Jeff’s Jam vs. City Council

Jeff’s Jam has been an emotional and political tennis match for both sides of the issue. (If you’re not familiar with Jeff’s jam, read about it here). This would be the ninth year for Jeff’s Jam downtown.

With less than 30 days before the events scheduled date, Delaware City Councilman Jim Moore has submitted a petition with the intent of preventing the Jeff’s Jam organizers from serving beer during the event.   Councilman Moore’s petition was for the ultimate purpose “to stop the sale and consumption of alcohol on the street, ensuring that children and teenagers in attendance were not directly exposed to alcohol”.

Way to go Councilman Moore. You’re absolutely right. Allowing children and teenagers to see adults consuming beer on the street would cause widespread and mass corruption.   I’m glad that you’re stepping up to the plate to protect the city children.  I’m sure that exposing those same children and teenagers to rock and roll music will induce promiscuity and encourage drug use.  (we should counteract that corruption by teaching Creation in Delaware City Schools – but that’s another sarcastic commentary entirely.)

Councilman Moore, I have one question for you…. when are you going to introduce the petition to stop alcohol sales and betting at the Little Brown Jug race?   Your petition could be for the purpose:  “to stop the sale and consumption of alcohol, and stop gambling, at an event children and teenagers might attend, ensuring that children and teenagers in attendance were not directly exposed to alcohol or gambling.”

There’s a HUGE double standard in Delaware, it seems to affect both City Council members and many residents.  It’s OK to close schools for a day, allow children and teenagers to go to the Little Brown Jug race.  A race where they frequently see adults consuming mass quantities of alcohol – many adults getting stupid drunk, and learn exactly how horse race betting is conducted, but it’s not OK to allow a local music festival to sell beer in a controlled environment.

Some opponents will say that the difference is that Jeff’s Jam is on a downtown street, and the Little Brown Jug race is at the fairgrounds.   And my response to that is…. So What?  Both locations are city property.

If City Council wants to allow the democratic process to run it’s course and put the issue to a vote, no problem. That’s how it’s suppose to work.  But 30 days before the event is scheduled to take place isn’t the time to start this crusade. That’s not fair to the event organizers, and it’s not fair to event sponsors.  Jeff’s Jam wasn’t a surprise event. These concerns should have been brought up a year ago – after the 2008 Jeff’s Jam.

If you feel this passionate about saving the city children and teenagers from being exposed to alcohol, then I challenge you to start that petition to stop alcohol sales and gambling at this years Little Brown Jug race.  How about going back to those residents that oppose Jeff’s Jam and asking what they think about alcohol at the Little Brown Jug race?

Councilman Moore, don’t forget that the Jeff’s Jam organizers, sponsors and attendees are all tax paying Delaware residents too.

~ Delaware Pulse

PS – We don’t really think that alcohol should be banned at the Little Brown Jug race, we just think that there are far too many double standards in Delaware Ohio.