Agree or disagree with Pastor Todd Baker's stance on alcohol consumption, you do have to admire the fact that he stands by his convictions. Once again this year, led by those very convictions, he will be protesting at the Texas Panhandle Craft Beer Fest.

One can't help but ask, "why alcohol" when you look at the amount of time Baker has devoted to campaigning against it. When asked, his answer at first was the kind of thing you'd expect. "Nothing good has ever come from alcohol and there's plenty of passages in the Bible that warn against alcohol use."

When asked for clarification (was it personal experience or a family member that inspired this crusade) Baker stated that he had seen family members' lives destroyed by alcohol.

He also once ran a bus ministry, part of which was picking up children to take them to church. He said he had seen the life destroying effects of alcohol-use there as well.

Then came the campaign to take Canyon from being "dry" to allowing alcohol sales. According to Baker, there was a choice that had to be made when going to advertise for his newly formed Anchor Of Hope Baptist Church. Place the advertisement as planned, or stand up to the efforts to, as Baker explained it, normalize alcohol sales.

According to Baker, it's the normalization of alcohol sales, especially around children, that he is against. He moved his family to Canyon, after all, because it was dry.

He also states that "it's a thing of degrees." Baker asks what comes next. Hookah lounges? Legal Marijuana sales and cafes?

Agree or disagree with the man, you do have to admire his willingness to stand up for what he believes in, even if he has to do it alone. Saturday, joined by his family, Todd Baker will be protesting and street preaching at the Texas Panhandle Craft Beer Fest.

Raise a glass and toast to freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the freedom to peacefully assemble.

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