It’s been more than 25 years since the citizens of Russellville have debated legalizing alcohol sales in the city. It was defeated in the 1984 attempt, but proponents of alcohol hope to “go wet” when voters head to the polls Nov. 2.
Franklin Baptist Association and area churches plan to do everything they can to prevent this from happening.
And citizens in Cullman, Boaz, Centre and Priceville are facing a similar battle.
“We are trying to educate people, encourage them and ask them to pray,” said Wade Wallace, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, Russellville, and chairman of the Franklin County Vote Dry Political Action Committee (PAC). “We must stand for what’s right. For the sake of the future of our city, we are asking the citizens to vote no.”
The Russellville City Council voted in July to place the wet/dry referendum on the upcoming general election ballot after 727 city voters signed a petition. This equaled at least 30 percent of the town’s 2,000-plus registered voters and required the council to put the referendum on the ballot.
Some residents expressed concern about the way the signatures were gathered, said Larry Dover, director of missions for Franklin Baptist Association.
“They set up tables at four polling places during the primary run-off (in June),” he said, noting a low-key effort to get signatures for several months had failed. While this is legal, it put pressure on people and guaranteed the signatures were valid because they had just voted, he said.
So in defense the Franklin County Vote Dry (PAC) was formed with Wallace, Dover as treasurer and Dover’s wife, Janice, as secretary.
The group has been meeting, soliciting funds to help in the “vote no” effort and attempting to inform Russellville citizens of the dangers of alcohol despite the promotion of more tax dollars that would supposedly come by legalizing alcohol.
For every $1 the state receives in alcohol sales, it costs $15 in alcohol-related expenses, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
This fact and other points of concern such as injuries, deaths and destruction of families were included in a resolution declaring opposition to alcohol sales in Franklin County. The resolution was approved during the annual associational meeting Oct. 7.
“I think it is a picture of the moral situation in our society and country as a whole,” Dover said. “Things that once were unacceptable are now acceptable. That is where we are. That has come to Franklin County like the rest of the United States.
“It is presented as a means of tax revenue, but when it comes down to it, it is a moral issue,” he said. “We have lost our moral stance and that is where we are.”
For a church like First Baptist Church, Boaz, that has written in its church covenant that there will be no participation in the sale or consumption of alcohol, this election is about morality.
“We believe [staying dry] is best for our community; we believe it’s best for our children,” said Jonathan Lancaster, associate pastor of First, Boaz. “We believe that in the long run it’s not worth the price we’ll pay for any type of financial benefit that we may have in the short term.”
First, Boaz, has partnered with the town’s ministerial alliance in the fight to remain dry and in addition has paid for advertising on a billboard encouraging people to vote no all in an effort to help others make God-glorifying decisions.
“We believe that anything that prevents us from … making choices that glorify the Lord will counter our Christian walk,” Lancaster said.
Concerned Christians and citizens in Centre likewise have taken action to keep its town dry. Organized by Cherokee Baptist Association and chaired by Shiloh Baptist Church, Leesburg, member Tom Wolf, the Concerned Citizens of Cherokee County PAC has been putting up signs and putting advertisements in the local paper with the message “Stand Up to Stay Dry, Vote No.”
The Concerned Citizens of Cherokee County PAC, which is made up of many churches, including Alabama Baptist churches, is planning a door-to-door and phone campaign.
“It’s a Christian issue for us in Cherokee County,” Wolf said. “We’re just a group of believers that is just seeking the Lord’s will in this.” (Kristen Padilla contributed)
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