The absurdity of America’s gun laws and the NRA’s influence
on politics and legislation is certainly not new to me. Whether it’s the NRA successfully lobbying
against an electronic database of the purchase origins of firearms, or the
prevention of simple background checks prior to the sale of firearms, this
status quo is known and, although incomprehensible, certainly understood.
However, contrasting the ability to purchase and ship assault rifles across
state lines, with it being a felony to distribute wine into states like Georgia
takes the ridiculousness to another level.
It reminded me of a blight on the South African wine
industry’s history. The Tot system or ‘Dop’, which means alcoholic drink in
Afrikaans, was used by many South African farmers to pay their workers. The
practice dates back to colonial times, and although officially banned in 1960,
the ban was not enforced until the 1990’s when Nelson Mandela’s government eradicated
it completely. Despite the eradication, it’s legacy lives on with alcoholism
still rife, and wine drinking patterns among farm workers contributing towards,
amongst other things, a high rate of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome.
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