“Frail is our happiness if this be so, And Eden were no Eden thus exposed.” – John Milton, Paradise Lost

Perhaps the best thing to come out of the debate over restaurant reform/liquor-by-the-drink is the clear passion that residents of Martin have for their community.

Perhaps most disturbing, however, is how limited that community seems to be for some of Martin’s citizens.

For both sides in the debate, it’s probably time for a reality check. For those who favor the measure, bringing in an O’Charley’s or other major chain restaurant (if that will happen in this economic climate) won’t significantly change the dining or cultural landscape of Martin. I’ll take a small, northern Italian restaurant with the scent of garlic and basil in the kitchen over the Olive Garden any day.

For those who oppose restaurant reform, the issues are more complex. Increased crime? Unlikely. Martin’s own chief of police was recently quoted in the Weakley County Press as saying that in every Tennessee county that has passed a similar measure, crime –including DUIs– have actually decreased. Proliferation of saloons?

Nope. Regulations already on the books will require any establishment desiring a liquor license to have 70 percent of its receipts come from food. Buying a $4.95 margarita will mean Chili’s will have to make sure you spend $12.00 on an apple-sizzlin’ something to soak it up. Two margaritas? That’s $24 worth of food.

Harder to quantify, however, are the moral arguments, namely that a vote against liquor in Martin is pro-family and pro-small town values. The implicit extension of such arguments is that anyone that favors the measure is anti-family and anti - “our values.”

And that’s where things get dangerous. A line in the sand is drawn, categorizing people not by where they spend their time, energy, and money but by what they think.

Demonstrating commitment to one’s community thus doesn't just mean making sure you vote, it means voting the right way, or in the case of students, perhaps not voting at all.

I’d like to see the opposite occur. Go out and vote-no matter if it’s for or against restaurant reform. Vote not only on that measure, but also the mayoral race. For many of you, Larry Taylor or Randy Brundige will be your mayor for most, if not all, of your college years.

And then after you vote, stay involved in the Martin community, even if it means promoting ideas that are awkward and unpopular. If the happiness of this town depends on the absence of liquor, our own little Eden is indeed a frail place.

Instead, help demonstrate that the best small town values are tolerance, shared commitment and diversity of thought.

Todd Butler is an assistant professor of English.