The issue for the voters in the South Greensburg district is being confused. It is not, as some would have us believe, a contest between good and bad people, and it is not a referendum on religion. Also, it is not, as some have implied, a guarantee that economic good times will come to Greensburg. It is just a proposition that asks if a glass of beer or wine can be served to adults with a meal. It is nothing more and nothing less.
My worry that the purpose of the proposition was being distorted surfaced recently after hearing the story of one local man. It turns out he had been receiving a lot of pressure to renounce his support of the proposition (and his signature on the petition) and he was afraid it was going to create a devastating backlash. In an effort to pull himself back into the good graces of his fellow churchgoers and neighbors he requested that his name be taken off the petition that placed the alcohol proposition on the ballot. The man was told the petition had already been filed and certified and that as a consequence it probably was no longer possible. When asked why he wanted to remove his name he said he was told his church would probably remove him as a member if he did not have his name retracted, thus ostracizing him from the community.
How awful, I thought. Church membership for most people is a central part of their lives. It provides most with an opportunity to participate in the community and creates a sense of belonging for families. It also provides many with a rock that helps weather life’s storms. To threaten someone with expulsion from church over a simple vote is nothing short of dastardly. It could be seen as intimidation.
Now, I was not able to locate this man and I was not able to verify the story, but it sounds believable, doesn’t it? I certainly hope it is not. I do not believe any of the church leaders I know would sanction such an act, but it is the type of rumor and innuendo that could be used to an advantage by others.
Another bit of scary talk that is floating around says that underage drinking and teenage pregnancies will go up if the vote passes and adults are allowed to buy beer or wine with a meal. How is that so? Of course, this is never explained when the subject arises in certain circles and it seems to sidestep logic. If the law says only adults can purchase alcohol by the drink in a restaurant, then doesn’t that also mean that teens will not be served alcohol? As far as teen pregnancy goes that one escapes me completely. I was under the impression it was caused by something other than drinking, although I have heard there could be something in the water.
Seriously, the whole thing is really kind of preposterous. You can plug a long list of problems into this scenario such as sex abuse, and spousal abuse but in the end it just doesn’t make sense. It really misses the point.
Maybe we should revisit the question. If anything should be implied about the proposition it is that someone wants to try something different; something that might create or start progress.
So do we need progress? Well, let’s look at some facts.
According to the U.S Census Bureau information compiled in 2000 tells us that Green County has a population of 11,518 people living in 4,706 housing units. Among those, 36 percent, or 2,892 people (including those with a GED) have a high school education, but almost 25 percent, or 1,975, have less than a ninth grade education. Of those who live in Green County almost 2,100, or 18 percent, live in poverty. The census report also tells us that 525 families live in poverty. As a consequence it is not surprising that of the more than 4,700 households in Green County almost 19 percent live on less than $10,000 a year.
The 2000 census report also says that 531 households live on $10,000 to $14,999 a year and that 909 families have a yearly income that falls between $15,000 and $24,999. It is worth noting that the federal poverty level for a household of four people begins at $21,027. The census report also reveals that 67 people lack complete plumbing facilities and that 30 lack complete kitchen facilities.
Is it any wonder that the U.S. Census says Green County is a community with a stagnant or declining population since 2000?
OK, so that’s a picture of Green County according to the U.S. government. Let’s suppose for a moment that we came across this information and were moved to action. No doubt we all have pride in our community and we recognize that numbers do not paint a complete picture. After all, Green County is full of good people willing to help their neighbor. It just so happens (according to the government) that most of them live in poverty and have very little opportunity to change their circumstances.
Let’s say we wanted to make a difference and we came across the 12 Principles of Community Building from the New Cities Institute. Community leaders use the 12 principles across the Commonwealth to guide citizens and community leaders in creating vibrant, healthy communities. Among the principles is a willingness to adapt to change by being informed. In other words, we need to seek out solutions from unexpected places or from other communities who are doing well.
