Remember, Remember the 5th of December or... "The end of an Error"

Remember, remember, the 5th of December
The Alcohol Treason and plot;
I know of no reason why Alcohol Treason
Should ever be forgot.

The act of Prohibition - was the intent
To sober up men by the Government.
Thousands of barrels of beer poured out.
The future of drink left gravely in doubt!

Only by protest did we survive,
To toast those brave souls who could not imbibe!
Only by those votes on December Five,
could we drink to the end of a thirteen year dry!

My apologies to those who originally wrote the 5th of November (Guy Fawkes) poem for my total bastardization of it.

And so the idea of the Noble Experiment ended with a vote on December 5th, 1933. The State of Utah voted wet and became the 36th in the union to ratify the 21st Amendment ending Prohibition in the United States. That day, President Roosevelt signed the repeal into effect stating "I think this would be a good time for a beer."

What can I say? Prohibition started on January 16th, 1920 and ended December 5, 1933. That is a very long time between refills my friends. Some though, were still able to partake, the writer H.L Mencken celebrated the repeal of prohibition on December 5th with a glass of water — “my first in 13 years.” Although not everyone's drinking was effected, the country would never be the same.

Prohibition offered up the chance to organized crime to reap huge profits on the transportation and sale of illegal alcohol. Distilleries and breweries were closed, and the nation suffered from years of gang violence.

While drinking in bars was almost always a men's activity, the speakeasys, or illicit drinking establishments were not so provincial and by the time prohibition ended, women stood with men at the bar, waiting for that first drink.

Today is a day to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
Today is a day to celebrate your freedom - your freedom to celebrate!

What to drink?  Check out the Huffington Post's 5 Cocktails For Repeal Day

For me, it's Beer for Breakfast!

For my Connecticut friends,
Did you know?

Connecticut and Rhode Island were the only states that did not ratify
the 18th Amendment!

The Black Duck (as in the bar in Westport) was a famous rum running vessel
that supplied New England with booze during prohibition.

The Great Captain Island Lighthouse in Greenwich was used as a depot for
illegal drink before being brought onto the mainland.

For more information on demon alcohol and the drunkards who drink it, visit here:
http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/prohibition/

Enjoy your day and have a great and safe Repeal Day!!!

People should not be afraid of their governments,
Governments should be afraid of their people.  V.