Sat in a jury pool recently.  It was my first time.  I really didn’t mind it because I find “the system” interesting.  That is one of the most positive things I feel like saying about it. Anyway, several of the cases to be tried that week were concerning D.U. I.  One of the questions the judge asked was if anyone in the pool was a member of M.A.D.D.  (I certainly hope you know what that means...Mothers Against Drunk Driving.)  I was the only one out of a group of about 90 that stood up.  I stood up proudly and with not a moment’s hesitation.  Later, I heard one of the defendants say he sure didn’t want “that woman” who was in M.A.D.D. on his jury.  Imagine that!  
I actually prayed for the opportunity to confront that man but never got it...probably a good thing!
The Diva has zero tolerance for drinking and driving.  Let me tell you part of the reason: She will never forget watching as people stood on her brother’s dead body trying desperately to reach three other relatives still trapped inside the car.  She will never forget the loss of not just a brother that night, but her teenaged niece who was sitting directly behind him as he drove. She will never forget the shock as the only thing recognizable when they got to the wreck was one hubcap.  One hubcap.  That is how she learned it was her brother’s vehicle. She will never forget trying to comfort her pregnant sister-in-law who was trapped up under the right side of the dashboard.  The sister-in-law had just learned that very day that she was expecting and had not even told her husband yet.  And now it was too late.   She will never forget trying to comfort her sister whose right foot was up beside her head in the tangled mess. She will never forget trying to locate her sister’s other leg.   She will never forget placing a call to her mother who was out of town to tell her not only her son was dead, but also a much loved granddaughter.  She will never forget trying to decide which hospital to go to…some from the wreck airlifted to one, some to another.
“She” is my cousin.  The wreck happened years ago and yet, we spoke about it over Christmas as though it was yesterday. To the families involved, it still feels like yesterday in many ways.  The horror and anguish never, ever goes away.
The drunk driver missed the curve and hit them head-on going about 80 miles an hour.  He didn’t live.  I wish he had.  I wish he had lived to feel all the pain he caused to countless family members. I hope he was the kind of man that would regret it.  I hope he would not be that selfish any more. I hope he would not get loaded and get behind the wheel of a car again.  I hope he would preach the message that it is just not worth taking the chance. I’m sure he never meant to die.  I’m sure he never meant to kill my two family members and cause permanent physical damage to the others in the car. I want to believe he never meant to devastate this family group in ways you can only dream about in a nightmare.  However, I am sure that he made the decision to drink and drive and yes, that definitely makes me mad.  
So, this is one of the reasons I have joined M.A.D.D. and I encourage you to do the same.  And to the man who wasn’t interested in my being on his jury, I hope you never lose someone you love to a drunk driver.  I hope you will NOT drink and drive.  If you want to get bombed, go right ahead...but please do not endanger the lives of innocent people by getting behind a steering wheel.  And if you do, and if you cause a wreck and kill someone, I hope you spend the remaining hours of your life in a jail cell where you cannot do it again.
(And remember, just because you can stand up and weave yourself out of the bar/house/restaurant does not mean you are fit to be behind a weapon that can destroy lives.  Call someone!)  
Today’s plea:  Get mad and join M.A.D.D. or S.A.D.D. (Students Against Drunk Driving)!