It's 9:45, Do You Know Where You're Drink Is?

Washington is a city of contradictions. It is the seat of democracy, yet its citizens don't have a voice. It's the center of power, yet so many are living in poverty. It's the city where you can be mugged repeatedly on the street, and a former crack whore can be mayor, yet a 12 year old is arrested for eating a french fry on the metro.

There are many things about the Capital that make little sense. Case in point: In 2001, the District passed an ordinance that prohibited retail sales of alcoholic beverages after 10:00 pm. This happened shortly after I had moved to the city, and I've never understood the logic.

I'm told that the point of the ordinance is to prevent vagrants from drinking on the street. Is this true? I don't see how this can possibly work. It seems to me that the homeless would have all day long to make their purchase since they have no other pressing schedule issues. The only people that are denied the benefit of buying a bottle of wine or beer are citizens like me who have little time after work to make it to the store. And I for one have no intentions of popping open my viognier and guzzling it on Euclid St.

The other contradiction in this thinking is the uneven nature of these morality laws. After 10:00 at night, I can no longer walk into my local wine shop and make a purchase. However, I can easily pop $1.35 into metro and in minutes I am in Southeast Washington looking at full frontal nudity within inches of my face. In the right establishment, you can even have your cocktail teabagged for an extra dollar.

If I was still living in a state like, say, North Carolina, I could understand this backward thinking. However, in this great city, where freedom supposedly rings from every rafter, I believe I should be able to have a glass of wine, or even a sip of Colt 45 at midnight without crossing the river into The Dominion.

What are your views on this? Add your comments below.