I am an MSU graduate. I am also an alcoholic. The university did not teach me how to become one, I just am. Why? That is still unknown. Nature or nurture, the question is without relevance. We can be - and are - a menace to innocent society. Believe me, I know: I am a two-time convicted drunken driver.

Issues proposed in Andrew Banyai’s Jan. 25 opinion column (“Protection is needed, not only enforcement”) deserve some close scrutiny. I agree with much of what he says, but because many people become alcoholics, including me, the scope of injustice becomes much wider.

The proliferation of alcohol-related crimes on campus, and everywhere, should be seen from both sides of the coin. Is it unfair that a person be required to “Breathalyze” while walking? Isn’t it still against the law for someone under the age of 21 to consume alcohol? You’re breaking the law, behind the wheel or otherwise.

Particularly disturbing to me is Banyai’s comment concerning drunken drivers as a whole: “They should be locked far away where they can’t hurt innocent people.” Do you really believe the only time an inebriated person hurts someone is behind the wheel of a car? It’s not just behind the wheel that us drunks aren’t safe - there is felonious assault, domestic violence, financial ruin, divorce and so on. The list is endless, all due to the effects of overindulgence of alcohol, compared to what is normally a contributing member of society - a “good person.”

This “locked far away” mentality is ages old. Build more prisons and houses and just hide from the problem, rather than deal with it. In many crimes committed in this country, drugs or alcohol are factors. Just as you are closing your eyes to the problem of alcohol on campus, are you closing your eyes to the problem of alcohol in society? Does this issue deserve strict, if not questionable, procedures?

For the welfare of all concerned, the answer is yes. Many have to pay the price of freedom, even if it is an occasional unwarranted breath test. If your sister were in danger of becoming another fatality because of the actions of a drunken driver, would you so adamantly be opposed to the procedure the police conduct today to keep us all safe?

As an active participant in Alcoholics Anonymous (not court-ordered), I see an increasing number of college-age students coming through our ranks. This is a red flag for many. While some may go on to become responsible drinkers, for many it is a message to heed. If drinking is causing your problems in life, not just on the highways or in the classrooms, you may want to finally get real before it’s too late.

Banyai mentioned the $150 fine imposed by the East Lansing police. My last arrest has cost me in excess of $7,000 and is still climbing, not to mention my non-monetary losses. I was arrested in the parking lot where I reside, car parked, keys out of the ignition. Am I happy to lose my license for a year while in graduate school? No. Am I “grateful” the judge may sentence me to jail time? No. Am I glad it’s not too late for me? Definitely.

Try and see both sides of the coin. There are perfect ways of accomplishing far-reaching goals and there are others that may not seem so fair. Bend a little and subject yourself to social policy for the best interest of the whole. So far, we’re not teaching people with drinking problems how to stop drinking. We are teaching them to lie to themselves and become better con artists, when we already know we do it best.

David McKouen
1998 graduate