| Using Sting Operations to Reduce Drunk | | | | alcohol-related accidents and fatalities |
| Driving | | | | experienced on our nation's highways, but |
| | | | sting operations consisting of arresting |
| In our haste to crack down even harder on | | | | drinkers while they're still in the bars are |
| drunken drivers, we sometimes go overboard | | | | too excessive. To better understand my |
| and venture into the ridiculous. A case in | | | | point, let's create a very possible scenario. |
| point concerns the Texas Alcoholic Beverage | | | | My buddy and I go to a Texas bar and my |
| Commission (TABC). Employing "sting | | | | buddy decides to get drunk as a skunk. This |
| operations" at bars throughout the state, | | | | decision, from a drunk driving perspective, |
| TABC officers have been arresting drinkers | | | | is OK with me due to the fact that I agreed |
| who have had too many drinks. The rationale | | | | to be the "designated driver" who will drive |
| for these special tactics is that these sting | | | | my friend home after our night is over. |
| operations will cut down on drunk driving. | | | | Under these circumstances, I don't think that |
| This is a fine rationale, but there's one big | | | | the TABC officers have any right to arrest my |
| problem with these special operations: the | | | | buddy for excessive drinking. |
| TABC officers are arresting drinkers while | | | | |
| they're still in the bars! | | | | An Issue of Mixed Messages |
| | | | |
| Affecting the Bottom-Line: Revenue | | | | Regrettably, the TABC sting operations |
| Generation | | | | illustrate the mixed messages that exist in |
| | | | our society about drinking alcohol. Simply |
| Interestingly, some of the main criticisms of | | | | put, how can something as accessible, |
| the tactics employed by TABC have been coming | | | | available, and acceptable in our society be |
| from tourism officials who believe that these | | | | so harmful AND illegal when consumed at or |
| sting operations might hurt the tourism | | | | slightly above moderate intake levels? |
| industry by tarnishing Texas' "hard-drinking | | | | |
| image." In other words, if a number of | | | | Stated differently, alcohol is so prevalent |
| people who usually visit Texas to do some | | | | in our culture that it has become intimately |
| "hard-drinking" believe that they might get | | | | ingrained in the fabric of our society. Due, |
| arrested in one of the TABC sting operations, | | | | however, to the thousands and thousands of |
| many would-be tourists may decide against | | | | people in our country who experience serious |
| visiting Texas. Obviously, this could give | | | | alcohol-related health problems or who die or |
| Texas a "bad reputation" that would adversely | | | | get injured in alcohol-related traffic |
| affect the revenue that has been historically | | | | accidents every year, many members of the |
| generated by the tourists. | | | | medical community, the law enforcement |
| | | | community, and organizations such as MADD and |
| Intrusive and Illogical Countermeasures | | | | Alcoholics Anonymous actively and strongly |
| | | | denounce "excessive" drinking and in some |
| I agree that arresting drinkers while they | | | | instances advocate total abstinence. |
| are still in the bars is "over the edge" but | | | | |
| not because of the complaints from the | | | | Conclusion |
| tourism officials or because these sting | | | | |
| operations are giving Texas a "bad | | | | Unfortunately, until we can significantly |
| reputation." Simply put, arrests made by | | | | reduce or eliminate the mixed messages that |
| TABC officers while drinkers are still in the | | | | exist in our society about drinking alcohol, |
| bars are too intrusive and in some instances, | | | | I believe that we will continue to experience |
| unfair. This being said, however, I don't | | | | and hear about alcohol-related horror stories |
| think that Texas' "hard-drinking image" and | | | | that have become staples of the news |
| tourism issues should affect the intent to | | | | industry. In the meantime, however, an |
| significantly reduce the number of Texans who | | | | increasing number of laws will be passed that |
| die or who are injured in alcohol-related | | | | are explicitly directed towards reducing |
| accidents each year. Image and tourism are | | | | drunken driving. Some these laws, however, |
| legitimate issues, but they should not | | | | will be so extreme and intrusive that they |
| influence laws that are passed to reduce | | | | shouldn't exist in a civilized society. |
| alcohol-related injuries and fatalities on | | | | TABC, are you listening? |
| the Texas highways. | | | | |
| | | | Copyright 2007 - Denny Soinski. All Rights |
| A Real-Life Example | | | | Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may |
| | | | reprint this article as long as you leave all |
| I am in favor of creative ways to | | | | of the links active, do not edit the article |
| significantly reduce the number of | | | | in any way, and give the author credit. |