Category Archives: RID News

Tiger Woods

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Tiger Woods’ situation could be clarified if the blood alcohol tests done routinely at hospitals after personal injuries occur were not confidential.

On the other hand, basic evidence is rapidly disappearing, like blood alcohol or other drug impairment. However, if Tiger was alledgely racing away from an enraged wife holding a golf club, and he leaves the scene fearful in a big rush, crashes the car and the wife races after him with a raised golf club, smashing the rear window of his car; there is no case.

The law is specific about husband abuses from wives, so case closed.

Actually, since there is no current victim or person to blame and all serious evidence has now disappeared, why not move on to important, tragic cases.

The “Beer Summit” Gift from Obama

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President Obama’s White House “Beer Summit” headline was produced by the media, which earns a lot of money from beer advertising.

Tying an invitation to “have a beer” with Professor Gates and Officer Crowley offered by Obama(like offering a “come to tea” invitation to a woman) gave the media an opening to the beer industry for a whole new ad campaign or perhaps a new White House logo on future beer cans, a huge favor which I don’t think Obama intented.

Meanwhile, the health plan reform bill remains stalled by the Congress while we see multi-replays of the beer table service next to the children’s playground equipement in the White House Background.

Getting beer use burned into the minds of small children and their parents normalizes and encourages interest in beer drinking, even at the White House.

As an early beer ad claimed, ‘It’s doesn’t get any better than this.” That’s so true from the beer industry veiwpoint.

RID spots holes in Smith DUI

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If Hall of Fame inductee Bruce Smith’s football injuries and not alcohol were responsible for his conviction on DUI, as he claimed. then he should not be allowed to drive due to physical impairment. Hopefully, Bruce’s right to drive should be revoked in the U.S., by his doctor, a judge or other legally eligible official until his wounds are officially “cured”. After all, he can probably afford to hire an official chauffeur.

I Applaud Whoopi Goldberg

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Whoopi Goldberg has my admiration for her statement on the obvious, but never mentioned on TV or radio, that perhaps the constant wave of alcohol ads everywhere, ball games, holidays, all sports arenas, billboards, would have and does have, an appeal to youth to drink on every occasion.

She was right, and she is the first celebrity to come right out and say so. Kudos to Whoopi! Perhaps the other panelists on the View will follow her suit.

Doris Aiken

Double Standard for Guns and BAC levels

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Plexico Burress, the NY Giants wide receiver apparently had the cooperation of the hospital ER personel to cover up information about his “self-inflicted” bullet wound to his leg. By law, bullet wounds and severe burns must be reported to the police and or prosecutors since burglars and arsonists may be obvious criminal suspects.

The BAC(Blood Alcohol Content) of the driver’s involved in personal injury and fatal crashes, is confidental. Police must get a search warrant from a judge, often at night, to obtain this criminal evidence, wasting crucial time, as the BAC is rapidly disappearing(.02 an hour).

Many more people are killed and severly injured than those who choose to carry weapons, and/or shoot themsleves.

Attempts to correct this huge loophole in the criminal law(which enriches defense lawyers) denies justice and restitution to DWI victims and their families, have failed, so far.

What was Burress’s BAC and/or other drug consumption. Can we or  the Giants ever know?

Doris Aiken, RID President

NFL Has Double Standard for DUIs and Pot

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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has established himself as a law & Order type when it comes to reining in players who misbehave. So it was puzzling to me that he would give Kareem McKenzie a pass for his recent DUI. When an NFL player tests positive for marijuana the penalty is an automatic four game suspension, an astronomical loss of income and can impact his team, tremendously.  Testing positive for pot in itself doesn’t endanger you or I. Driving drunk does. That’s why I believe DUI should be punished more severely than a first offense for pot. For Goodell to completely ignore this infraction is an outrage. What kind of message does this send? It’s a public safety issue that deserves some serious attention.

 The national sports media gave this story little coverage. Perhaps, that’s because the product(beer) involved is also a major advertiser on the network and cable level.

I can’t think of any other reason for this double standard of justice when it comes to punishing DUI and drug offenders. A lot of sports writers and fans have applauded Goodell’s heavy handed approach in dealing with players who step out of line. Where’s their outrage for his lack of concern with McKenzie’s DUI? I am sure the State of New Jersey will punish Mr McKenzie accordingly. However, Mr. Goodell set a tone that NFL players would be held to higher standard since they are role models for the community. On this instance he dropped the ball.