Talking Beer: Alcohol Concern - Blinkered, smugly moralistic and self-righteous

But before I ascend “the stand” and give evidence in opposing this outburst, I would like to thank Edward Lee’s “Straight Talking”(June 14th) for his most interesting, valid and rightful views on this prickly issue.

Right, now I have been teed-up – fasten your seat-belts – it will be a bumpy ride!

This self-righteous, holier-than-thou and taxpayer funded bunch, has once again elevated themselves on to their moralistic soapbox, with their self-opinionated views – at the expense of our valued beer industry.

They really are the most wearisome of all the anti-alcohol campaigners – and have been tub-thumping the message, that in their opinion, young people are being bombarded with misleading information – and are being exposed to various alcoholic brands.

They add that current regulations are also not effective.

They drone on about it being time to “reset the balance between commercial and public interest” adding, well perhaps demanding, that advertisers should stick to the facts.

OK, so let’s reveal a few facts and ask a few questions for the defence m’lud – facts Alcohol Concern never explain or divulge – as they plough their lonely furrow of self-opinionated bleating.

M’lud, we all know that we already have some of the toughest regulations on advertising in Europe – perhaps a reaction to that fact, from the prosecution.

I would also like to highlight for the defence, m’lud that recent Department of Health figures reveal that fewer young people in the United Kingdom are actually drinking alcohol.

So,I would ask Alcohol Concern: “Explain then, why and how this figure is falling when we have alcohol advertising?

The “prosecution” also had the temerity to state, that alcohol advertising was already banned in France – without revealing that drinking amongst youngsters, across the channel, had increased!

Let’s face it, I am sure most of us will agree, Alcohol Concern excepted, that the advertisers are targeting people over the age of 18, to drink their brands, and not the young ’uns.

And why, in conclusion for the “defence”, has Alcohol Concern only identified alcohol advertisers for influencing our young?

No mention of alcohol-fuelled parents, perhaps being the root cause of alcohol related problems amongst this group!

It would be nice to have a response from this self-opinionated, puritanical group – as they never usually diversify from the goody-goody, intolerant, self-righteous image, they portray.

Or perhaps, they will just continue to plough that lonely furrow of smugly moralistic and blinkered opinion – seemingly oblivious to the fact that they are exhibiting their own pious, pontificating, self-assurance.