http://westislandgazette.com/life/story/2012/10/17/marla-newhook-we-all-took-risks-without-thinking-of-consequences/ Gazette Thu, 23 May 2013 17:16:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 http://westislandgazette.com/life/story/2012/10/17/marla-newhook-we-all-took-risks-without-thinking-of-consequences/#comment-8805 S Thu, 18 Oct 2012 15:50:19 +0000 http://westislandgazette.com/?p=115551#comment-8805 Yes there are things that could have been done differently and the truth is there was a whole lot of very bad decision making. Taking risks shouldn't be some right of passage. And there's a difference between taking risks that only affect you and doing something that can potentially hurt others. Drink or do drugs till your lights go out in but don't get into a car after. It's a moving weapon. That's not risk taking. That's irresponsible and stupid. And in the grand scheme of things, it does matter. It matters because there's a lesson to take from it and there's a logical conclusion to be had from knowing what happened. And the problem is that these aren't teenagers doing things like this, these are people who are supposed to be adults. And adults should know better. This article is excusing criminal behaviour. Had someone in another car driving early that morning been killed by them this would be a very different story. It's terribly sad that two young people's lives have gone to waste. Wasted because of a bad decision. So let's not just say it doesn't matter. Let's use it to raise awareness because it seems that many among us haven't really understood things yet. Yes there are things that could have been done differently and the truth is there was a whole lot of very bad decision making. Taking risks shouldn’t be some right of passage. And there’s a difference between taking risks that only affect you and doing something that can potentially hurt others. Drink or do drugs till your lights go out in but don’t get into a car after. It’s a moving weapon. That’s not risk taking. That’s irresponsible and stupid.
And in the grand scheme of things, it does matter. It matters because there’s a lesson to take from it and there’s a logical conclusion to be had from knowing what happened.
And the problem is that these aren’t teenagers doing things like this, these are people who are supposed to be adults. And adults should know better.
This article is excusing criminal behaviour. Had someone in another car driving early that morning been killed by them this would be a very different story.
It’s terribly sad that two young people’s lives have gone to waste. Wasted because of a bad decision. So let’s not just say it doesn’t matter. Let’s use it to raise awareness because it seems that many among us haven’t really understood things yet.

]]> http://westislandgazette.com/life/story/2012/10/17/marla-newhook-we-all-took-risks-without-thinking-of-consequences/#comment-8802 Liz Thu, 18 Oct 2012 14:39:13 +0000 http://westislandgazette.com/?p=115551#comment-8802 I thought that same thing so many times since this horrible accident occurred. It could have been me or any of my friends many years ago. Fate and timing are funny things. They didn't really do anything that many of us did not do at that age. In fact, their evening out sounded oh so similar to many a night that I had with my friends at their age. It is just so sad and tragic and I agree. I want so badly to protect my child from this in the future. But how? It is a rite of passage in many ways. Instead I stop and say a prayer for these two amazing youths and their families. I also stop and say thank you for the fact that my friends and I were spared this. And as I parent, I continue to hold my breath. I thought that same thing so many times since this horrible accident occurred. It could have been me or any of my friends many years ago. Fate and timing are funny things. They didn’t really do anything that many of us did not do at that age. In fact, their evening out sounded oh so similar to many a night that I had with my friends at their age. It is just so sad and tragic and I agree. I want so badly to protect my child from this in the future. But how? It is a rite of passage in many ways. Instead I stop and say a prayer for these two amazing youths and their families. I also stop and say thank you for the fact that my friends and I were spared this. And as I parent, I continue to hold my breath.

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