O/T - "Excuses for W"
Oak Tree:
I don't understand why people make excuses for W.
I was not making any excuses for George Bush. I was merely posting an article which, to me, was very interesting because it was written by a Libertarian, not a Republican.
My wife almost died because she was hit by a drunk. My motherinlaw did die. How can he so lightly brush this off. He should be in jail.
I'm sorry to hear about your loss. I, too, lost a loved one in a drunk driving accident over 20 years ago, in my case my older brother Terry, so I truly sympathize with your loss. Unfortunately, Terry was the one who was drunk... he and three of his pals... each over twice the legal limit... and his vehicle was the only one involved in the accident. They were driving home at 1:00 AM after a bachelor party, going 90 mph... ran off the road, hit an embankment, jumped 40 feet in the air, flipped, and caught on fire. Fortunately, a passer-by pulled all four passengers out of the car before they burned to a crisp. Two of the passengers were already dead, one died in route to the hospital, and one actually survived, but suffered in traction for months with a broken back. He was just as drunk as the rest, but was the only one wearing a seat belt. Terry obviously made a huge mistake, an extremely stupid choice, and he and his friends paid the highest price possible. Everyone in my family grieved for years after Terry's loss.
Nevertheless, life goes on for true survivors, and that traumatic experience, hitting so close to home, doesn't keep me from drinking on occasion, even today. I make my own choices in life, and I take into account a number of factors, both past and present, which influence my own personal decisions.
IMHO, one of the important things to note from this type of incident is how the person responds, both at the time of the incident, and later on in life. To me, some of the most telling points of the article were contained in the following sentences:
He did not pull rank. He did not pull this "My Daddy’s a so-and-so" routine. The police officer who stopped him said he was a "picture of integrity. He gave no resistance. He was very cooperative."
He walked into court. He plead guilty. None of this No Lo nonsense. He stood up and said "Guilty, your Honor." Paid a $150 fine and lost his driving privileges in Maine for two years.
That spoke volumes to me. So did the fact that Bush eventually gave up drinking altogether. That's not an easy feat for anyone, and I really admire his final choice.
Suffice to say, that despite my own personal experience with the pain that can be caused by drunk driving, this story just isn't enough to change my vote.
He's lost my vote.
Just out of curiosity, did "W" (your chosen reference, not mine) ever have your vote before? Were you really going to vote for "W" until this story broke? Please be honest here, since the issue of honesty is obviously important to you. (It is to me, as well.)
Thanks in advance for your considered response.
Best regards,
Razor |
