A Wisconsin state legislative rep who Googled “Stupid Wisconsin Laws” has introduced a bill to overturn one of the dumbest ones he found: a law that forbids “colored margarine” from being served at a restaurant unless a customer asks for it.

GOOD reports on how America used to hate margarine, sometimes with good reason and sometimes without. In some parts it was seen as “Anti-American,” because it originated in France. Earlier margarine-makers were basically dying beef tallow. And there was just the basic unease with consuming something “impure” and “unnatural” as a “synthetic” butter. There were blacklists of stores that sold it, and lots of silly laws were drafted, like one requiring margarine be dyed pink so people could spot it. Most of the laws were overturned, but the Wisconsin one remains.

It’s not stupid for the rep to go after this law, however, because the same law also prevents state institutions from serving margarine, and real butter costs three times as much. That’s savings you can spread around!

Watch Your Mouth: I Can’t Believe That Anti-Margarine Law’s Still on the Books [GOOD] (Thanks to c-side!)

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