Madd
MADD
Ronice Washington
BSHS/355
6/5/2013
Carol Felcyn
MADD
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is a nonprofit organization in the United States that seeks to stop drunk driving, support those affected by drunk driving, prevent underage drinking, and overall push for stricter alcohol policy.
The Irving, Texas–based organization was founded in 1980 in California by Candice Lightner after her 13-year-old daughter Cari was killed by a drunk driver. On May 3, 1980 Lightner’s 13-year-old daughter, Cari, was killed by a drunken hit-and-run driver at Sunset and New York Avenues in Fair Oaks, California. The 46-year-old driver, who had recently been arrested for another DUI hit-and-run, left her body at the scene.
MADD's original goal was an enormously important one -- to reduce drunk driving and the deaths and injuries that it causes. However, from what I can see and as its founder observed, the group has become neo-prohibitionist. As a former MADD chapter president (Candice Lightner) explains, it's "a big corporation" and "all about money." Unfortunately, it appears that what began as a dedicated volunteer group of caring women has become a largely indifferent self-serving bureaucracy.
The biggest problem in reducing drunk driving fatalities now consists of the hard core of alcoholic drivers who repeatedly drive with BAC's of .15 or higher. But MADD has now decided to go after social drinkers and to eliminate driving after drinking any amount of alcohol beverage. In my opinion Mothers against Drunk Driving stigmatizes light or moderate alcohol consumption, even when it isn't associated with either being underage or driving. This change appears to reflect the influence of a growing neo-prohibitionist movement within MADD.
The founding president of MADD, Candy Lightner, left in disgust from the organization that she herself created because of its change in goals. "It has become far more neo-prohibitionist than I ever wanted or envisioned," she says. "I
Ronice Washington
BSHS/355
6/5/2013
Carol Felcyn
MADD
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is a nonprofit organization in the United States that seeks to stop drunk driving, support those affected by drunk driving, prevent underage drinking, and overall push for stricter alcohol policy.
The Irving, Texas–based organization was founded in 1980 in California by Candice Lightner after her 13-year-old daughter Cari was killed by a drunk driver. On May 3, 1980 Lightner’s 13-year-old daughter, Cari, was killed by a drunken hit-and-run driver at Sunset and New York Avenues in Fair Oaks, California. The 46-year-old driver, who had recently been arrested for another DUI hit-and-run, left her body at the scene.
MADD's original goal was an enormously important one -- to reduce drunk driving and the deaths and injuries that it causes. However, from what I can see and as its founder observed, the group has become neo-prohibitionist. As a former MADD chapter president (Candice Lightner) explains, it's "a big corporation" and "all about money." Unfortunately, it appears that what began as a dedicated volunteer group of caring women has become a largely indifferent self-serving bureaucracy.
The biggest problem in reducing drunk driving fatalities now consists of the hard core of alcoholic drivers who repeatedly drive with BAC's of .15 or higher. But MADD has now decided to go after social drinkers and to eliminate driving after drinking any amount of alcohol beverage. In my opinion Mothers against Drunk Driving stigmatizes light or moderate alcohol consumption, even when it isn't associated with either being underage or driving. This change appears to reflect the influence of a growing neo-prohibitionist movement within MADD.
The founding president of MADD, Candy Lightner, left in disgust from the organization that she herself created because of its change in goals. "It has become far more neo-prohibitionist than I ever wanted or envisioned," she says. "I
References: Hanson, D. J. (2002-2007). some Serious problems. Alcohol Abuse Prevention, (). Mothers against drunk driving. (2012). Laws and Public Policy. Retrieved from http://www.madd.org/local-offices/ri/take-action.html