Pa. legislator wants to ban French wine from state stores
I often forget that in some states the liquer stores are state run (in florida they are not...grocey stores..7-11s sell beer wine in Fl.) in any case this guy makes some sense....except the french fry thing (Klause help me out here...but I belive French fries are an American invention).
Pa. legislator wants to ban French wine from state stores
The Associated Press
2/15/03 11:43 AM
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- A Pennsylvania lawmaker wants to ban state-owned liquor stores from selling imported French wine and spirits, saying he's fed up with France's opposition to a possible U.S.-led war on Iraq.
State Rep. Steve Barrar, a Republican from Delaware County outside Philadelphia, said he will introduce a resolution this month ordering the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to prohibit state stores from carrying and selling French booze.
"I am tired of America always being there for the French through the 60 years of the Cold War, and with billions of dollars in aid," Barrar said. "We had thousands of Americans on their beaches at Normandy during World War II, and they still don't respect us.
"By not supporting us now, this is the last straw. Something needs to be done, and what better way than to hit them in their pockets?"
With 640 retail outlets, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is the largest purchaser of wine and spirits in the United States. It spent about $625 million on booze last year; sales were $1.2 billion.
France has steadfastly opposed any U.S.-led attack on Iraq, calling for more time for U.N. weapons inspectors to hunt for weapons of mass destruction. The country's anti-war stance has strained relations with Washington.
Along with the Iraq issue, Barrar cited two Pennsylvania-specific points of disagreement with the French: Their reluctance to extradite convicted killer Ira Einhorn, and their support of Mumia Abu-Jamal, who is on death row for killing a Philadelphia police officer in 1981.
"They condemn us for Mumia Abu-Jamal to the point that they named a little town outside of Paris after him," said Barrar, who is seeking co-sponsors for his resolution.
"I even said to my kids I'm not buying french fries, I'm so mad at the French."
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Pa. legislator wants to ban French wine from state stores 
