The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a news release Tuesday, arguing that Utah's liquor laws are beneficial. One of those laws requires that the preparation of and dispensing of alcohol in restaurants not be done in view of customers, inasmuch as children are present.
That provision has come to be known as the Zion Curtain.
"They are catering to everybody, including children," Elder D. Todd Christofferson says of restaurants. Elder Christofferson's comments come in a video that is part of the news release.
Some have made light of the law, laughing that mixing the drinks in view of children should be prohibited. One can imagine a parent with children in a restaurant without the Zion Curtain, saying, "Cover your eyes, children. Please. I don't want you to see such a thing."
Truth is, though, seeing alcohol being mixed does give the children more reason to think alcohol consumption is normal and acceptable. If we consider the damages alcohol has, we should want to protect children from liquor. Yes, the fewer times it is brought before them, they fewer times the child will consider alcohol. No, seeing a drink mixed doesn't mean the child is necessarily going to turn to alcohol. But, it is an influence. We would be wrong not to realize it is an such. Sometimes, it takes many such influences before a child is persuaded. But, well it could be that a child might see the alcohol being mixed, then see it served to someone, and say in his or her heart, "I don't see what is wrong with that. They seem to be doing fine. No big deal."
Bless the child, and raise him or her right. And, yes, shielding him or her from alcohol for as long possible is wise. There are a lot of bad influences we shield children from, and alcohol should be one of them.
http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/alcohol-laws-utah
http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/alcohol-laws-utah
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