By L.A. Williams
Christian Action League
May 2, 2024
Nearly six years ago, the Craven County Board of Commissioners rejected an ordinance that would have allowed restaurants and stores to begin selling alcohol on Sunday mornings. Last month, they renewed their resolve against the state’s brunch bill, again voting the measure down, this time 5-2.
“I’ve tried as chairman during my tenure not to debate a number of issues, but this is one that is serious enough for me and my stand for Jesus Christ that I will debate it,” board chairman Jason Jones told fellow officials as he implored them to vote no on April 1.
A local Christian-based organization also fought the proposed ordinance.
“The God and Country Christian Alliance opposed this change several years ago, and we sent a letter to the commissioners and gave testimony as well. We did the same this time, and several of us spoke by phone to all of the commissioners,” said Jerry Schill, a leader of the GCCA. He had used a line from the Popeye cartoon in 2018, telling commissioners then, “This is all I can stands, and I can’t stands no more!”
The phrase was revived during the public comment time before the vote, when 11 residents addressed the board, all in opposition to the earlier alcohol sales.
“The speaker before me mentioned that he thinks this is a ‘Popeye moment.’ When I got up to speak, I said, ‘My name is Popeye and I ate my spinach before the meeting,’” said Schill, who said he does not oppose drinking in moderation.
“My comments were not Bible-based like most of the others who spoke but rather the degree of moral degradation we’ve suffered as a nation over the years. A two-hour change seems like such a small change, yet that’s exactly why we’ve gotten to where we are as a nation, one little change after another. When do we say NO? When do we say we’ve had enough?” he added.
In 2017, Gov. Roy Cooper signed legislation authorizing county commissioners, and town and city councils to adopt ordinances that would allow bars, hotels, private clubs, restaurants, and retail outlets such as convenience and grocery stores to roll back the time for alcohol sales from noon to 10 a.m. on Sundays.
According to an April 9 article in the Sun Journal, Commissioner Tom Mark made the motion to approve the ordinance after hearing from representatives of the Fairfield Harbour community and an area Food Lion. Both said they wanted the additional hours to be able to compete with establishments in nearby New Bern, which approved the sales soon after the legislation was signed. Mark and Etteinne Mitchell were the only two board members in favor of the move.
A commissioner for the Craven County town of Havelock, Jim Kohr voted against the brunch bill there in 2018 “out of concern for the safety of the citizens and respect for it being Sunday,” he said at the time.
Kohr was among the speakers who addressed the Craven County Commission at its April 1 meeting.
“This nation is that of a Christian nation. So, the question I have for you is, do you want more religiosity in Craven County or less religiosity?” he asked. “If the answer to that question is yes, then we have a moral obligation to protect Sunday.”
Jones expressed similar concerns, telling fellow commissioners that expanded alcohol sales could lead to an increase in substance abuse.
“How can we ever be taken seriously by the citizens of this county, whose tax dollars we allot to it [substance abuse], that we’re trying to combat this issue when we’re saying, ‘it’s OK, we’re going to give you more opportunity to purchase’?” he asked, adding that the ordinance could also become a slippery slope to adopting even more lax alcohol laws such as opening ABC stores on Sundays.
The Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League, applauded the Craven County Board of Commissioners for maintaining its stance against expanded alcohol sale hours and commended the GCCA for continuing to speak out on this and other issues that affect the community’s moral climate.
“It’s no small task, being aware of what’s on the agenda of governing bodies and then taking the initiative to make calls and show up to speak at meetings. But it is so important for elected officials to hear from Christians, who want the best for their community. It’s another way that we can show love for our neighbor,” Creech said.
