Blue Laws

An email exchange with my daughter this morning brought back in my mind why I hate this Sarah Palin type ideology so much.

In the early 1970s I was working my way through college at our local K-mart. At that time our grand state of Missouri had "blue laws." I had no idea what a blue law was, I only knew that it meant no store could open on Sundays because of them.

K-mart decided they were going to challenge those laws, and one Sunday had some of their employees come to work and they opened their doors. According to the law, nothing could be sold on Sunday unless it was considered a souvenir or a gift. So when a customer came through the check-out we had to give this little spiel:

"The blue laws of the state of Missouri prohibit us from selling you these items unless you consider them to be gifts or souvenirs. Do you consider what you are purchasing as gifts or souvenirs?"

We stayed opened for a few Sundays after that, closed a few Sundays and the next thing I remember is that all the stores in town starting opening their doors on Sunday. At that time in my life I was way more worried about school and seeing my boyfriend so I have no idea how it all went down, but I am assuming that the laws were overturned because not too long after that we didn't have to use the "gifts and souvenir" spiel any longer and everyone was open on Sunday.

Of course as I became older and more aware of things I realized that laws like this were being held over our heads by the Sarah Palin types. I call them "fundies" now. The ones that believe that their beliefs are the right and only beliefs and we all have to live by them.

That is why I want to fight with every bone in my body to make sure we never have to go back to that. And I can guarantee you Sarah Palin and her base would love to get us back there.