for or against the abuses of alcohol or to ease the addict’s rehabilitation. We are not negating nor supporting any moral except the freedom to buy and sell alcohol. It’s legal to have alcohol in Hartselle. It’s legal to trade in Hartselle. Why is the alcohol trade illegal in Hartselle? Do we want to live and tolerate the peaceful freedom and liberty of buying and selling alcohol for our neighbors (vote YES), or do we want to put our neighbors, and ourselves, in a cage for what we feel is the immorality of buying or selling alcohol (vote NO)?

Alcohol prohibition is an old “governing” custom that comes from our old days of forceful submission to kings and churches that cannot survive and has not survived (in most areas) the growth and enlightenment of liberty. The ills of alcohol abuse cannot be cured by becoming a tyrant over your neighbors – you only succeed in being a tyrant even to the alcoholic which you claim to support. There are better ways to prevent “putting alcohol in their face” than using the old ways of the force of government against your neighbors that dare to exercise the freedom to buy or sell alcohol in Hartselle.

Indeed, “do unto others as you want them to do unto you” is the Golden Rule. Do we really want to jail our neighbors that peacefully trade? What kind of message are we sending to our children when we resort to the old ways of the use of government force against our neighbors that wish to engage in peaceful trade in order to increase our own morality? If No wins and we do continue this travesty our reputation and morality will remain set for the world trade market to plainly see, especially when our neighboring cities have accepted the realities and moralities of more freedom for individuals.

Let’s move into the future where freedom and liberty are important and the respect for the individual is more important than our personal views on someone else’s morality. A YES vote is a vote for the love of freedom and liberty for ourselves and our neighbors. That’s what a hometown should be.

Jonny Letson