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Jun. 14, 2007 Let me begin this article by saying upfront that I do not drink or take drugs. I have never been drunk, nor do I have any desire to get drunk. I grew up in a home where no booze was served--or available, and I had very little experience with people who overindulge until I reached adulthood. This was not because of some religious conviction, but because my parents didn't grow up exposed to drinking on a social level. I can't say that I don't know anyone who drinks or uses drugs, because I do, and that is part of the basis for my strong feelings regarding this subject. I have witnessed lives ruined both by the over consumption of booze and drugs and I have witnessed how lives have been destroyed and ruined because of drunk driving. I have no patience with people who drink too much, and their behavior often embarrasses me and causes me great discomfort. As a matter of fact, watching other people drink too much turns me into a bit of an arrogant, judgmental person, and I feel superior to those who can't hold their booze and make total fools out of themselves. This leads me to the question of people who drive while impaired. I can quote many reliable statistics that point out the amount of drunk driving deaths and injuries that occur yearly in America. I can tell you that driving drunk, in my opinion, is like giving a loaded gun to a child and showing them how to aim and pull the trigger. MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving has a web site that can back up everything that I am typing here, and Loyola University is among the many schools that has researched the effects of alcohol and driving, and how this has become one of the most serious causes of unnecessary deaths in our country. Where I live there have been new and VERY strict laws enacted regarding DUI, and I am in total agreement with the strictness of said laws. I am anxious to see the offenders of this potentially lethal crime being marched off to Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Tent City. I am glad that he has made room for those offenders and that there is no early release for good behavior policy nor can any of them be released to home monitoring. I am thrilled that there is no two-tiered legal system here for those who can afford special treatment. Everyone is on the same playing field when it comes to drunk driving, or driving while impaired by any substance. This may seem harsh to those of you who like to have the occasional social drink, and feel that it does no harm if you get behind the wheel of your car afterward. If you are putting alcohol or drugs into your body your brain will react and your perception, timing and judgment will be different from that of a sober person...no matter what. It's time that we stopped looking at DUI as a petty crime without consequences. For every driver who is busted, statistics show that they have most likely driven under the influence on several occasions before they got caught. I support the harshest possible penalties for anyone who decides that they should be the deciding factor in whether another person lives, dies or is injured for life. That person becomes their own judge, jury and executioner and unless we take a zero tolerance approach to driving while impaired the death toll will continue to mount and the bodies will continue to pile up. There are far too many alternatives to turning the key in your ignition after you have been drinking or using. There is no excuse for anyone to get behind the wheel while impaired and the worst part of all is that your typical drunk will tell you, "I am fine." They are the last people on earth to be making this judgment call because they are impaired and often don't even know it. If I sound like a crusader than so be it. There is absolutely no excuse for the continuing carnage on our highways and on our streets. If the DUI offenders won't take responsibility for their actions than the rest of us must. All it takes is one time to kill or injure someone if you drive drunk. There should be no such thing as an unpunishable first offense. All offenders are created equal and should be treated the same whether it is their first time or their tenth. The end result can and often is the same. Drive drunk or impaired and go to jail.....that's a step in the right direction. The education on the use of alcohol and drugs while operating a vehicle is secondary to getting them off of the streets immediately. The goal should be the same as it would be for anyone using a dangerous weapon without regard for the well being of others. ------------ About the author: Meri has a Medical/Legal background and is a former forensic researcher specializing in psychological profiling. Visit the Xlibris Bookstore! Email: writers2@cox.net Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com. Please link to this article rather than copying and pasting it onto your site (which would be unauthorized and illegal). |
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