The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

    It’s five o’clock somewhere on Sundays too

    Hammond’s City Council held a meeting Tuesday, July 28 about lifting the ban on Sundays for bars selling alcohol. While the council’s vote did not lift the ban, Hammond’s community remains affected by this vote. After the meeting, Council Member Lemar Marshall urges those that are interested in seeing this ban lifted should create a petition so it can be revoted.

     Although residents of Hammond are aware of this issue, there is debate on whether if people should take action in supporting this ban being lifted or in believing the ban should remain in place. Citizens of Hammond have been questioning whether the decision of the council’s vote was fair. It has been debated on whether or not it would be beneficial or harmful to the community of Hammond if the ban was lifted.

    During the City Council meeting, council member Lemar Marshall stated, “We currently have alcohol sales on Sundays in bars, they just happen to be bars that are attached to restaurants. So the stand alone bars are the only bars that are left out… I see the difference between a standalone bar and a restaurant bar, but I think that making a distinction and saying that a standalone bar should not be able to sell alcohol on Sunday when a restaurant bar can sell alcohol on Sunday. A Constituent can go to the bar, not eat anything at all, order drinks and leave. It would be no different than a standalone bar.” 

    Many residents and citizens of Hammond have tried to show their feelings and opinions on how the City Council’s choice is discriminant against standalone bar owners. Many debates have led to one side of people explaining how it is against their American rights to not be able to choose what day they can and cannot open while other businesses in alcohol sales may remain open seven days a week. Opposite sides believe the ban being lifted  is either harmful to the community or the ban is in place due to the religious point of view  Sunday should be kept as a day of worship. 

    “We really want what’s fair,” said General Manager of Benny’s Bar, Tina Latino. “When I say ‘we’ I speak for myself and some other bar owners that I communicate with. We feel that we’re being discriminated against because there’s been other situations that have maybe happened in the past with bars that were over near the university, and we feel that that’s given everyone a bad rep. We’re twenty-one and older; we have those responsible vendor cards. We all go through training. I’m not going to say there aren’t things that happen, but we try to prevent it the best we can. We feel that it’s unfair. It’s the United States of America; every other business is allowed to be open on Sunday, but we’re not.”

    Executive Director of Hammond’s Downtown District Terry Lynn Smith shared the same opinion as Latino, believing all business should stand on equal ground, “We want to maintain that fairness, and honesty and equal opportunity,” said Lynn. “That’s very important for all of us to remember that’s why we live in America, is equal opportunity. Sometimes you have to forget the selfishness of your desires and put the community first, and that’s what we hope that our council does, that our mayor does, our director of administration does. We admire these people, and we work very hard to work with them, for them, and beside them.” 

    Owner of the Red White and Brew, Todd Delune explained the hardships business owners and bar owners face with the ban in place. 

    “The tax this city loses is probably $75,000-100,000 in revenue due to that ban,” said Delune. “It affects my top line income and my bottom line income. It just forces us to have to operate more efficiently than all of our counterparts because they get seven days to perform, and I get six days to perform. The difference is I don’t get a discount on any of my expenses because I’m forced to close another day out of the week, so I obviously have to make less money than my counterparts do as well. By counterparts I mean restaurant bars, grocery stores, convenient stores and big box retailers who all sell essentially the same category of goods we do.”  

    Students, much like the citizens of Hammond, are just as split on the matter.

    Southeastern nursing major Khudija Aftab is in favor of the ban.  

    “I believe if there is any ban, there should be a ban, and if there is a ban I strongly support it,” said Aftab. “Alcohol should be banned on Sundays. I think alcohol at any level, at any stage, at any time, harms the community more than it benefits.” 

    Aftab has a one year old child and when looking to buy a home, does not see herself in Hammond. 

    “I see myself buying a house more in Mandeville, not in Hammond because of the fact there’s college students here. There’s a lot of drinking and drugs. I strongly agree that Hammond needs a family city image, and I would want to move out of here if that’s the case.”

    Southeastern student worker Connie Rezentes believes the ban does not need to be lifted. 

    “I think there’s plenty of alcohol to be sold on every other day of the week, and people in college are often first timers away from home, learning to exercise their independence,” said Rezentes. “It’s easy to get caught up in alcohol, and before you know it, you have an addiction. I’m a Christian. I think Sunday is the day of the Lord. That’s one day we are to take a break from things like that and give time to our families, resting and restoring ourselves.” 

    While debate and opinions differ, the ban remains in place. Many Hammond residents, from bar owners,  their employees and to Southeastern students, stand on opposite ends of whether the effects of the ban would be positive or negative.

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