The Choctaw Baptist Association is taking a stance against the ongoing grassroots petition to officially turn Choctaw County from a dry county to a wet one.
Randy Bridges, pastor of French Camp Baptist Church and the ASM for the Choctaw Baptist Association, said recently during a meeting at Weir Baptist Church, the CBA passes a proclamation against the referendum.
The CBA’s stance is that if alcohol is available in Choctaw County, it makes it more readily accessible to not only those who may possibly drink and drive but to underage drinking. They not only feel that it will make it more accessible to underage drinking, but the DUI rate will increase.
“Drinking and driving will without any doubt increase. When you make it more available more will be consumed. And that includes underage drinking. They will have more opportunities to get it. To say that by allowing the sale of alcohol will not increase the consequences of alcohol is absolutely not true in any way. Proof is in the numbers I’ve already mentioned. Look at the counties around us that are wet,” Bridges said.
Bridges also works as a chaplain for the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department. He said if you compare the two neighboring counties, the DUI numbers for Montgomery County are double the numbers for Choctaw County.
“If you look at the numbers the domestic calls in Montgomery are higher and the number of DUI’s are double what we have in Choctaw County. Both of those facts are normal when comparing wet counties to dry counties,” Bridges said. “The wet counties have a higher number of domestic calls and DUI’s because alcohol is a contributing factor to domestic violence. And when alcohol is more readily available, naturally the number of drunk drivers will increase.”
Organizers of the grassroots referendum all say that Choctaw County is a dying community, and the referendum could mean a boost in economic growth.
“We are absolutely not a dying community. We may not have the industries like other counties have but there’s reasons for that. You have to take our location and our work force population into consideration. But I would like to tell you what we do have, I wasn’t raised in Choctaw County, I grew up in a neighboring county. My family and I moved to French camp in March of 2008. What Choctaw County has can’t be found anywhere else. It’s the small-town feel. It’s the love your neighbor as thy self,” Bridges said. “It’s caring about each other regardless to how well you know them. My children have grown up and are still growing here and there isn’t anywhere else I’d rather be. Do we need change in Choctaw County? Without question we could use some change but legalizing the sale of alcohol and liquor is not the kind of change we need. That kind of change brings in more crime, more families being destroyed. And you may say it wouldn’t destroy my family, and maybe your right but it’s a very good possibility that it will destroy one of your neighbor’s family. It’s just not worth it to make it more accessible. The consequences of alcohol speak for themselves.”
The growth also compared it to the exponential growth happening in Eupora, but quiet as its kept, French Camp is seeing its own revitalization. And Bridges said revitalizations and surges like French Camp, can happen in Choctaw County without alcohol.
Bridges said it could bring economic growth, but it could also mean more manpower in law enforcement and medical personnel. That would mean bigger budgets, which would take away from any sustainable growth seen by taking Choctaw County from wet to dry.
“The absolute best growth for any community is when the people of that community invest in it. That is sustainable growth. Where is the proof that the sale of alcohol and liquor will bring about an economic growth for the county? Look at the counties around us that are wet, are they that much ahead of us in economic growth? What revenue that may be generated from the sales tax of the alcohol will be swallowed with more calls our law enforcement and medical personal will be dealing with. With so many more calls, there could very likely be a need for more law enforcement and medical personal which would bring about a bigger budget for both, and the economic growth is taken away by the very product that brought it about. Economic growth depends on leadership, and I believe we have outstanding leadership here in Choctaw County. What are some things we can compare? Look at our county school system, the Choctaw County school system ranks at the top of the state. And the additions and advancements to our schools in facilities and new athletic fields and we have one of the best private schools in the state with French Camp Academy. Our emergency care and hospital facility is one of the newest and most up to date around this area. All of that has been accomplished by leadership, not the sale of alcohol.”
Bridges said that everyone has an opinion on this and other matters, but the CBA loves everyone and just wants to see the best for Choctaw County.
“Our desire above everything is to see God glorified and His message of love and salvation through His son Jesus Christ spread throughout the county,” Bridges said.
