Friday, January 29, 2010

When Will We Learn? When Will We Care?


Terry Naugle of Nova Scotia was convicted of drunk driving in 1978, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1989 again, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2006 and, most recently, 2009. He never received a lifetime driving ban, at least until the 2009 charges, for which he is being sentenced next month.

Above is the first shocking paragraph of an editorial in yesterday's Globe.

Apparently, we continue to believe that driving a car is some god-given right in this country and no matter how dangerous and demented our behaviour, we may do so ad naseum.

Apparently, we continue to believe in this country that drinking booze badly is just an amusing side-bar to real life and it is to be chuckled at while we have another.

Apparently, we have no balls, no values and no political will to get real on this subject.

4 comments:

Leah said...

Amen to that David! Perhaps when justice team members start taking their own laws seriously, things will change. But, I won't hold my breath!

Dave C. said...

David,

Strikes me that our drunk driving "laws" are the Canuck version of the US "right to bear arms" amendment. A shot from a gun or a shot from a bottle - what's the difference? Not my fault.

DC

Gary L. said...

"Apparently, we continue to believe in this country that drinking booze badly is just an amusing side-bar to real life and it is to be chuckled at while we have another".
Apparently we do..... I tend not to though. The first introduction that I had to funerals, was when as a lad, I attended my first one. The guests of honour were my 2 nieces, and my aunt and uncle. They were all removed from this world and sent careening into the next world, coutesy of an impaired driver. Oh, did I mention that the impaired person's day job was School Bus Driver?

Cheers

Anonymous said...

Zero tolerance. Until we devise a way to hold judges and parole boards accountable for their decisions we will have repeat offenders of all crimes.
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