Comments on: Prohibition: Atlanta’s Inadvertent Savior?

By: HistoryJoe

HistoryJoe — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:00:38 +0000

One of my favorite prohibition stories was when Atlanta only allowed beer (ie no liquor by the drink) but the site of the Henry Grady Hotel (where the Westin Peachtree is now) was leased from the state after the governors mansion moved to Ansley Park and had some perfectly legal loophole to serve. I have a feeling those Decatur Street saloons figured out some way to serve liquor back then too Great article! Thanks

By: Trae

Trae — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:56:47 +0000

Prohibition was a good example of what happens when people are denied access to substances they wish to injest. The Federal or State Government has no right to tell someone what they can or cannot injest into their own body. When they outlawed alcohol many people begin smoking marijuana more frequently as it was legal at the time. The black market for liquor exploded and the organized crime organizations made a killing and crime went through the roof. There was an all out war in the streets amongst competing mobsters who sold illegal liquor. The people demanded liquor and despite the fact that it was illegal they got it and murders were rampant in most US cities. Sound familiar? Marijuana needs to be legalized and taken out of the hands of organized criminal groups. Infact all drugs should be legalized or atleast decriminialized because you will never make human beings stop using a substance they wish to. We have spent trillions of our tax dollars to fight the so called “War on Drugs” and guess what? We’re losing and badly. All of the billions of dollars the American public spends on drugs every year could go to things that we need in THIS COUNTRY. But it isn’t. it’s going to MEXICO. We have people in prison, locked in a cage like an animal for smoking a joint. It is absolutely ridiculous. Take the drugs out of the hands of criminals, regulate it, and use the money for rehabs and education etc. Crime would drop dramatically and billions would stay in OUR COUNTRY!

By: TeeRuss

TeeRuss — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:29:32 +0000

We still have statewide prohibition. On Sundays.

By: Robyn

Robyn — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:09:19 +0000

Thanks DM for recent postings on a variety of history topics…refreshing indeed!

By: Chris Billingsley

Chris Billingsley — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 21:03:51 +0000

My grandfather owned a bar in Garfield, New Jersey that never closed during Prohibition- NEVER! My guess is that Southerners figured out a way to keep the stuff around.
Speaking of Prohibition, I remember when most of DeKalb (except for DeKalb in Atlanta) was dry. You had to drive to Manuels for a bar beer or to a package store near the East Lake Marta station to buy beer. Being a good Catholic boy, I NEVER DID THAT SORT OF STUFF but there were plenty of my friends who would hitchhike to the beer store and try to get one of the men, who always seemed to be hanging out in front of the store, to buy the stuff.
Its hard to believe now that 35 plus years ago, this area was as dry as a summer day. Times have changed!