SAFETY
The Claim:  Selling alcohol on Sunday makes our community less safe.

The Truth:  Restricting the sale of alcohol one day a week while neighboring communities continue to sell does nothing to improve safety [ 1 ] and, in fact, may make our community less safe.

If Starkville existed in a bubble, then this argument may make sense.  In theory, the rule prevents people from obtaining alcohol on Sunday for safety reasons.  In reality, however, the current law encourages irresponsible behavior by sending people on the road to West Point or Columbus to buy alcohol.

Those against Sunday sales are most concerned about the more reckless drinkers--the folks who choose to drink and drive, and the minority of drinkers who become violent when intoxicated.  Those seem to be the two biggest worries.

Reckless people will get their alcohol by any means necessary.

A prohibition of sales on Sunday in Starkville means that they buy in bulk on Saturday or make the drive to West Point or Columbus on Sunday.  What, in reality, have we done?  We have put the more dangerous drinkers on the road to buy their alcohol--which, often, they will begin drinking on the ride back to Starkville.  So, our community is no more safe with the ban and may, in fact, be more dangerous.

Those in opposition of Sunday sales have good intentions, but a faulty premise.  They believe that, by making alcohol sales illegal on Sunday in Starkville, people will not drink.  That is simply not true.  People who want to drink on Sunday will drink on Sunday, regardless of the obstacles that our government may place in front of them.

In addition, the public safety argument is a somewhat alarmist position.  Recent history tells us that.

In the past few years, the city extended bar hours on Friday and Saturday.  Those against the change talked about public safety and how dangerous that would make our community.  The truth is, Starkville Police reported no significant increase in DUI's or arrests made in connection with later bar hours.

The same alarmist views were present when the city voted to allow the sale of cold beer.  Opponents said that our community would become much more dangerous.  Again, there have been no significant increase in alcohol-related crashes or arrests after the cold beer ban was lifted.

This initiative is no different.  Our community will be just as safe with Sunday alcohol sales--probably moreso.  This proposal is intended to bring Starkville up to date with current laws and to make our community more appealing to residents, visitors, businesspeople, students, parents, alumni, faculty, staff, and tourists.

We're ready for a better Starkville.