That's why Alcoholics Anonymous is so effective. AA knows that the laws and penalties of man can't prevent alcohol consumption or abuse. Maybe we need a 12-step program for the culture. We admitted that our system of blame and punishment was powerless over alcohol - that alcohol in our society had become unmanageable. We came to believe that a Power greater than our system of blame and punishment could restore us to sanity.
Anger can be healthy and productive, but only if it generates more light than heat.
Drunken driving is intolerable. So is our reliance on blame and punishment to stop it. David Waters's Faith Matters columns run on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.