Home > Blog > Today in Ireland > What we Teach Our Children about Drinking
DoChara's Ireland Blog
Random Writings about Ireland and the Irish
Friday
April 29 2005
Monkey see, monkey do
Next week the primary school my 7 year old attends has a meeting with parents about the school's substance abuse policy. Thankfully this is not in response to any known problem in the school, but simply to fulfill a statutory requirement - all schools in Ireland are obliged to have one and to consult with parents on what it entails - but I have to say that when the notification came it was a bit of a jolt.
Of course Ireland has had major problems with substance abuse for a long time, and the most abused substance by far is alcohol. It's in the news at the moment as a government minister, Jim McDaid, was caught this week driving while over the limit following a day at the races. Since he had apparantly driven erratically for several miles on the wrong carriage way of a Motorway, against the flow of quite busy traffic, it is remarkable that the charges he faces are not even more serious and that nobody was hurt.
Ironically Minister McDaid formerly had responsibility for Road Traffic and was involved in many high profile anti-drink driving campaigns.
The reaction to this in vox pops, radio phone-ins and in interviews with other politicians has been quite interesting. Most people condemn what happened out of hand and there are growing calls for his resignation, but a sizable minority are taking a remarkably sympathetic line. Comments to the effect that he has already been punished by the shame and oppobrium being heaped upon him or along the lines of "There but for the grace of God go I" have not been uncommon, even from the presenters of some radio phone-ins.
Those who are critical of the minister seem only concerned with the fact that he drove; it seems to bother nobody that he went to the races, a public place, and got himself blind drunk.
It really makes you wonder about the value of all the high minded policies and advertising campaigns and awareness initiatives aimed at educating young people. People who fling their hands up in horror at the mention of drugs such as herion or crack coacine or ecstasy can at the next moment express a certain sympathy for a person caught drunk driving.
Those expressing bewilderment at the increasing trend for binge drinking by young people often think nothing of going racing or to a wedding or a funeral, or even staying at home, and drinking themselves into a stupor watched by the self-same young. And then there is astonishment when kids think that drinking to excess is not just ok but a fun thing to do.
Well .... duh!
Comments on "Monkey see, monkey do"
Comments are Closed
TrackBacks
Powered By: TrackBackr
