Here's a quote from Utah's Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, found in today's Trib:
"Utah's liquor laws are based on the longstanding state policy to reasonably satisfy the public demand for alcoholic beverages while protecting the public interest, including the rights of the citizens who do not wish to be involved with alcoholic beverages."
I fail to see how selling wine or liquor in grocery stores infringes upon anybody's rights at all. Just because it's there doesn't mean you'll be forced to consume alcohol. If that were the case, why have legislators decided to allow the sale of 3.2% beer in grocery stores? In what way does that protect the public interest, while selling wine doesn't?
And what reasons for passing such laws could they cite, except for religious reasons? Almost 90% of the Utah legislature is Mormon--but wait, that couldn't possibly have anything to do with it.