Bar Sweep Sparks Controversy

[Mike]

http://www.nbc5i.com/news/8169246/detail.html Saw this on Urban Survival the other day. The Pre-emptive war against drunk driving or people in general?

POSTED: 3:59 pm CST March 21, 2006 FORT WORTH, Texas -- The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission sent a message to bar patrons last week.

TABC agents and Irving police swept through 36 Irving bars and arrested about 30 people on charges of public intoxication. Agency representatives say the move came as a proactive measure to curtail drunken driving.

North Texans interviewed by NBC 5, however, worried that the sweep went too far.

At one location, for example, agents and police arrested patrons of a hotel bar. Some of the suspects said they were registered at the hotel and had no intention of driving. Arresting authorities said the patrons were a danger to themselves and others.

"Going to a bar is not an opportunity to go get drunk," TABC Capt. David Alexander said. "It's to have a good time but not to get drunk."

Dallas comedian Steve Harvey agreed with the Texas residents who said the arrests infringed on individual rights.

"If a guy's got a designated driver, go ahead and let him get toasted," Harvey told NBC 5.

Texas law states that inebriated individuals could be subjected to arrest anywhere for public intoxication. Harvey and other North Texans called the measure extreme.

"That seems to be an extreme case," one man said. "You are self-contained, in the hotel, you're not going in the streets, it seems a little ridiculous."

TABC officials said the sweep concerned saving lives, not individual rights. Harvey and others interviewed by NBC 5 said they believe drunken driving to be unacceptable, although Harvey wanted to confirm that the United States remains a free country.

"Freedom of drinking should always be allowed, and it is only American to let a guy get drunk where he wants to get drunk," Harvey said.

 

[anart]

This is a freaky one, I think that ultimately it just shows that no one, no where, is safe or free. The people in control, no matter who they happen to be, can and will do anything they want to do anytime they want to do it - period. Any ideas of freedom are purely illusory. I do wonder if this is not a message to the general public's subconscious that, "you have no power, no rights, no freedom and no way out".

 

[Justin]

Sounds like a pre-emptive attack against people perhaps as a test case to see what kind of backlash would result - another test to see how tolerant people are to having their rights infringed upon. Or it could just be a case of a bunch of Texas law enforcement people who wanted to abuse their power for their own amusement.

 

[Mr. Premise]

Should definitely help Kinky Friedman's gubernatorial candidacy!