The Struggle over the Saloon

The Struggle over the Saloon In 1881, the people of Worcester, MA debated whether to vote to “…sanction the sale of liquor under a licensing system” or to “…close all liquor dealers and saloons.” How one stood on this issue was often determined by their social class. For example, “…the temperance crusade was, in part, an effort made by the city’s middle and upper classes to reform, reshape, and restrict working-class recreational practices.” But nevertheless, this struggle never followed straight class lines. A prime example of this would be in the immigrant Irish wage workers, where “Few Irish workers supported the no-license campaigns, but a substantial number did join their own Catholic temperance organizations” Though, it was not prohibition that the social elites were working for, ““The Saloon is the enemy we are fighting”.” A large variety of people and social class were against the saloons also, including “Worcester’s manufacturers, ministers and mothers.” This led to an even larger separation between those for saloons and those against it. Also, the temperance movements in this time period helped defend the culture and economic interests of Protestant manufacturers. But, “In Worcester, however, where trade unionism and radicalism were weak, temperance radicalism was also weak.” So, the saloon showed great strength while being threatened by the temperance movement, but it did create internal divisions in Worcester. With estimates of up to 5-7% of the United States population admitting to being homosexual, the fight for marriage equality is as strong as ever. Marriage in the United States should be available to all, regardless of sexual orientation; not just because of a moral responsibility of acceptance of others and their choices, but because under the Equal Protection clause of the 14th amendment, no state shall deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. With multiple amendments and clauses in the constitution