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.

I Scoff at Your 18th Amendment, Repeal Day, Beer for Breakfast and The Scofflaw Cocktail

On January 15th, 1924 the word Scofflaw came into being. The result of a contest held by
The Boston Herald newspaper to come up with a word describing someone who illegally drank alcohol during the period of US prohibition (1920-1933), two people came up with the combination of "scoff " (to speak to someone or about something in a scornfully derisive or mocking way) and "law".

The mere fact that they needed a word to describe the many people who were drinking four years after the 18th Amendment went into effect says something about the Noble Experiment called prohibition.  It was the first time in the history of the country that an amendment to the constitution actually limited personal freedoms rather than guaranteeing them.

Europe was quick to honor those in the US still drinking.   Harry's New York Bar in Paris came up with a new drink (purportedly by a bartender named Jock).  I think it's fitting to have this drink today, for tomorrow is the anniversary of the ratification of the 21st Amendment, which repealed the 18th and ended prohibition.

The Historical Inebriant: The Scofflaw Cocktail
http://liquor.com/articles/the-myth-of-prohibition/

Ingredients:

2 oz Bourbon or rye whiskey
1 oz Dry vermouth
.25 oz Fresh lemon juice
.5 oz Grenadine
2 dashes Orange bitters

Add all ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, & strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

The article where this drink originates is an interesting one if you want to visit.

Also, as we remember the final day of prohibition take a quick look here:

What To Drink While Watching A PBS Doc About Prohibition: The Scofflaw

If you have not yet seen Ken Burns documentary on the Great Experiment please do.
You can visit the site here, but please see it in it's entirety.

So, what about tomorrow - which is Repeal Day.  How will you celebrate the day and exercise your 21st Amendment rights?  Occupy a bar, have a quiet beer at home, attend a Repeal Day party?

If you live in the DC area - you will want to check this out:
For Repeal Day, party like it’s 1933

San Francisco:
5¢ Beer Day: 1930s “Repeal Day” Prohibition Party

In my own home state of Connecticut:
"Repeal Day" Parties Celebrate Anniversary of Prohibition's End

The point is, as Americans,  we all have a duty to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

Please take a moment to visit Repeal Day.Org created by Jeffrey Morgenthaler, it's a great site with links to his excellent blog and well worth the trip - for as Jeffrey says:

I propose that December 5th should be a national holiday celebrated by Beer for Breakfast*. 

That is what I will be doing tomorrow.  I hope to see you on a bar stool near me soon!

 

*While prohibition ended in 1933, it would be years until distilled spirits would be available.