By Lindsey Elhai, sophomore drama student

Since starting this school year, the Chronicle has released two different cartoons with a humorous stance on drunk driving. Since then, an astonishing amount of opinions have been thrown back and forth over the two cartoons.

At first, I was upset; drunk driving is not funny. People I love have been hurt and killed because of it. I was angered by this cartoon because I wondered why anybody would want to make fun of such a serious issue? Now I realize that what’s done is done. The Chronicle isn’t going to retract or apologize for the tasteless art, but I have no control over that. After discussing with the artist his intentions, trying to understand his side of the story, and why he felt the need to create the cartoons, I realized that I had a bit more power than I thought.

Instead of bitching about someone’s opinion and letting the anger control my words, I redirected the emotion into creating my own opinion. Ryan Broderick’s jokes and opinions have raised a red flag in the Hofstra Community. The fact is Hofstra does have a problem with alcohol abuse and the stupid choices made under the influence.

In 2008, there was an estimated 11,773 deaths due to drunk driving. Those numbers account for 31.6 percent of all traffic related deaths that year*. Those numbers are far too high. What is most heartbreaking about drunk driving is that it’s an entirely preventable crime. It is my suggestion that we as a student body raise awareness to prevent it. We all have voices we need to use to express the outrage we feel about it.

The measures that we can take to prevent drunk driving, although small, can save lives. If you drink at a party, don’t drive home, designate a driver or call a cab. Don’t drink at all? Earn extra cash by being a designated driver.

I’m not the only person in the world who’s life has been touched by this. In fact, the amount of people whose lives have been hurt by a drunk driver are all too many. And while some, like Mr. Broderick, deal with it in seemingly offensive ways, the important fact still remains that drunk driving is not okay. It’s not okay to get into a car when you’re just “a little bit buzzed”. It is not okay to just drive a block or two while drunk. It is not okay to ruin your life, or the lives of families and friends.

*Statistcs from NHTSA.gov