Maine news, sports, weather from Waterville Morning Sentinel

'Family' not a word that should be on beer packs

Another attack on families? Not quite.

A large sign outside several local convenience stores advertises the price of a Budweiser Family Pack. Really?

And just how many beers do I need to purchase to serve my family of six? Including my two teenagers and two pre-teens? How much beer does an 11-year-old drink?

My sarcasm is born out of the resentment of the word "corporation" being substituted with the word "family."

Sam Adams and Smirnoff are not families. Busch and Coors are not families. These are large companies that make and sell alcohol.

It is not likely that these businesses are going to invite you in and ask you to pull up a stool hearthside. They can't; they are not families.

With alcoholism as rampant as it is in our culture, and the dynamics of families ever-changing, do we need to promote a warm and fuzzy feeling about drinking alcohol? I have lost family members to this consuming disease and watched it tear families apart.

If you have ever known the effects of alcoholism, perhaps you've noticed these marquees and have thoughts similar to mine. Keep the word "family" for parks, movies, gatherings, functions and even restaurants that may indeed serve alcohol. But let Anheuser-Busch find another way to market its products and leave my family out of it.

Laura Dill Collette

West Gardiner