Choices...

A recent local news story really stroked a chord in me, and mostly because of the reaction people had to it. First and foremost, I do not say this to argue, debate or "talk shit" to anyone who may disagree with me, but because I feel that people may not always know what happens in "real" life behind the news lens.

I happen to be someone who studied journalism in college and actually lives criminal justice in real life. I know how the news media can impact a situation whether it be positive or negative, and that this is what people see, sensationalized or not.

The news story I am speaking of is a DUI related case where the driver hit a tow truck driver who was already on scene with officers on an unrelated emergency accident. My high school peeps have mostly already seen this and know what I am talking about and anyone else can either ask or Google that ish. The suspect and previous high school classmate of mine was recently sentenced for hitting and killing someone as a result of a DUI. He was sentenced to 48 years. Some people argue this is too little of time, some that this is too much. Some that this is a choice and some that this was related to an illness.

Me? I don't think that we can place a value on life and what this case really comes down to is a choice and how a choice impacted a life. Does the manner in which a life is taken warrant time served? Perhaps, but I learned in college that I am not much of a negotiator, therefore most likely a horrible attorney/judge as I could not accurately place a value on such a thing as life or forgive someone for taking one so selfishly. All I ever knew was that I could never defend someone who I thought may be guilty...

I am a straight up HATER with a capital H-A-T-E-R of DUI's. There is NO excuse. If ya don't have a ride then you don't have a reason to drink and then drive. Get a DD, get a cab, call a friend. They may want to punch you in the face for calling them drunk at whatever in the AM, but do they want to see you kill yourself or someone else?!? NOT LIKELY.

I work in a field of overwhelming negativeness. Very rarely do I see a happy ending, but more upsetting than anything is that sadness, anger and tragedy is usually a CHOICE. People choose to do these things. To drink, to drink and drive, to assault, fight, hate, hurt, cause drama and any other horrible, sad and despicable situation you can ever wildly dream of. There is so much possible joy in this world and you choose to kill it?!? All I can ask is why? I know I will never receive the answer, but oh how I feel the need to ask!

So with this DUI case I hear a lot of people saying, " how sad for him" or when I call him selfish, I have people trying to tell me not to confuse selfishness with alcoholism. Trust me, I don't. Alcoholism is selfish. You choose to drink, and this sometimes leads to alcoholism, but the choice to drink in the first place is your's. I have known many an alcoholic, but especially in this case where this person had many DUI's before they eventually hit and killed someone...well, all I have to say is...NO EXCUSES. This person begged a judge to give them a second chance because they realized that they "act irresponsibly" when drunk. They were granted a second chance and then drove drunk, while their license was revoked unless with an interlock device. They chose to take their parent's vehicle, knowing they would not be responsible to an interlock and ultimately killed someone. Choices.

I have no pity, no sympathy and no sorrow for this person. I feel sorry for the person and their family who lost their life and that of a loved one for someone else's selfish choice. I hope the drinks you had that night were worth someone's light. You snubbed out someone's light...for booze. Justify that. Oh wait. You can't.

48 years...too much? Too little? I don't have an answer because I cannot place a time limit or value on that person's life. I don't know when their "time" was or if this incident makes this being their time fair. Just sorry to hear that someone else's poor choice had something to do with it.

Maybe I am a little "butt hurt" about it?!? Maybe, but this happens to be the one week of the year where people in my line of work can be recognized for what we do. This is National Public Safety Telecommunications week. A time to recognize 911 dispatchers for the hard work that we do and the "unsung heroes" that we are. I would love for anyone to have to take an emergency call and do so without showing emotion, even when your heart is breaking for someone. In this particular case, imagine being the officer who watched the tow truck driver who was helping you, get run over. Or imagine someone like me being on the other end of the radio, hearing that someone was just run over and is possibly dead and for what?!? Someone's typical Friday night out?!? Not excusable.  We take that shit home with us and it's hard. We have to be strong when someone else's world may be falling apart. We know what it is to appreciate life and to shun someone who violates it. Enough said.

I urge you to educate yourself, put yourself in someone else's shoes and to never take anything for granted, most importantly someone's life.