Table Topic questions are meant to stimulate family and classroom discussion.
Use the questions below after reading,"Dried out, but still thirsty"
Washington went dry before the rest of the nation, so there must have been broad popular support for Prohibition.
What was motivating the people of our state? Why do you think "dry" politics were considered progressive at the time?
The long history of social alcohol use probably doomed Prohibition to failure. Do we have any laws today
that people freely violate? In a democracy, is it possible to have laws that do not enjoy broad-based support,
even if there are good reasons to have them?
- Some consider Prohibition an attempt to legislate morality. What do you think is the proper role of
government in areas of morality? Does your opinion change if there are health issues involved? Drugs,
their effect on society and attempts to regulate them are very complex issues. Given that, do you think
our current drug laws are good policy and provide a safeguard for most people? Or do you think they cause
more crimes than they prevent? Do you consider alcohol and drug abuse victimless crimes?
- As a port city near the Canadian border, Seattle enjoyed a brisk illegal alcohol trade.
Has our reputation as a port of call for illegal substances changed any? Then as now, drug running
seemed to attract daring personalities who loved risk and money. Doc Hamilton and Roy Olmsted
became local folk heroes for their involvement in the alcohol business, and both ended up doing time.
Do you think they were scapegoats for the many who broke or disregarded the law? Can you think of any
contemporary crimes or criminals that have a romantic, folk-hero aura? Why is that?
- One of the unfortunate effects of the Prohibition years was to make deceit a way of life
for many ordinary, normally law-abiding citizens. When it came right down to it, people didn't really
want to give up alcohol. Why did they initially think they would? Why did ordinary people take the risks of
illegal activity? Prohibition was inspired by the reform movement. Is it ironic that the dry '20s now have a
reputation as one of our rowdiest, most lawless decades? Can you think of other instances when a law had
the opposite effect from the intent?
- Even The Seattle Times seemed to overtly subvert the law by printing a marine map of
the common locations of drug enforcement agents. Can you imagine The Times doing this today?
Recent decades have seen widespread disregard for some drug laws. What was your reaction to
President Clinton's statement that he "smoked but didn't inhale"? Was it colored by your personal
experience or the generation you belong to? What are your views on the legalization of marijuana
for medical and/or personal use?
Copyright © 1996 The Seattle Times Company