Of course, every plan needs a measuring stick to gauge progress and the 12 principles have a good one. It asks is personal income growth an important indicator of growth? In order to be successful we also need to determine if we, and our community, are tolerant of alternative lifestyles and generally tolerant of others who have different views.
How do you think Green County and Greensburg would hold up to those guidelines? Do you think we are willing to live in poverty so we can be intolerant and exclusive, or are we ready for new ideas and solutions that will foster opportunities and help build our community? The truth probably falls somewhere in between.
According to the New Cities Institute, the world is changing at an incredible pace and that communities must be prepared to keep up if they want opportunities for their youth and citizens. It was only five years ago that the world finally became wired with Internet connections and since then Internet usage has mushroomed and exploded along with emerging economies. Since 9-11 China has entered the global market and a lot has changed. Today global supply chains are taking advantage of the Internet and the mass mobilization of cheaper labor around the world. Make no mistake these developments are affecting us today in Green County. It turns out that the increase in grocery prices can be linked to an increased demand from China. I guess they also like to consume more than they can produce.
Any community that wants to be successful must acknowledge these and other changes and position themselves to take advantage of these new realities. Ignoring them will not make them go away, nor will it diminish their impact on small communities.
So how does allowing the sale of alcohol by the drink improve our economy? Well, to be honest it doesn’t. What would improve our economy is that extra tourist who stops and buys gas and other items in our community before leaving, or the visitor who decides to shop on the square before eating at the restaurant where they may or may not buy a drink. If the restaurant (or some other enticement) draws enough people to our community someone will build a business to tap into that market in our community and new jobs will be created.
It is worth mentioning that most people are responsible adults. It is true that our city police and sheriff’s department have arrested and charged Green Countians, and others, with DUI and that some of our teens have used alcohol. You can cite example after example (alcoholics, promiscuity, spousal abuse, etc.,) of how people are abusing alcohol now. The fact that is being confused is in most cases alcohol is purchased by responsible adults. To abuse alcohol in Green County one would have to purchase it from a liquor store, not from a restaurant or hotel. Any self-respecting businessperson who owns and operates a restaurant would not let patrons drink themselves into a drunken stupor and they certainly would not sell one alcoholic drink to an underage individual. To do so would be something akin to business suicide. The consequences with the public and the law would simply be too great.
Greensburg, like many other communities, has residents who abuse alcohol. That will never change. It also has a great many more who drink responsibly. That, too, will never change. The sad thing is you hear more about the irresponsible adults than you do the responsible ones. Whatever problems we have concerning alcohol will still be with us even if the proposition in the South Greensburg precinct is defeated.
Many people are trying to imply that if the proposition passes these problems will intensify. The part I do not understand is how. If you want to purchase a case of beer or a fifth of liquor you can’t do that at a restaurant but you can at a liquor store. The closest liquor store I know of is in Marion County, not Green County, and we can’t vote them out of business.
It is clear that on both sides of this debate no one wants drunkenness or the abuse of alcohol. There are laws that deal with those types of problems and we need to enforce them. What people on both sides of this issue want is a good, healthy and vibrant community.
A proposal has been made that is different from the same old thing; it is a proposal that will hopefully lead to more tourism and an increase in business revenue for everyone. It is not a guarantee but it seems to have helped other communities develop economically. Will it work for us? I don’t know. It is a question for the voters in the South Greensburg precinct to decide. I think they deserve facts, not smoke and mirrors, and certainly not misinformation and intimidation. If the electorate in the South Greensburg precinct are properly informed, and take their civic duty seriously and responsibly, they will make the right decision.
The vote is roughly 20 days away. I hope every voter in the South Greensburg precinct turns out and that they vote their convictions after carefully considering the issue and the facts. Of the people outside the precinct who want to influence the vote, I hope they conduct themselves in a mature manner with dignity and respect for the democratic system.