Selling on the Sabbath

With the possibility of Sunday alcohol sales in the air, many students and local religious leaders have taken a public stand against the issue. 

Eric Hankins, pastor at First Baptist Church Oxford, is trying to avoid Oxford having the identity of a party city. 

“I think it’s the wrong identity; I don’t think that it is...representative of who we are,” Hankins said. “I don’t think it sets the right vision for our city and our school because I think we can be better than that.” 

The battle for Sunday sales has been a growing topic during recent months, and people like Hankins do not believe that alcohol sales could improve the economy.

Ole Miss Baptist Student Union director Morris Baker points out restaurants like Chick-Fil-A, which are not open on Sundays, still make money each week.

“Just because you open up the door to have alcoholic sales on Sunday doesn’t mean you’re going to solve the economic problems,” Baker said. 

Baker said he believes we have enough alcohol available every other day of the week. “We certainly haven’t proved that we do a very good job handling alcohol on those days and I don’t think we need a seventh day.”

Senior graphic design major Will Anderson said that he thinks it is good for a town like Oxford to take a break at least one day a week.

“Sunday is a day where people are able to take a break, and it hasn’t hurt anybody to go a day without a drink,” Anderson said.

Anderson said he does not have any bias towards sales on Sundays, but said he believes it is more about the culture abuse than the alcohol itself.

According to Hankins and Baker this battle over Sunday sales is not so much a religious battle but one for the community. 

“This is not for me specifically a religious issue. I’m focusing on Oxford’s misuse of alcohol,” Hankins said.

They both said they do not believe you need to be to religious to enjoy a day off once a week. 

“Whether you’re a person of faith or not, I still think it’s a good thing to say you’re part of a community that says spiritual things are important,” Hankins said. 

Baker said there would be more problems than solutions if alcohol sales were legalized.

Problems like more arrests, possible traffic fatalities, and just giving more work to those in our police forces and business owners.

Hankins said he is not opposing the sales to seem like a “stereotypical killjoy pastor.” The only way he could see Sunday sales being good is if there is an extensive discussion about the larger issues of Oxford’s alcohol culture. 

“This really is about love, it’s not about control or being a nagging parent,” Hankins said. “It really is motivated by a love for our city, a love for the university and a deep sense that we can be better than this.”