St. Patrick’s Day Celebrates Protectionism in Dogtown

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is reporting that the organizers of the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dogtown (one of two parades in St. Louis for St. Paddy’s Day) are prohibiting people from bringing in their own alcohol this year. The Ancient Order of Hibernians, which hosts the parade each year and always holds it on March 17, has decided to take this step for various reasons, according to the article, including cutting down on underage drinking, reducing trash and broken bottles, and making the event more of a "good, family parade." If you believe any of this, I have some Irish snakes to sell you.

You can still drink at the parade — now you just have to buy the drinks from the vendors in Dogtown (a historically Irish neighborhood in St. Louis). From the article:

Dogtown bars will be open throughout the parade and the street party that follows it, and vendors will continue to sell alcohol outdoors.

Does anyone believe this is being done for any reason other than the profits of Dogtown bars? I would respect the policy more if they just admitted this up front.

I recognize that alchohol is one thing that most people would agree deserves some level of government control, such as closing hours for bars, age restrictions, etc. So I realize that the parade organizers have the right to do this, as one does not normally have the right to drink alchohol on the street, no matter where it was purchased. I am just using my little corner of the blogosphere to call out the parade organizers by pointing out why they are really making this move. And I look forward to buying an $8 beer on the 17th.