The Right To Libety Does Not Excuse Excess

Since the start of the War in Iraq on March 19,2003 CNN reports the following casualties were suffer by the all volunteer U.S. forces in their fight for the right to life and liberty of the Iraq people.

There have been 2,147 coalition troop deaths, 1,953 Americans, 96 Britons, 13 Bulgarians, two Danes, two Dutch, two Estonians, one Hungarian, 26 Italians, one Kazakh, one Latvian, 17 Poles, one Salvadoran, three Slovaks, 11 Spaniards, two Thai and 18 Ukrainians in the war in Iraq as of October 7, 2005. The list below is the names of the soldiers, Marines, airmen, sailors and Coast Guardsmen whose families have been notified of their deaths by each country's government. At least 14,362 U.S. troops have been wounded in action, according to the Pentagon. The Pentagon does not report the number of non-hostile wounded.

During the same period of time an according to DWI statistics on About.com an estimated 63,800 people have lost their lives on the highways in alcohol related accidents. The alcohol driving accident related wounded during the same time are 1.8 million and of those 188,800 are serious injuries. Just add in suicide, child abuse, domestic abuse and other injuries inflicted by those abusing alcohol and then make your conclusion what war the United States should concerned Americans be protesting. Please note while you are considering this that the casualties of alcohol are suffered in the name of having a good time and that many if not most of the individuals injured or dying are not the actual drinkers.

The limited action of government on the issue of alcohol related deaths and injuries is a violation of the social contract between the citizens of the United States and all the governments signed into law in 1776 and known as the Declaration of Independence. The contract states it is the responsibility of any and all governments to secure the natural human rights of life and liberty. Regarding the right to liberty as compared to the right to life John Locke states in The Second Treatise of Civil Government the following.

Chap. 2 Sec. 6. But though this be a state of liberty, yet it is not a state of license: though man in that state have an uncontrollable liberty to dispose of his person or possessions, yet he has not liberty to destroy himself, or so much as any creature in his possession, but where some nobler use than its bare preservation calls for it.

What brought this to my attention is a petition that is being sent around spoofing Mothers Against Drunk Driving according to MADD. The intentions of its writers appear to be good but MADD states the action suggested is ineffective. The poem is good and if after hearing it you decide to take action then instead of signing a petition as the email implores you to do, you can make a difference by becoming a Friend of MADD and/or making a financial contribution to them. Both these actions can be done from the MADD web site. The Poem is below so please read it.

I WENT TO A PARTY, MOM

I went to a party,
And remembered what you said.
You told me not to drink, Mom
So I had a Sprite instead.

I felt proud of myself,
The way you said I would,
That I didn't drink and drive,
Though some friends said I should.

I made a healthy choice,
And your advice to me was right,
The party finally ended,
And the kids drove out of sight.

; I got into my car,
Sure to get home in one piece,
I never knew what was coming, Mom
Something I expected least.

Now I'm lying on the pavement,
And I hear the policeman say,
The kid that caused this wreck was drunk,
Mom, his voice seems far away.

My own blood's all around me,
As I try hard not to cry.
I can hear the paramedic say,
This girl is going to die.

I'm sure the guy had no idea,
While he was flying high,
Because he chose to drink and drive,
Now I would have to die.

So why do people do it, Mom
; Knowing that it ruins lives?
And now the pain is cutting me,
Like a hundred stabbing knives.

Tell sister not to be afraid, Mom
Tell daddy to be brave;
And when I go to heaven,
Put Daddy's Girl on my grave.

Someone should have taught him,
That it's wrong to drink and drive.
Maybe if his parents had,
I'd still be alive.

My breath is getting shorter, Mom
I'm getting really scared.
These are my final moments,
And I'm so unprepared.

I wish that you could hold me Mom,
As I lie here and die.