Utah Free Press

The New Look of Advertising?

Originally published – January 18th, 2008, by Richard Okelberry

In a surprising move yesterday the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) declared through their spokesperson Kim Farah that the Church agrees with both the Utah Attorney General and Utah’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission that so called Alco-Pops should be removed from grocery stores and sold only at state run liquor stores.

The main issue at hand is the general belief that these beverages are just too good tasting and thus too much of a temptation for underage kids. By encouraging in their statement for the state legislature to take up this issue, the LDS church is encouraging what is likely the first legislation in the country to restrict a legal item based almost entirely on its “good” flavor. It is nothing new for churches of many different denominations to take political stands on key issues. The movement to make abortions illegal by religious groups is a perfect example of faith based political activism. Here is the question that many Mormons must ask themselves; is the issue of selling flavored malt beverages in stores so profound that it requires Church intervention.

Imagine how silly it would look for say Pope Benedict XVI to make a declaration that Alco-pops are just too darn good. I believe that by making such a statement the LDS Church has not only trivialized themselves but invited more criticism. Additionally, the Church seems to have inadvertently drawn attention away from the Alco-pop issue and accidentally centered attention on it’s self. When I lived here in Logan back in the early Nineties, I remember a political cartoon that depicted the angel Moroni perched atop the Salt Lake Temple, turning to blow his trumpet up the hill towards the state capitol building.

Is this the image of the LDS Church that the faithful want to have rekindled with this issue? Such a statement of “encouragement” over such a trivial issue will also add fuel to Mitt Romney’s detractors. It legitimizes in the minds of many the idea that the LDS church regularly exercises its authority and is more than willing to apply pressure to its elected members. Even local radio hosts here in Logan, who are admitted church members, declared this issue dead as a result of this statement. The implication is that no elected Mormon official will dare go against a proclamation of the Church.

Now for those of you who like the members of Utah’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission seem to be unclear about what Alco-pops are, let me explain. Alco-pops are basically a form of flavored beer. That is, they are classified as a malt liquor, brewed like beer, with malt. Unlike most beers, Alco-pops have had sweeteners like sugar and juices added to them. This is usually done to not only sweeten the drink but also to boost the alcohol content. However, because of Utah’s 3.2% alcohol restriction, Alco-pops are no stronger than any other beer in Utah. That is unless you buy your beer at the state run liquor store. If successful in moving flavored malt beverages to the state liquor store the Utah’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission should remember one major thing. The State Liquor stores will not be selling the 3.2% version but the much stronger 6.5%+ versions. This is because nobody would buy the half alcohol version when the full strength versions is sitting right next to it. This means that people, including teens that WILL still eventually get them, will be getting more drunk, far faster. Proponents of this legislation claim that this action is need for two main reasons. To keep them out of the hand of minors and because the labeling on the bottle are too confusing, leading to people purchasing them by accident. Both of these arguments are completely ridiculous.

First, the fact that minors are able to buy beer or Alco-pops in stores is an indication that enforcement and punishment are failing. While the government has always been willing to come down hard on establishments the sell alcohol to minors, even accidentally as in the case of the White Owl Tavern here in Logan, the punishment for minors has always been lacking and is essentially a slap on the wrist. Want to stop underage drinking? Try a $10,000 fine and a week in jail for a first offense. Of course everyone know that these are our kids we are talking about and neither the LDS Church, the Attorney General nor the Utah’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission would condone such a harsh punishment no matter how effective it is. As far as labeling goes, turn the bottle around and you’ll see the alcohol content clearly displayed as required by law. Not big or proud enough? Then pass legislation requiring new labeling.

Finally, we have to ask ourselves if it is true that none of the proponents of this legislation has ever thought of either of these alternatives to the problem. It truly seems that this is just another back handed and dishonest attempt to increasingly restrict access by adults to a legal product while simultaneously making the state more money on the sale of alcohol. After all; if Alco-pops are sold at the State liquor stores, the state effectively gets a monopoly on a very lucrative market. I would urge every state legislator to show how truly independent they are. Show us how unaffected by Church statements you are. I’ve been hearing from all directions since moving back to Logan that religion shouldn’t matter in politics. Well, I’ll be counting the votes when this is all over to see if concerns about Church manipulation are founded. I believe that they aren’t, but now am starting to question myself. I will hate to see the day when the great state of Utah draws ever more public ridicule over it outdated alcohol laws. It’s not such a stretch to sometime see in the future an ad during the Super Bowl that states “Bacardi Breezers, So Good Their Illegal in UTAH!”