oh good grief...

[acroyear]

Senate Panel Approves Hiding Restaurant Bartenders:

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A Utah Senate committee has approved a bill that would hide the preparation of alcoholic drinks behind 10-foot-high walls in restaurants and make it illegal to appear drunk.

Sen. John Valentine, R-Orem, says Senate Bill 187 is intended to eliminate anything resembling a bar in restaurants.

His measure also would redefine what it means to be intoxicated in Utah, gutting a Utah Supreme Court ruling that said simply being a drunk is not a crime. Under Valentine's bill, it would be illegal for anyone to look like they are drunk.

The bill passed unanimously on Friday. It will now be debated on the Senate floor.

For those even more educated than I, shall we assemble a list of typical high school play characters that are, at one point in time or more, drunk (or "looking like they were drunk"), just to have that estimate of how many high school kids can get arrested on stage?

Hate to break it to you, Utah, but "acting" drunk when you're not is, believe it or not, free speech. It may be a STUPID use of free speech (again, unless part of an artistic expression), but it is still free speech.

I won't even go into how "Christians" can, in the light of the first miracle being the conversion of water to wine FOR A PARTY (a wedding banquet), could be so afraid of it.

Comments

[shalandara.livejournal.com]

Interestingly enough, my first reaction/thought did not have to do with free speech at all, but with a medical situation. There are many times when medical issues can amke you "appear drunk". I have images of people being arrested and charged for this when in actuality what they need is medical attention.

[thatwasjen]

This was my first thought too. I know that when I have a migraine, I often also have vertigo -- wavering on my feet and bumping into walls? That's a symptom, not drunkenness and not an act.

And that's a minor condition. I'm sure there are plenty of major illnesses and conditions that can cause sufferers to appear drunk. Sheesh.