[
PHOTO [KAT KIRSCHMANN]
[ ]
]
life
North Dakota blue laws grow old
Body text-To many people, Sundays are a day of rest after church and a time for family. This dates back to when there was no separation between church and state; the time when Blue Laws were in effect. When the laws were established in the 17th century, the Sabbath and Christian beliefs and regulations were followed as if they were governmental laws. Originally, the Blue Laws were placed to respect values of the Christians, one of which was that there should be no activities of any kind occurring on Sundays. According to Resources for Attorneys Legal Blog, when the Blue Laws were first initiated, citizens were supposed to attend mandatory church services on Sundays. Attending church is now an option. This worked well in the past, but as time and society have progressed, government and religion no longer go hand in hand. In fact, they are completely separated.
The majority of the United States have either repealed the law completely or eliminated them, with only Massachusetts and Connecticut still abiding by the original Blue Laws. North Dakota is one of the last states that has strict areas of the Blue Laws. If one needs to buy something, nothing is open until noon on Sundays or not open at all. The only exceptions are restaurants and gas stations that can be open in the morning. Most of the states have laws prohibiting the sale of liquor or the hours liquor can be sold on Sundays. Along with the alcohol prohibition, car dealerships are not allowed to be open on Sundays in many of the same states. With the influx of people moving to North Dakota, this law seems illogical. People from outof-state are unaware of our laws, and with the oil field workers, most of them only have a little bit of time to get things they need.
Not only does it effect oil field workers, but also those on night shifts or swing shifts. With the cost of everything rising, people are having to work more hours, giving them less time to do other things. Whether a business, of any sort, is open on Sunday should be up to the owner. If church-goers have the option to attend church, others should have the option of going to the store to get necessary products. Along with those people, businesses should have the luxury of being able to choose if they should be open on Sundays. This wouldn’t hurt anyone, because we would all have a choice. Businesses, local or corporate, would make more money and help keep them open the other six days of the week, which in return helps the economy as a whole. Consumers and producers would benefit if the Blue Laws were repealed and left up to the owners to decide their hours.
Check the Bismarck State College Mystician page on Facebook to vote on this issue and to keep updated with all of the latest campus and community news.
] 14
]
]
Mission Statement The purpose of college media is to serve and give voice to the students. We, as the student-based forum of journalism on campus, are expected to provide content that is informative, fair and concise. With this goal in mind, the newspaper is dedicated to striving for accuracy and maintaint ethical practices. The Bismarck State College Mystician strives to be objective and is not affiliated with any religion or organization. The Mystician upholds the principles guaranteed by te First Amendment and utilizes these rights to bring diverse, entertaining and thought-provoking material to the college community.
]
Disclaimer Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual writer and not necessarily shard by Bismarck State College or the Mystician staff. We welcome comments and letters from our readers. All letters to the editor must be signed and include contact information.
Mystician | September 2012
]