No Change! No Fix!

First, I’ll admit non-drinkers don’t seem to understand drunks. Why would anyone be so foolish, especially, over and over again. Unfortunately the problem with drunks is that they so negatively affect society.

In the December 30 Star-Telegram, Domingo Ramirez said: “Texas continues to lead the nation in alcohol-related crashes. They [I am assuming here he means drunks] kill more than 1,500 motorists and injure more than 63,000 each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Thousands of law enforcement officers will be out on patrol this holiday to enforce the state’s drunken-driving laws.”

I wonder why we don’t use the same tactics with this drug that we do with others? Oh, I understand that alcohol is not illegal and cocaine (for example) is, but “drunk” is illegal, both behind the wheel and in public. So how come we don’t find out where these drunks are getting drunk and try working the problem from that source? Please! I understand there are “problems” with building such a plan, but when is the “drunk problem” going to exceed the “attempted solution problem?”

If drunks are getting drunk in bars, why can’t there be a limit to the number of drinks a person may consume – say two, which in my opinion is two to many? If they are getting drunk at some-one’s party, why isn’t that party thrower responsible up to the point of being prosecuted for. . .endangerment, or something? And, let’s deal with the problem of people getting drunk in their own home — how many of those people then get in their cars and go somewhere? Probably not many, and we will never know that until “where they got drunk” is a required “question” during the arrest for drunkenness, helping us get to the root of the problem.

The truth is, too many people drink excessively — policeman, judges, doctors, lawyers, politicians, and the booze business is too big to fight successfully.

I see a “lot of enforcement” on New Year’s eve, but I never see a patrol car sitting across the street from a bar, or across the street from the Judge’s house waiting for tires to touch a public street. And please, don’t tell me that cops can’t stop you until you “demonstrate” some violation of the law! Police can and do stop people anywhere, anytime, for anything including the fact the officer is just bored.

I know this is “spitting in the wind,” but sometimes stuff just gets me angry.