Drunker Later
By: Mr. Wilson on
August 31, 2010
The City Council went ahead and approved a 2 a.m. bar closing time, to nobody's surprise. The change goes into effect on September 17. It's a substantial change that will take all the involved parties a little while to get used to. Look for "aftermath" -type stories in local media in the weeks and months that follow.
In an ideal world there would be no closing times. There's no good fundamental reason for bars to ever have to close. But over time our culture has decided it's a good idea to push every limit with alcohol. Drink more! Drink longer! Behave like a douchenozzle! It's no wonder city councils everywhere feel a need to step into this realm where reasonable adults really ought to be able to take care of themselves.
Instead, we get paternalistic -- if not authoritarian -- proclamations like this gem from Doug Emery: "This is a privilege, this is not a right. It can be taken away." Thank you for your graciousness, oh wise and benevolent City Council! Ugh. Yet as repugnant as I find the attitude underlying his statement, I can hardly blame Emery for taking the tone of a father warily extending curfew. Lincoln's Downtown bar owners and patrons aren't exactly golden children.
I hope the folks involved here demonstrate a modicum of responsibility so that adults in this town can be treated like adults. It would be a shame if, shortly after the change goes into effect, we find ourselves watching the news and muttering "This is why we can't have nice things".