I wasn't. If you are implying I only encounter dangerous situations behind the wheel at times of the day I would never drink, I'd disagree. If you are implying the danger was brought on by a less cautious driving that I'd have avoided while inebriated, I'd disagree again.
I said not one in America is unaware of the potentially disastrous consequences of drunk driving. I already addressed that the limit cannot practically be individualized and thus a line must be drawn. If 0.08 is that line, then so be it.
No, I'm implying that you have personal responsibility, and wouldn't be drunk 24/7, and am further implying that the reason you don't drink and drive isn't because you are above .08, but because you don't want to kill yourself or anyone else. Which is already illegal.
So the defining of the line is what you back? So if the line were defined as 1.0, you'd support it? Welcome to the drinking and driving club.
And I was arguing that if I did act in an irresponsible way that might kill someone else, but fortunately did not I probably am not deserving of much better treatment than if my actions had resulted in another's death.
Argue principal and we won't loop. Personal responsibility means just that. Either you are responsible and won't drink and drive, or you are able to make it without causing harm, or not. Everything that causes harm that you can do drunk is already illegal sober. Saying you are there to prevent it drunk takes away from personal responsibility. Those who cause no harm while drinking and driving cause no harm. Those who do, should be punished severely. Everything on between doesn't address the principal issue, it just creates more confusion.
So the result doesn't matter, only the action itself? You go to work tired, up all night screwing around here. Irresponsible. You treat a patient, but since you weren't on your game, you missed something. Patient is fine. You stop treatment, start the new therapy. You are saying this is the same as if you had killed them? Holy shit man, who backs your insurance?
Such crap. Lying, so long as it isn't slander, libel, or some equivalent of shouting "fire!" in a crowded theater, is protected by the US constitution. Lying about having a medal does not create a dangerous situation like impersonating an officer, firefighter, etc. It is just a crappy thing to do.
Morally, there isn't a great deal of difference. I realize it is a difficult position to enforce legally. However, it isn't illegal to be sleepy. Thus, if my sleepiness causes someone to die or puts someone in a position to die, I wasn't knowingly breaking the law to put them in that position. If I am completely blitzed and driving 80mph the wrong way on the interstate I feel that is a tiny bit different than overlooking something with a patient. I suppose I should have clarified from the getgo in my response to Volst53 that I was posing a philosophical question rather than suggesting a change in our legal system.
I am fine with drunk driving laws. I'm fine with using BAC to determine who qualifies as drunk as long as the cutoff is reasonable. Obviously 1.0 is not. If you feel 0.08 isn't reasonable, that's fine, but a cutoff should be established and it should probably be pretty low.
What if I am not doing anything dangerous and am impersonating and officer? If I am not pulling people over, arresting people, etc. then what does it matter? What if I just really think cop cars are cool and want to deck mine out as one to drive around?
If I were to shoot someone in the face with the intent to kill him, but he miraculously survived, should my punishment be less than if he had died?
I volunteered with our local rescue squad for several years. I was a EMT. If everyone did this for about 6 months, I believe that some of you would change your mind about driving under the influence.
Simply because it offends your sensibilities changes nothing. The same could be said for seeing lung cancer, fat asses that over indulge on bacon, cirrhosis, etc etc etc etc.
An officer is a figure of authority so situations could spontaneously arise that would be an issue. A veteran does not have any official authority. Veterans have gone from being respected and revered people in our society to teetering on golden calves.
Has nothing to do with sensibilities, when its all sprawled out in front of you to see with your own eyes. And you see the effect that it has on families that where just going somewhere and hit by someone under the influence. I pray it doesn't happen to you or one of your loved ones. As for lung cancer. Responded to a wreck once where we had to begin CPR. When we arrived at the small hospital ER we had to assist the doctor. I was doing the breathing for the man. The doctor opened the mans chest and put the mans lungs on to the patients chest. They were almost black. The doctor then manually massaged his heart. The man lived.
