Root issues: drugs, alcohol, lack of accountability
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Editor,
Personally I believe the government shutdown will eventually be a good thing because the problems caused by it will hold the politicians accountable for what is going on in Washington. No one wants to negotiate and that will never work. No one wants to be held accountable.
Here in Lake County we have a huge problem with drug and alcohol abuse and the proof is simply in the court system. All the crimes that happen here are a direct cause of drug and alcohol use. I conducted an anger management group in Polson for about six years and nearly all the people sent to me by the court system were convicted of domestic violence or simple assault which were caused by either being high or intoxicated or both.
The people I worked with freely admitted that they would not have committed their crime were they not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. We can’t do anything about what is going on in Washington but we can start to work on what is going on in our community.
If you know someone who is intoxicated or high and wants to drive a car you need to stop them or report them to the police. It is a proven fact the only way irresponsible behavior can be corrected is by holding people accountable. You will see the proof of this when Washington fixes their screw up. Those politicians who cause this problem will be held accountable and they know it. They may not be re-elected and they know that too.
The same rules apply to “we the people.” It has been said that the only way bad things happen is when good people do nothing. I am tired of sharing the road with intoxicated people who just continue to get away with it. When I see this going on I use my cell phone and call it in. If this upsets someone out there then stop doing it or you will eventually get caught and will end up paying out a lot of money and spending a lot of time mixed up with the Court system.
Chuck Ripley
St. Ignatius
