Hit Drink Drivers Where It Hurts (SUBMISSION)

May 16, 2007

Link to article: http://www.todayonline.com/articles/188727.asp
Ansley Ng, TODAYonline

Also see:

2. TV actor Christopher Lee jailed for drink-driving, CHANNEL NEWS ASIA
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/275329/1/.html

3. Drink driver gets into double trouble, CHANNEL NEWS ASIA
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/276537/1/.html

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Summary of article:

With the recent spate of car accidents due to drink driving, the writer slams the “bravado” mentality of drink drivers in thinking that they are in full control of their faculties despite having consumed a lot of alcohol. He states two examples - a friend of his, as well as actor Christopher Lee (see link 2) - to support his claim. He states that “we have been too patient” with drink drivers.

The writer cites the growing number of drink- driving arrests and related deaths in the last two years and believes that the penalties for drink driving should be much harsher. He writes that since campaigns discouraging drink driving do not seem to have worked, drink drivers should, on top of being fined, be punished by being disqualified from driving for at least three years for first-time offenders, and five years for those who are involved in accidents. The writer also believes that since the fines may be peanuts for some offenders and that a few weeks in jail might also be ineffective, their driver’s licences should be taken should be taken away from them and that they should be made to use public transport. He believes that this will be like a “death sentence” to them.

My Response:

I agree with the objective here, however I consider the confiscation of the offenders’ licenses to be far from a “death sentence”. What makes us sure that a egoistic drink driver, one who needs to use car to travel, will not drive without a licence? How efficient are the measures taken to prevent disqualified drivers from driving? Other than random road spot-checks, it seems impossible for the authorities to monitor the behaviour of drivers during their disqualification period.

It is thus necessary to develop effective measures to deter drivers from drinking. Existing measures unfortunately do not seem to achieve this, and part of the reason for our patience with drink drivers. Furthermore, the recent antics of celebrities like Christopher Lee and Paris Hilton have not been exemplary.

I would also like to sympathize with the relatives and friends of those killed in the recent spate of accidents. I can imagine their despair at losing their loved one in a way that could have been avoided so easily if the offender was following the law. I can imagine their frustration with not only the offender but also with the lax penalties for drink driving. For some, such a death of their loved one is as good as manslaughter because, regardless of the cause of the death, similar damage has been done.

Thus, in my opinion the offender should face, together with a heavier fine, a very long jail term - a punishment that is similar for a criminal case such as an manslaughter. This will pacify the families of the victims and assure them that justice has been done. Such a punishment also guarantees what a disqualification cannot- that the offender will not be able to drive.

We can also look at this problem with an individual focus. If a person plans to drink at a certain place soon, why should he or she take the car? If he could stop thinking about his convenience for a moment and realize the potential damage he could cause to others and the trouble he could land himself into, he could actually avoid it.

If everyone thought this way, then the world would be a much safer place! However, that is being too optimistic. In reality, there will always be drivers like Mr Christopher Lee who believe that they are immune to all the alcohol that they consume. Well, at least he has admitted to his mistake and shown remorse by paying the victims $70 000 in compensation. However, there are also drink drivers such as the one who tried to bribe the police officers after being caught (see link 3). Both cases are different in the way that the two offenders responded to their mistake, however they are sadly similar in the sense that the damage has already been done and that both are typical drink drivers- normal people who live in another world once they are behind the steering wheel.

It is up to the courts and authorities to make the difference.

( 500 words )

US University Shooting Kills 33 ( SUBMISSION )

April 17, 2007

Link to article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6560685.stm
BBC News

Also see:
Campus Killer's Family 'so sorry' BBC NEWS
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6578319.stm

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Summary of article:

One the morning of 16 April 2007, a Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, USA burst into chaos as a gunman went on a rampage, killing 32 people and wounding many more before killing himself. This was the deadliest university shooting ever. Many students survived by jumping out of the school windows or locking themselves up inside the university buildings.

Summary of following sequence of events:

The gunman was identified as Seung-Hui Cho, a 23- year old senior majoring in English at the university. Cho was someone who seemed to have problems of his own. In 2005, he was accused of stalking two female students and was declared mentally ill by a Virginia court. His fellow classmates and professors were also reportedly concerned about his mental state.

The victims of the shootings were recognized and mourned worldwide. The media spotlight also focused on Cho’s background and his family, who apologized for Cho’s actions (refer to second link). There was also great concern for Asians in general and Koreans in particular, with many fearing racist attacks against them. However, no such incidents was reported. In Korea, the general feeling was one of shame, shock and sorrow.

The massacre received worldwide media coverage and sparked intense debate about gun laws, Cho’s state of mind and the responsibility of college administrations, among many other issues.

My Response:

I feel a deep sense of sorrow and shock at the deaths of so many at Virginia Tech University. I deeply sympathize with the families of those killed. However, I have to admit that the bulk of my sympathy goes to the family of Cho who have had to endure so much intrusion into their lives by the media. After Cho was identified as the gunman, his family not only have had to deal with shock and grief, but also with cameramen and reporters banging on their front door, asking all sorts of questions about Cho’s background. They have been deprived of the one thing they currently need most - peace. I strongly believe the ethics of journalism must be reviewed; A free press and the people’s right to information does not mean that Cho’s family should be deprived of their individual rights. They have the right to be temporarily left alone. It is simply inhumane to keep pursuing them when they are mourning for their son and trying to come to grips with the enormous sorrow his senseless actions have caused. Cho’s family have done nothing wrong and thus do not deserve such treatment.

Also, imagine how they must feel upon seeing such a great amount of anger being directed towards their dead son from all parts of the world. This is very likely to have instilled a siege mentality in them - a state of helplessness in which, for them, it is “us against everyone else”. However, they have come out bravely and apologized for Cho’s actions, and mentioned that they themselves were living a “nightmare”. I truly admire the way Cho’s family have handled all this within days of his death and despite the hounding by the media. To mourn your son and still be able to share the sorrows of others is truly remarkable.

Let me explore the role of family with regard to such mentally-ill people. The stigma of mental illness prevents people from getting the help they need. Embarrassment and fear of being shunned by others may have prevented Cho from seeking help. The family thus has an important role in such cases. It is their involvement and support that can help prevent such mad-man massacres. Unfortunately, families also fear the stigma. Loss of face within their community and other such fears may cause them to avoid taking the necessary steps to deal with the mental illness, and in some cases even avoid recognising the fact that a problem exists. For complex illnesses of the mind, such as Cho’s, professional help is needed, and it is channels like the family that can ensure timely treatment of the condition.

I believe that stigmas are values ingrained in society. Individuals and groups (in this case, families) respond to these values based on very genuine feelings. And until these stigmas are dealt with, such mentally ill people may not get the help they need until the illness manifests itself in such a terrible way.

(497 words)