Dear Editor,

What is the difference in a beer, a glass of wine and a mixed drink with distilled spirits? They all have about the same percentage of alcohol content.

Some people would lead us to believe the sale of a mixed drink with a meal at a restaurant would lead to the destruction of civilization, as we know it, in Rincon and Effingham County. It would lead to sleazy bars, social ills and other woes. I don’t believe that.

I do believe that this referendum is more than a vote about so called full service restaurants. I believe it is a vote about freedom of choice. If an adult citizen would like to have a mixed drink with their meal at a licensed restaurant, I think they should have a legal right to do so.

I believe that a lot of the opposition to this referendum is another attempt of one group of citizens trying to impose their beliefs on everyone else.

Alcohol is legally sold in this county in the form of beer and wine. Like it or not, liquor is in Rincon and Effingham also. It is brought in every day from our bordering counties by fellow citizens of our county.

Stop at the Effingham and Chatham county line on Highway 21. You will see almost all of the customers leaving the package shop there; turn their vehicles north into Effingham, leaving the sales tax dollars in Chatham County.

The truth is it is not a vote to allow bars or package shops to be licensed to operate in Rincon or Effingham.

The truth is it would require another completely different referendum to do so.

Many restaurants are very reluctant to open business in areas that do not allow the sale of mixed alcohol beverages.

The fact is, not being able to give your customers what they want does negatively affect a business’ volume of patronage and revenue.

I believe voting yes on this referendum could improve the quality of life in Rincon and Effingham, by easing some of the tax burden on property owners, attracting new business, tax revenue and jobs.

Greg Bragg
Rincon