Alcohol-Related Issues (possible portfolio topic)

Alcohol related statistics have always been very interesting to me. I became fascinated with the subject after taking a course in elementary school about the facts of drugs and alcohol, also known as the D.A.R.E. program (http://www.dare.com/home/default.asp). It amazed my young mind that people could, after seeing the horrific pictures they showed us throughout the program, still drink and drive. We were shown how deadly the act of drinking could potentially become, and even worse, realized that people continued to break the laws on drinking.

Recently in the Mercury News editorial section, I came across a particular editorial on San Jose and its large number of public drunkenness. While this editorial was short and not very thorough, the author reported facts and presented a definite opinion on the subject. The author believed that the public should have direct access to the reports on these drunken arrests. He believed that the numbers are too high for the general public to be unaware of. He began is editorial saying “To make any sense of San Jose's large number of public drunkenness arrests — far more than even Los Angeles — the public needs to see the police reports on the incidents.”

That type of direct heading basically made my decision to agree with the author before I even read the article. He continued to explain that contrary to what many think, most of the arrests are not made in the downtown “club-scene”, but in the outlaying neighborhoods. Those neighborhoods are where I could possibly live in the future, and I believe that it is my right, an important one, to have access to that particular information.

He proved further knowledge on the subject when he referred to Councilwoman Nora Campos, and her work with a task force derived to tackle these specific issues and the arrest policies surrounding them.

Overall, this editorial was effective in its motive. However, it appears that the outcome of this issue will have to be voted on in some form. Perhaps the councilwoman and others interested in this request will make the changes themselves, but it will still take the support of the public to make any serious changed. Public drunkenness is dangerous in so many ways and should be controlled and regulated. The arrests that have been occurring in San Jose should not be kept a secret, and should be notified to the public.

This topic is very interesting to me and could potentially be the topic to my Portfolio Assignment. With further research I believe I could produce a well-written political interest paper.

Autarky:

1.the condition of self-sufficiency, esp. economic, as applied to a nation.

2.a national policy of economic independence.

Reciprocity:

1.a reciprocal state or relation.

2.reciprocation; mutual exchange.

3.the relation or policy in commercial dealings between countries by which correspondingadvantages or privileges are granted by each country to the citizens of the other.