Twenty days. Expected to be reduced to nine days, served on weekends. Is it me or does that sound like a mild grounding? Dawan Moss is barely being inconvenienced by his sentence ("Moss sentenced to slammer," SN 1/31). Sure, his weekends won't be the greatest for a month or so, but he can make up for it during the week. Who knew you could be convicted for drunken driving, fleeing and alluding police and resisting arrest and still go out on Thursday nights?

According to Moss' lawyer, this was treated as a first offense, despite the fact Moss has a previous conviction. Why? Because Moss hadn't received treatment the first time. Why not? He has the money - MSU paid for his college education.

Of course, you would also think a conviction would teach him to take responsibility for himself and stop him from committing the same crime again. Obviously, this is not the case.

If Moss received the same kind of treatment by the Mississippi courts that he received last Thursday, it's no wonder. We live in a society that doesn't take the threat of drunken driving seriously until someone is killed. Until our attitudes change, the number of people killed by drunken drivers on their "second chance" is only going to rise.

I believe in second chances. I also believe Moss has received more than his share of second chances. I applaud him for getting treatment and hope that this time he's learned. Unfortunately, thanks to our justice system, that's probably not the case.

Anne Bresler
English junior