I recently wrote a letter saying that I thought Fayetteville's alcohol laws were paranoid. I would like to thank Ms. Reagan for responding to my letter, proving the paranoid attitude about alcohol. She stated that I “seem to think revenue for the local government is more important than having dives serving drivers and minors.” This proves my contention that Fayetteville residents are paranoid about alcohol.

Ms. Reagan, I don't even know what tavern, watering hole or dive mean. If you mean a place that serves alcohol to a minor, than I do not approve. If you mean a place that serves alcohol to a person over the age of 21, then I do approve.

Whatever you call it, selling to adults is a legal business. Whenever that legal business is required by city regulations to “card” everyone, then something is wrong. I do not approve of selling alcohol to minors, and I do not approve of any legal business being required to “card” anyone who is obviously over 21. That is abusive to us. If the clerk, cashier or waiter can't tell the difference between a person under 21 and a person 65 years of age, something is wrong. Any person selling alcohol to a minor should be punished along with the buyer. After a few employees are punished, the employer should then be punished for not insisting that his employees follow the law.

You may be interested to know that Tanner's and others serve “mock” daiquiris, bloody marys, etc. They are made with wine, which is legal, so they are not circumventing the law, as you say. They are only deceiving the public, who think they are getting “the real thing.”

Roger Coursey
Fayette County

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