By: Daniel Nardini
T
he Oglala Sioux of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, are suing certain alcohol outlets in Whiteclay, Nebraska, for breaking state laws in providing alcohol to members of the Oglala Sioux tribe. The Oglala Sioux are also suing all the major beer brewing companies for the high alcoholism rate on the Sioux reservation. The beer companies named in the lawsuit are Anheuser-Busch, SAB Miller, the Molson Coors Brewing Company, MillerCoors, and the Pabst Brewing Company. The Sioux contend that because of these companies’ irresponsible ads and promotion of alcohol use near the reservation, the beer companies have brought poverty, violence and destitution to the whole tribe. For this the tribe wants restitution from the beer companies and an end to all of the ads. The Sioux tribe wants U.S. $600 million in damages for what alcoholism has done to the tribe.
In the case of those alcohol outlets that might have broken state law, there is a possibility of pursuing a lawsuit. This has been done successfully in other states. In the case of pursuing the major beer companies over their having some sort of responsibility for the high alcoholism rate on the Sioux reservation, I believe that is a bridge too far. When I think of this case, I think about the City of Chicago’s efforts at trying to bring all of America’s gun making companies to trial to pay for making the weapons that killed so many Chicago residents. The gun companies argued that first they could not be responsible for their products being misused for killing people, and second that trying to make them accountable would be also punishing Americans who responsibly own and use their firearms. In the end, every federal judge ruled against Chicago, and no judge could hold the gun makers responsible for the irresponsibility of how the firearms were used even if this meant killing innocent people. Besides, the lawsuit in one sense was infringing on the Second Amendment.
While the U.S. Constitution does not protect the beer makers in the same ways as the gun making companies, it will be very hard for the Oglala Sioux to prove that the beer companies are directly responsible for the high alcoholism rate on the reservation. Unless, for instance, the Sioux can prove that all of the alcohol outlets not only help contribute to high alcoholism rates on the reservation but in all of the surrounding areas, it will still be a real uphill battle to show that the beer companies are responsible for the high alcoholism rate among the Oglala Sioux. Frankly, going after the beer companies in court could take years and is a waste of badly needed money and resources. It might make better sense to try and use the money available to try and fight the high rate of alcoholism in the reservation itself with badly needed assistance programs. Also, it makes sense to go after those alcohol outlets that might be breaking state law to try and lesson the places where alcohol is sold. But I believe the best way to fight alcoholism is to fight poverty and destitution. Programs to fight poverty will go further to fight alcoholism than war against all of the beer companies.
War Against the Beer Companies
By: Daniel Nardini
T
he Oglala Sioux of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, are suing certain alcohol outlets in Whiteclay, Nebraska, for breaking state laws in providing alcohol to members of the Oglala Sioux tribe. The Oglala Sioux are also suing all the major beer brewing companies for the high alcoholism rate on the Sioux reservation. The beer companies named in the lawsuit are Anheuser-Busch, SAB Miller, the Molson Coors Brewing Company, MillerCoors, and the Pabst Brewing Company. The Sioux contend that because of these companies’ irresponsible ads and promotion of alcohol use near the reservation, the beer companies have brought poverty, violence and destitution to the whole tribe. For this the tribe wants restitution from the beer companies and an end to all of the ads. The Sioux tribe wants U.S. $600 million in damages for what alcoholism has done to the tribe.
In the case of those alcohol outlets that might have broken state law, there is a possibility of pursuing a lawsuit. This has been done successfully in other states. In the case of pursuing the major beer companies over their having some sort of responsibility for the high alcoholism rate on the Sioux reservation, I believe that is a bridge too far. When I think of this case, I think about the City of Chicago’s efforts at trying to bring all of America’s gun making companies to trial to pay for making the weapons that killed so many Chicago residents. The gun companies argued that first they could not be responsible for their products being misused for killing people, and second that trying to make them accountable would be also punishing Americans who responsibly own and use their firearms. In the end, every federal judge ruled against Chicago, and no judge could hold the gun makers responsible for the irresponsibility of how the firearms were used even if this meant killing innocent people. Besides, the lawsuit in one sense was infringing on the Second Amendment.
While the U.S. Constitution does not protect the beer makers in the same ways as the gun making companies, it will be very hard for the Oglala Sioux to prove that the beer companies are directly responsible for the high alcoholism rate on the reservation. Unless, for instance, the Sioux can prove that all of the alcohol outlets not only help contribute to high alcoholism rates on the reservation but in all of the surrounding areas, it will still be a real uphill battle to show that the beer companies are responsible for the high alcoholism rate among the Oglala Sioux. Frankly, going after the beer companies in court could take years and is a waste of badly needed money and resources. It might make better sense to try and use the money available to try and fight the high rate of alcoholism in the reservation itself with badly needed assistance programs. Also, it makes sense to go after those alcohol outlets that might be breaking state law to try and lesson the places where alcohol is sold. But I believe the best way to fight alcoholism is to fight poverty and destitution. Programs to fight poverty will go further to fight alcoholism than war against all of the beer companies.