Blue Laws

It always sounded so obnoxious to me when American pundits would chastise the Muslim world for supposedly being too tied to religious law and then contrast this demonized (and false) portrayal with that of the ostensibly secular and idealized (and false) Western world.

Living in American this was always an incredibly and totally lacking introspection statement. The United States is one of the most religious countries in the world where Christian fundamentalist discourse as accepted into the mainstream. A country where politicians on all sides pander to the religious crop, clap at churches, and talk endlessly about how Jesus is their role model.

A country where Christian extremists - like Pat Robertson - are eagerly sought for their endorsements.

Even when they make prejudiced comments toward minorities - ex. Muslims - they are still welcomed in polite company as individuals with a constructive role to play.

The U.S. is probably home to more Christian fundamentalist television stations, programming, radio stations, and publications than the Muslim world combined.

That is why it is offensive when some Americans self-righteously preach secularism to Muslims while living in a country where politicians continually give speeches in churches and constantly go around saying "God Bless America" as if - as George Carlin put - "it were some verbal tick they cannot get rid of."

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And this yesterday I learned about a law that has been on the books of many states that bans or limits sales - primarily alcoholic - on Sunday - the day of Christian rest. They are called Blue Laws:

A blue law is a type of law, typically found in the United States, designed to enforce religious standards, particularly the observance of Sunday as a day of worship or rest, and a restriction on Sunday shopping. Most have been repealed, have been declared unconstitutional, or are simply unenforced, although prohibitions on the sale of alcoholic beverages, and occasionally almost all commerce, on Sundays are still enforced in many areas. Blue laws often prohibit an activity only during certain hours and there are usually exceptions to the prohibition of commerce, like grocery and drug stores. In some places blue laws may be enforced due to religious principles, but others are retained as a matter of tradition or out of convenience.

In Basra, Iraq recently the city council banned all alcoholic sells on Islamic holidays. But then the alcohol merchants - predominately Christian - protested and got the law overturned. As they toasted their victory one merchant put it simply: "Freedom has won this time in Iraq."

So in Iraq - a war-torn nation with powerful radical clerics - a group of alcohol merchants of a minority faith were able to get a law banning sells on just a few Muslim holidays - and were able to do so immediately after passage. And toasted!!!

But here in the "land of the free" many states prevent you from selling on every Sunday!

'Nuff sad.