As residents of Valdosta/Lowndes County, we, the Undersigned, respectfully submit the following Petition:

Whereas the State of Georgia is currently one of only three states in the United States that ban Sunday sales of alcoholic beverages at stores, And, whereas State Bill 10 gives residents of the State of Georgia the right to vote on allowing Sunday sales of alcoholic beverages at stores,

And, whereas the repeal of the prohibition of Sunday sales of alcoholic beverages at stores in the State of Georgia would expand consumer choice on the second-busiest shopping day of the week, and would benefit the State of Georgia by raising tax revenue,

And, whereas such blue laws were originally designed to enforce moral standards, particularly the observance of Sunday as a day of worship or rest, they were established in earlier eras of our history to enforce the religious beliefs and practices of some people on the entire population of the State of Georgia,

And, whereas the Undersigned clearly respect the right of all residents of the State of Georgia to exercise freedom of religion, freedom of belief, and freedom of worship,

And, whereas efforts by the Undersigned to repeal the prohibition of Sunday sales of alcoholic beverages at stores should not be construed as an affront to the right of all residents of the State of Georgia to exercise freedom of religion, freedom of belief, and freedom of worship,

And, whereas the “separation of church and state” is a legal and political principle derived from the First Amendment to the United States Constitution,

And, whereas we believe that by precluding the Sunday sale of alcoholic beverages at stores before 12:00 Noon provides a respectful accommodation towards traditional observations of the Christian Sabbath, and continues to promote the general welfare of the State of Georgia, balanced with a responsibility for state government to ensure that our laws protect free markets, preserve individual rights, and are not discriminatory towards industry,

We request that the issue of Sunday sales of alcohol be added to list of items to be voted on during the general election on November 8, 2011.