Category Archives: RID-Blog

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Angel Tragedy Avoidable

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The Los Angeles Angel Pitcher Nick Ardenhart and two friends are now with the angels forever thanks to a repeat DWI offender. This was no accident. It was murder.

When will innocent people be protected against repeat scofflaws who kill and maim(greater than 13,000 last year).

When the law will demand that all repeat offenders, as well as, those who drive unlicensed, must have an ignition interlock device(IID) installed in his/her car. The driver has to breath into the IID before starting the car. Any alcohol greater than .02 will kill the ignition. A simple device like this could have saved three lives, the injury of a 4th person and the anguish and trauma of the Ardenhart family. Why isn’t this law for the IID in place in California?

Lifesavers

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Yo! I just returned from Nashville, TN, staffing the RID-USA booth at the 2009 Lifesavers’ Conference (1900 attendees from every State including 8 RIDders from NH,KY, TN and NY ) ca,e by the booth. I got the hard facts on % of youths who committed suicide connected to alcohol, no.s of the drop in DWI deaths State by State, a new commitment to share info with MADD on pending legislative goals, and the strong motivation to continue our efforts to deter underage drinking. (Three teen suicides/attempts at suicides occurred recently in my local high school ). I will make the connection between alcohol overdose and underage bingeing as a Speaker at the next Lifesavers Conferencein Philadelphia 4-11-2010.
Detailson alcohol-related unexpected teen deaths and the Conference facts will appear on the upcoming Spring RID newsletter. Blog me back if you want a copy or if you want to join RID at $20.
Doris Aiken

I Applaud Whoopi Goldberg

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Whoopi Goldberg has my admiration for her statement on the obvious, but never mentioned on TV or radio, that perhaps the constant wave of alcohol ads everywhere, ball games, holidays, all sports arenas, billboards, would have and does have, an appeal to youth to drink on every occasion.

She was right, and she is the first celebrity to come right out and say so. Kudos to Whoopi! Perhaps the other panelists on the View will follow her suit.

Doris Aiken

Double Standard for Guns and BAC levels

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Plexico Burress, the NY Giants wide receiver apparently had the cooperation of the hospital ER personel to cover up information about his “self-inflicted” bullet wound to his leg. By law, bullet wounds and severe burns must be reported to the police and or prosecutors since burglars and arsonists may be obvious criminal suspects.

The BAC(Blood Alcohol Content) of the driver’s involved in personal injury and fatal crashes, is confidental. Police must get a search warrant from a judge, often at night, to obtain this criminal evidence, wasting crucial time, as the BAC is rapidly disappearing(.02 an hour).

Many more people are killed and severly injured than those who choose to carry weapons, and/or shoot themsleves.

Attempts to correct this huge loophole in the criminal law(which enriches defense lawyers) denies justice and restitution to DWI victims and their families, have failed, so far.

What was Burress’s BAC and/or other drug consumption. Can we or  the Giants ever know?

Doris Aiken, RID President

NFL Has Double Standard for DUIs and Pot

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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has established himself as a law & Order type when it comes to reining in players who misbehave. So it was puzzling to me that he would give Kareem McKenzie a pass for his recent DUI. When an NFL player tests positive for marijuana the penalty is an automatic four game suspension, an astronomical loss of income and can impact his team, tremendously.  Testing positive for pot in itself doesn’t endanger you or I. Driving drunk does. That’s why I believe DUI should be punished more severely than a first offense for pot. For Goodell to completely ignore this infraction is an outrage. What kind of message does this send? It’s a public safety issue that deserves some serious attention.

 The national sports media gave this story little coverage. Perhaps, that’s because the product(beer) involved is also a major advertiser on the network and cable level.

I can’t think of any other reason for this double standard of justice when it comes to punishing DUI and drug offenders. A lot of sports writers and fans have applauded Goodell’s heavy handed approach in dealing with players who step out of line. Where’s their outrage for his lack of concern with McKenzie’s DUI? I am sure the State of New Jersey will punish Mr McKenzie accordingly. However, Mr. Goodell set a tone that NFL players would be held to higher standard since they are role models for the community. On this instance he dropped the ball. 

 

21 drinking Age Saves Lives of Teens

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There is no link between the 21 drinking age and teen binge drinking. The 21 drinking age saved the lives of 25,000 youths since 1985; its sole purpose is to stop teens from driving to bars with their friends, drink up, and drive home at great risk to all of us.

Parents should treat their young to the same anger and fear for safety in connection with alcohol use as they do with the other illegal drugs. We are all swimming in an alcoholized media environment that promotes drinking on every possible occasion on the internet, cable & broadcast ads, sports events, clothing, cops, T-shirts, most aimed at youth. “Beer is food” is a popularT-shirt logo for teens. Parents wake up, explain to their teens and sub-teens that the developing body during puberty is more vulnerable to alcohol addiction and alcohol poisoning than adults. The fastest growing percent of AA clients are teenagers. The last drink before teens are arrested for DWI was provided at home, or a friends’ home(90%). Parents are the keys to deter underaged drinking.