The mother of all sins...

It's that time of the year again. When the all-knowing, ultra-wise parliamentarians get together and decide, again, that the evilest evil of them all should be destroyed. Alcohol. 

In the next few days, parliament are going to get together to vote on whether alcohol should be banned in all of the Kingdom's restaurants that are not located in hotels. And vote they will, almost certainly in favour of the pointless ban. 

The current proposal stems from a relatively recent proposal to ban alcohol in Um Al Hassam, because, allegedly, customers of licensed restaurants were getting drunk and disturbing families in the area. Actually, as I recall it, some MP or another said that people were getting drunk and would, y'know, go about trying to get into houses, and y'know, fall asleep on other people’s couches, 'n stuff. But luckily it hadn’t happened yet, cause them residents were clever enough to, y'know, lock their doors. But it COULD happen. 

Hah.

But, not content with merely limiting choice, they want to destroy it altogether. The initial proposal was extended by a rather brainless bunch of muppets known collectively as 'the Parliament Services Committee'. 

"They (MPs on the committee) said banning alcohol in one area wouldn't solve the problem as it is being served in restaurants across the country," ... "Committee members have decided to generalise it, saying alcohol was the problem and banning it in Umm Al Hassam wouldn't address the core problem - as customers would shift to other places, making the ban pointless."

Now there are numerous problems with this statement. First of all, the initial proposal was made on the basis that alcohol being served in predominantly residential areas was likely to disturb the residents. There was nothing to back it up- no actual statements, testimony or incidents, but at least there was an inkling.. a mere hint of an actual argument. But then they expanded their 'argument'. Now alcohol is bad, unless of course it is being served in one of the many whore-infested dives that are known as 'hotels'. 

Generalising is not something MPs should be doing. The god that they are so determined to keep happy is in the details. To generalise is to reduce to a general form. Lump it all into one category. Pack it all up in one box. The 'evil' box. 

I can generalise too. Arabs are terrorists. Yup, you heard me. Now let me give you a leg up to that high, high horse you managed to acquire thanks to your hefty parliamentary allowance. It's not nice when others generalise, so why do it yourselves? The only cause you further is ignorance. Petrol has alcohol in it. Should we ban that too? Make all petrol stations relocate to hotel car parks. It sounds idiotic, but it is a generalisation. 

How much time is wasted on such pointless endeavours? On April 29th of last year MPs "unanimously demanded a total ban on alcohol in Bahrain. They voted in favour of a parliament-proposed law banning the import, possession, sale or production of alcohol."

But to become law, the proposal would have to be accepted by the government and the Shura Council. It wasn’t. Why? Because the ban would have far reaching economic effects; Effects far to complex for the pure parliamentary minds to comprehend. The ‘argument’ then was pretty flimsy too-

"Whether they are producers, drinkers, distributors, sellers and those who eat from its money are all damned by God,"... "Alcohol is the biggest sin, the mother of all sins."

Harsh. I reckon they should send out letters to everyone involved in the alcohol industry in the Kingdom, informing them of the impending damnation of themselves and their families.  

What about personal freedom? Just the other day Parliament's foreign affairs, defence and national security committee chairman was touting the value of personal freedom, albeit in relation to a completely different matter.

"It is like (the government is) entering your home without your permission to see what you are doing with your family. This is against Islam. Everyone has the right to personal freedom."

So now it seems personal freedom is subjective too. You are free to do what they feel you should be free to do, but do anything else and you’ll be damned, and so will your children. If the violation of personal freedom is against Islam, then surely telling a non-muslim that he is not allowed to enjoy a glass of wine with his overpriced meal is against Islam too.

Generalise with caution. Taking away the personal freedoms of others while whining about your own personal freedoms is hypocritical, selfish and intolerant – and I would assume, un-Islamic.

Everyone has the right to personal freedom. These are the words of our great, wise, all-knowing, enlightened, overpaid elected peers. These are the words to which we should hold them accountable. 

Now, who wants a beer?