The legal tradition of keeping North Carolina's ABC stores closed on Sundays may be quaint, but we're not sure it's broke or needs fixing.

It won't be the end of the world if State Sen. Tony Rand, Democrat of Fayetteville, succeeds in obtaining passage of his bill that would allow local Alcoholic Beverage Control boards to open liquor stores on Sundays if they so choose.

But even he admits that his motivation is strictly fiscal. Somebody has estimated that adding a seventh day of sales could raise $5 million or so each year in additional tax revenue.

Granted, you can buy beer and wine at the grocery store -- or a shot of the hard stuff at a bar -- on Sunday afternoons. But that's a matter of the state allowing such sales, not conducting them itself. Somehow that seems a little different. Surely folks who want to stock up on booze at home are not under unconscionable hardship if they have "only" six of seven days a week to do so.

If creating more tax revenue is the concern, then the legislature can raise about 40 times as much additional money by passing Gov. Beverly Perdue's proposed 5 percent tax on all alcoholic beverages. DMV license offices don't open on Sundays. Neither do public schools or public colleges. It's not a matter of religion. It's a day of rest. Do we really need to rock the ABC boat?