I was heartened to hear the election results out of Pampa this past month that allowed alcohol sales on Sunday.

http://www.connectamarillo.com/news/story.aspx?id=910028#.Uby6Fkoo6t8

It’s going to be a reality in a town that had forbidden such activity for reasons that always have baffled me.

None of this activity means that people necessarily will abuse the booze. They won’t all climb into their cars and create a madhouse on city streets, roads and highways. Nor will they become drunken slobs staggering down the street in droves.

But the new city ordinance will, according to Pampa officials, bring additional revenue to retailers who choose to sell alcoholic beverages. Thus, the city and state will derive financial benefit from sales tax increases, which could be spent on such things as, say, ways to prevent alcohol abuse.

Many communities in Texas still prevent the sale of alcohol on Sunday, believing the holy day shouldn’t be tainted. I don’t understand any of this in an era when people are mobile enough to drive to the next community or even to the next county to imbibe.

It might have made some sense when Panhandle residents had to rely on horses and buggies to get from place to place. But that was then.

Welcome to the 21st century, Pampa.