New at Reason
In a feature from reason's November issue, Jackson Kuhl traces the short and sordid history of Prohibition in New York.
Comments to "New at Reason":
Ska | October 26, 2007, 11:20am | #
My favorite part of having a drink at Claudio's in Greenport is knowing that during prohibition the place was a warehouse for illegal booze. Prohibitionists drive me to drink.Aresen | October 26, 2007, 11:56am | #
Of foreign imports, an estimated two-thirds came over the border by land from Canada. The rest arrived via Rum Row, a flotilla of ships with holds full of hooch brought in from Canada, Britain, and elsewhere.maple sucking, puck slapping rum runners...
BTW: Diary of a Rum Runner has been out of print for years. I would like to get a copy as it is part of local folklore where I live.
Aresen, take a bow. BTW my maternal grandparents were Canucks.
The Rest Of The English Language | October 26, 2007, 12:14pm | #
Fuck "chock-a-block."Jackson Kuhl | October 26, 2007, 1:07pm | #
Aresen,Findeth what you seek here.
I highly recommend it. There's a great series of entries regarding a flapper turned rum-runner, and Moray's capture of her jazz-age slang is alone worth the price.
VM | October 26, 2007, 1:18pm | #
"Of foreign imports, an estimated two-thirds came over the border by land from Canada. The rest arrived via Rum Row, a flotilla of ships with holds full of hooch brought in from Canada, Britain, and elsewhere. "think: that scene in the Untouchables with the mounties (Aresen? Dief the Chief? Eddie Shore?) and KC's group - where Sean Connery shoots the dead guy - great scene!
Jackson - fantastic phrase, "flapper turned rum runner". love it!
Ben Rushing | October 26, 2007, 2:06pm | #
I think prohibition failed because alcohol was already culturaly acceptable. The drug prohibitionists have successfully vilified drugs, because they cause death, insanity, and harm. Funny they have never tried to ban cars, those things cause 41,000 deaths in the US every year.Aresen | October 26, 2007, 2:09pm | #
VMIn Canada, that scene from The Untouchables induced mass cringes in every theater in which it was shown.
For a parallel: Imagine a movie portrayal of the Battle of Kasserine Pass in which the American Seventh Cavalry* on horseback** commanded by George Patton* won the battle.***
*Not there.
**No longer used horses.
***Didn't happen.
VM | October 26, 2007, 2:19pm | #
Aresen-no doubt!
actually, if I may suggest a different parallel (but Rommel's comments in the movie "Patton" certainly were spot on; and the similar scene in "The Big Red One" was also good!) -- I'd like to liken the cringe to any time Jar Jar was on screen!
Plus, had THE SHAT (NOT ALAN THICKE) been in charge, it would have been different!!!
Paul | October 26, 2007, 2:22pm | #
Sort of kind of thread jack (apologies in advance):NPR claims that Prohibition works, too. Well, ok, not "Prohibition" but prohibition (small p).
Not once in the story do they make the connection with the drug war, leading one to ask the obvious questions regarding banning any illegal substance and addiction issues. If smoking bans work, then so must every other narcotic ban, no?
Paul | October 26, 2007, 2:26pm | #
Funny they have never tried to ban cars, those things cause 41,000 deaths in the US every year.No kidding, gun violence only kills around 12,000.
Pro Libertate | October 26, 2007, 2:48pm | #
So the responsibility for all of the alcoholism in the United States can be placed at the feet of Canada, eh? The Canadian menace strikes again.Thomas Paine's Goiter | October 26, 2007, 2:49pm | #
Anyone that hasn't should read The Spirits of America: A Social History of Alcohol when they get a chance. It's surprisingly captivating.Paul | October 26, 2007, 2:52pm | #
Anyone that hasn't should read The Spirits of America: A Social History of Alcohol when they get aI got the "spirits of America" in my living room every friday night.
The Hanson Brothers | October 26, 2007, 3:00pm | #
The machine took my quarter.Ogie Ogelthorp | October 26, 2007, 3:10pm | #
*drops gloves*andyinsdca | October 26, 2007, 4:47pm | #
Prohibition failed not because people realized it "wasn't working" or whatever. It goes directly to taxes. The US was in the midst of the depression when the government realized there was lots of money to be had legalizing booze and then taxing it.Aresen | October 26, 2007, 6:04pm | #
Prohibition wasn't a failure.That is, if your name was Bronfman or Labatt.
;)
BakedPenguin | October 26, 2007, 7:01pm | #
Or Capone.R C Dean | October 26, 2007, 10:52pm | #
The US was in the midst of the depression when the government realized there was lots of money to be had legalizing booze and then taxing it.I've always thought a campaign to legalize pot based on the tax revenue it could generate might get some real traction. I wonder if anyone's done a study estimating that?
I think income tax is the major revenue source now and if you have income from selling pot, it's taxable. So pot is already taxed.
BakedPenguin | October 27, 2007, 9:05am | #
george - technically, so was alcohol during Prohibition (that's how they got Capone). The point is still valid, though because people who have to hide what they're doing to make money will have to hide the money as well.I think it's a good idea - especially if the additional source of income for farmers means that we can stop their welfare subsidies.
J sub D | October 27, 2007, 6:02pm | #
Anyone that hasn't should read The Spirits of America: A Social History of Alcohol when they get a chance. It's surprisingly captivating.TPG, I just checked and it's available at the public library here. I'll check it out Tuesday. God I love the internet.