« Paul "Pot" Staines, meet Mr Kettle | Main
May 15, 2008
Sympathy for the Devil
Please allow me to introduce myself I'm a man of wealth and taste I've been around for a long, long year Stole many a mans soul and faith
So Paul Staines has faced the judge, kowtowed and pleaded uxorial ownership of a Golf and got off with a non-custodial sentence for a second drink driving offense.
From what I know of Paul and others with similar issues, the next three months will be difficult. So, in a gesture of non-partisan solidarity and support, I'm going to forswear alcohol for the next month, and be safely tucked up at home by 9pm every night. Furthermore, any other bloggers who wish to show Paul that it can be done, that he can master alcohol instead of being ruled by it, you're all welcome to join me.
Posted by Clive on May 15, 2008 9:52 PM in the category Meta-Blogging
Comments
Posted by: Tim Ireland at May 15, 2008 10:21 PM
Welcome aboard the Wagon of Hope.
Posted by: Clive at May 15, 2008 11:13 PM
I think I'll just give up golf.
Posted by: DonaldS at May 16, 2008 12:28 PM
If the judge was right to "take the view that [Guido has] an alcohol problem" - and I make no judgments either way - then I'd be wary of equating merely giving up drinking with actually tackling the underlying, incipient alcoholism.
Just giving up alcohol is merely a minor social irritation for those who have no dependence on it. An alcoholic, however, becomes a dry drunk, which in some ways makes him more dangerous to himself and others.
All of us joining in with some month-long fast merely means any problems will reoccur a month later than they would otherwise. Encouraging something structured and ironically unlibertarian like the 12-step plan would be better.
Posted by: smallbeds at May 16, 2008 5:01 PM
DonaldS, it would appear that your irony detector is working well.
smallbeds, I agree wholeheartedly that a 30 day fast is merely symbolic and unlikely to have any effect on Paul, if he has a problem. 12-step would indeed be of use, but which runs deeper, the libertarian principles or a desire to sort oneself out if only for the benefit of ones children.
Posted by: Clive at May 16, 2008 7:27 PM