How D.A.R.E. You?

First things first. Yesterday was the one year anniversary of this blog. I'd throw myself a party, but that seems a little self serving. I'll just mention it here and let the congratulatory comments roll in. I know I've been a little lax lately, but I'm operating under the old show biz adage, "always leave 'em wanting more." Am I sounding a little crazy today? It's because I just found out I'm an addict.

I spent an hour at "Daughter's" school today for her D.A.R.E. graduation. If you've been under a rock since Nancy Reagan started urging everyone to "just say no" in the 80's, D.A.R.E. is a program designed to teach kids how to say no to alcohol, drugs, tobacco and other things that are considered "bad decisions". On paper I think this is great. A lot of parents don't want to talk to their kids about these things, so a program like this might get kids to ask questions and a dialog can begin. The program is nine weeks long. The students meet with a police officer trained in the D.A.R.E. program. They make posters, sign a pledge and learn all about the dangers of illicit substances. Sound good?

The problem is , the propaganda merchants in D.A.R.E. don't seem to make any distinctions between the substances. A drug is a drug, whether you have a beer with dinner or are main lining heroin behind a dumpster in an alley while smoking a Lucky Strike. In "Daughter's" eyes, when I have a frosty cold Old Style while enjoying some of "Wife's" 118 alarm chili, I could just as easily be hanging with Keith Richards waiting for a blood transfusion. That seems a little mis-leading. Maybe I'm just being sensitive. I enjoy some alcohol every now and again and I don't like being labeled a derelict. One of the "graduates" read a report stating that he had learned that alcohol damages your organs, your brain and can cause death. He ended by asking "why would anyone drink alcohol?" I wanted to stand up and yell "Cause it's good. Just wait until you get dumped by your girl friend in college pal. You'll be on your knees thanking God for some hooch." No mention of abuse, just any use, like one high ball will send you straight to your maker. I kept quiet, but the looks on some of the other parents faces lead me to believe I wasn't alone in my thinking.

I know it's probably easier to teach this kind of thing with a completely black and white approach. As any parent knows, if you give a kid any wiggle room on an issue, they'll use it to their advantage. If you teach them the concept of moderation, they'll no doubt push it and end up in a "Girls Gone Wild" video. Maybe that's where the parents come in. The kids get all this zero tolerance information and it's up to the parents to explain it all. I know we have had this discussion many times. While I hate smoking and have never tried drugs, I have tried to tell "Daughter" that all things are not equal and that when she's old enough, she can decide for herself if she wants to join her old man in a beer. That doesn't mean we'll be checking into the Betty Ford Center, but as I've been told my whole life "It's in the genes."

All things considered, I'd rather have her think that all of these things are bad for you. That's better than the alternative. I'll just have to get used to her scornful gaze when I pop the top on another beer. Later...Brian