Drunk Driving Victim Deemed “Too Graphic”
Mike Harn is in a fight with Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Twenty years ago his wife, Rose, was in an accident caused by a teenage drunk driver. She was left brain-damaged and paralyzed. Ever since then Mike has been taking her around to schools and state fairs where he displays her (often in cooperation with MADD) as a kind of human atrocity exhibition, to illustrate the consequences of drunk driving.
That is, until some fair-goers at the Western Idaho Fair complained that the sight of Rose was "too graphic." MADD subsequently dropped Harn as a volunteer, citing the complaints about her. Mike Harn is outraged by this, noting that the point of showing Rose WAS to shock people.
The irony is that not too long ago people used to pay to see human exhibits like Rose at state fairs. I guess nowadays the fairs have been purged of anything strange or disturbing. But I wonder, if Mike Harn chose to visit the fair with his wife, in an unofficial capacity, they couldn't exactly stop him, could they? (Thanks, Bob!)
That is, until some fair-goers at the Western Idaho Fair complained that the sight of Rose was "too graphic." MADD subsequently dropped Harn as a volunteer, citing the complaints about her. Mike Harn is outraged by this, noting that the point of showing Rose WAS to shock people.
The irony is that not too long ago people used to pay to see human exhibits like Rose at state fairs. I guess nowadays the fairs have been purged of anything strange or disturbing. But I wonder, if Mike Harn chose to visit the fair with his wife, in an unofficial capacity, they couldn't exactly stop him, could they? (Thanks, Bob!)
Comments
Ah, yes, the Red Asphalt videos.
People need to take off the rose colored glasses and get a little reality hitting them in the face so we can keep more idiots from drunk driving.
People need to take off the rose colored glasses and get a little reality hitting them in the face so we can keep more idiots from drunk driving.
Posted by DC on 10/07/08 at 01:25 PM
Mike's problem was that he wasn't charging "one thin dime, a tenth of a dollar" to see is wife!
Let's see, 45 or 46 years ago I got to see those "Red Asphalt" films too. Popular stuff but I don't remember them doing much good.
Let's see, 45 or 46 years ago I got to see those "Red Asphalt" films too. Popular stuff but I don't remember them doing much good.
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 10/07/08 at 01:35 PM
I took drivers ed 15 years ago and I never saw any Red Asphalt videos.
I think kids NEED to be scared straight. Drunk driving is a very serious thing. I've lost two people very close to me because of it.
I remember the first time I got drunk. I was 17 and called my parents to pick me up because they threatened my life if I ever drove drunk. So they came to get me and I never got in trouble.
I think kids NEED to be scared straight. Drunk driving is a very serious thing. I've lost two people very close to me because of it.
I remember the first time I got drunk. I was 17 and called my parents to pick me up because they threatened my life if I ever drove drunk. So they came to get me and I never got in trouble.
Posted by KW in Dallas, TX on 10/07/08 at 01:54 PM
We never saw any graphic video's, but several students in my high school never graduated because of drunk driving. You'd think that would be enough to deter the rest of the morons but of course not. Granted there was very, very, very little to do in our tiny town but no reason they couldn't stay where ever they were until it wore off.
Oh well, I'm ranting, really don't want to work right now.
Oh well, I'm ranting, really don't want to work right now.
Posted by Jules in Connecticut on 10/07/08 at 03:13 PM
I'm not belittling their choices or their experience with this, but should I ever end up in such a situation please spare me and those who would have to take care of me by unplugging the life support.
Posted by Jules in Connecticut on 10/08/08 at 11:56 AM
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Category: Inebriation and Intoxicants