The problem with being – MADD
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FYI on DUI by DUI undo Consultants, LLC
The problem with being – MADDMADD, this previously admirable group has slipped into pure anti-alcohol zealotry with its ”zero tolerance” campaign against drinking anything at all before driving. …MADD President Wendy Hamilton recently wrote ”the thought that (driving) can be successfully combined with alcohol on the part of the driver or even the passengers defies any logic I can imagine.”
Really? Even the passengers? Is MADD so anti-alcohol that they oppose designated drivers? This is what MADD has become or as I call it the ‘MADDness of MADD’.
In my opinion, MADD’s approach to reducing or stopping DUI’s through intimidation, fear and prohibition has about as good of chance at success as the death penalty has in stopping murder. Let’s face the facts, most DUI arrests are because of an error in judgment. People think, they’re okay to drive home, get stopped and arrested for DUI. Trying to change a socially acceptable behavior (it’s not against the law to drink and drive, it’s against the law to DRINK & DRIVE IMPAIRED) and educate the public on the dangers of an error in judgment/DUI through the criminal justice system is like trying to, “Slay a Fire Breathing Dragon with a Water Pistol – DEADLY…!!!”
Criminalizing a behavior doesn’t educate someone, it sets the system up to make more money off repeat offenders and money from arrests for driving on a suspended license. The time is now to stop the legislators who abuse their powers and pass irresponsible DUI legislation due to MADD’s influence. Before legislators amend current laws or pass new laws we need to fix what’s broken in the current system. (More on this subject in another post).
MADD’s intimidation is NOT working, it’s time to take back the power back through education… which reminds me of a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to William Charles Jarvis —
Thomas Jefferson, wrote in a letter to William Charles Jarvis, (28 September 1820)
I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education. This is the true corrective of abuses of constitutional power.~ Thomas Jefferson
(28 September 1820).
duiundoconsultants 
July 10, 2012 at 11:40 pm
MADD is delighted with a system that is set up to make ever more money off of repeat offenders and arrests. MADD generates revenue from these people. “Zero tolerance” is their goal because that will guarantee an increasing stream of revenue into the future.
I’ve heard police public service announcements on the radio recently that state, “Drive sober, or get pulled over!” Quite a misstatement of the law.
I couldn’t help but notice the quote from Christine Houston at the top of the page. It’s insane that someone that could utter such an asinine comment is in charge of a state’s breath alcohol program. God help the citizens of Kansas.