Naperville's odd stance on alcohol

It seems like problems with alcohol are always raising their ugly heads before the Naperville City Council. Easily overlooked are the murder of a schoolteacher and the deaths of the inebriated boys who drowned in the lake adjacent to the quarry.

First, there was the argument over how late the bars should stay open on Friday and Saturday nights.

Then the problem on how late the last drink could be ordered.

Now our mayor tells us, "We need to modernize to adjust to cultural practices that have changed greatly since Sundays were reserved for church."

Furthermore he said,"Now hotels are one example of a business affected by the city's later Sunday alcohol hours as they sometimes can't serve hard drinks during post-wedding brunches".

His use of the word sometimes puzzled me also.

Now the grocery stores are upset because they can't show alcohol displays throughout their stores.

Jewel stores are open 114 hours Monday through Saturday which should be ample time to buy alcoholic beverages.

I congratulate Councilman Coyne on his stance.

We have lost far too many children to heroin and yet underage drinking remains the number one problem for teens.

It is time for our council to become leaders and not worry about what times the surrounding cities are open to sell alcohol.

Maybe it is time to get back to church and readjust our "cultural practices."

It is time to think about our core values and what made Naperville one of the best cities to raise children in the entire country.

It is not by constantly changing liquor laws and rearranging store displays to sell more alcohol.

We do not need a city council of followers.

We need a city council of leaders.

City council will be discussing the new proposals on Tuesday, Oct. 20.

Charles Brown

Naperville