A Sunday Blue Law Challenged

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Legislation is being pushed to relax a longtime New York blue law, which prohibits restaurants and other establishments from selling alcohol before noon on Sundays. It has hit a barrier in the assembly, where Robin L. Schimminger, D-Kenmore, says, “Sunday is different from other days. When people work a five- or six-day workweek, the day of rest is Sunday, and historically that has been respected in the statute.”

However, assemblyman Joseph D. Morelle, D-Irondequoit, argues, “Not everyone’s Sabbath is on Sunday. It’s disrespectful to certain faiths, which have Saturday as the Sabbath, to say you can participate Saturday morning, but not Sunday morning.”

This particular Sunday blue law was established after prohibition to discourage people from drinking on Sunday morning when they "should" be in church. However, believers should always have the opportunity to choose their religious practices and not be pressed to follow certain religious norms by government law. It is within the context of this freedom that one lawmaker’s comment is worth considering: “Not everyone’s Sabbath is on Sunday.”

Indeed, some faiths have Saturday as the Sabbath. Why is that? The Saturday Sabbath can be traced back to the Ten Commandments, in which the fourth commandment states which day is the Sabbath: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:8–10, emphasis added).

Ask yourself, “Who flipped the days around?” It’s a question worth considering. Learn more here.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!

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