[I have also learned recently that adultery is literally a crime in Massachusetts. Wow Chapter 272.]

[hermionesviolin]

So, during Heroes tonight I caught part of a Vote No on #1 ad which mentioned how most grocery store cashiers are teenagers and if grocery stores sell liquor, they will be the ones under all this pressure to confirm that liquor-buying customers are in fact over 21.  I could see this being a problem when it first goes into effect and it's new and a big deal, but my suspicion is that it would stabilize.  I say this mostly because there are grocery stores that sell booze (like the place we went in Atlanta) and they seem to be fine.  Anyone have thoughts, especially people who are familiar with places where grocery stores do sell booze?  [I was about to say that my personal preference would probably be to remove the age restriction on the sale of both booze and tobacco, 'cause I have inherited my father's "less laws = better" tendency, and it occurred to me that one can buy cigarettes in any CVS, where the cashiers are almost all teens, and that seems to work out fairly well.  I know there are sting operations regarding selling cigarettes to minors, but given how many minors get people to buy booze -- and cigarettes -- for them, I'm not sure the consumption-by-minors of booze would increase much with grocery store sales.]  Erm, I still owe comment replies on the same-sex marriage post, but should really finish reviewing Portrait and wash my dishes before going to bed.

*

Relevant links:
Massachusetts State Initiatives
Massachusetts Chapter 272

Comments

[laynamarya.livejournal.com]

The main reason to vote no on question one, in my opinion, if because it would force most specialty liquor stores out of business. I am oddly less concerned about the underage alcohol sellers.

Also, are you not concerned about the law against premarital sex? Maybe some people think the $30 fine is worth it.

[hedy.livejournal.com]

What percentage of liquor store sales are wine? If you still need to go there for beer and hard liquor, I'd think that could keep them in business.
In the Pioneer Valley, for example, despite Whole Foods selling wine, liquor stores sill seem to flourish. Same for say, places near the Stop & Shop in Malden.

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

You know, I don't think I realized until I read this comment and then looked back at the flyer that came with my groceries today that Question 1 is only about wine. (Clearly I fail in my detail-oriented paying-attention-ness, I know. The ads around the issue don't help my perception, either, of course.) What minor buys wine anyway? I mean, why get wasted on Two Buck Chuck when you can have your college-age older sib get you Everclear?

[hedy.livejournal.com]

Seriously. Thus was the conclusion reached by my siblings on Saturday (and given that they were around when the drinking age was 18, and are conviently spaced 2 years apart from each other, I figured they would know.)

[alixtii.livejournal.com]

Do the police enforce the law? I really can't imagine that they do, but I could be wrong. I don't live in Massachusetts; I just can't see an American police force anywhere really caring. (Which is a big reason why it took so long to get rid of sodomy laws, after all.)

[wisdomeagle]

I too find it unlikely that they do -- or most of the other laws in that section, including what seems to be an anti-sodomy law. (Incestuous sex -- which is defined very colorfully! -- is also apparently illegal and a jailable offense, which I found a little surprising though less so on reflection, I suppose. -- I guess it mostly means that the triple or quadruple threat rape/statuatory rape/incest/etc men can be locked up for essentially ever? Is that how sentencing laws work? [Clearly I need to watch more Law and Order.])

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

I need to go work on job postings for my department rather than researching sentencing laws but wow, colorful indeed. (I hadn't previously clicked on most of the items on that list. I foresee some enjoyable use of downtime -- once I have downtime again.)