[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 81 (Wednesday, June 5, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E997]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E997]]


          MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING NATIONAL ESSAY CONTEST

                                 ______


                           HON. NEWT GINGRICH

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 5, 1996

  Mr. GINGRICH. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to 
share with my colleagues the winning essays of the Mothers Against 
Drunk Driving's National Essay Contest.
  As we are all aware, drunk drivers kill thousands of Americans each 
year on our Nation's roads. Though we have made great strides over the 
last decade or so with increased education and stiffer penalties, there 
is still much work to be done.
  Mothers Against Drunk Driving has been one of the preeminent forces 
in changing our Nation's drunk driving laws and educating our citizens 
on the dangers of driving drunk. The national essay contest serves as a 
way to bring these issues to the forefront of public attention.
  I commend all of the young men and women who participated in the 
essay contest. However, I would like to specifically recognize Caitlin 
McCuistion, of El Dorado, KS, Christopher Jackson, of Stow, OH, and 
Angela DeAnn Wieczorek, of Monterey, IN, for their outstanding essays 
on the dangers of drunk driving.

    1996Mothers Against Drunk Driving National Poster Essay Contest


                1st Place National Winner, Grades 4 to 6

                        (By Caitlin McCuistion)

       Hello, I am a road, part of a large highway. Some people 
     may not think I am very important, but I am. I guide people 
     to their destination, helping them along the way. It may not 
     sound like a very hard job, but it is.
       I am forced to watch accidents quite often. They are 
     difficult to witness, but I cannot close my eyes to them. 
     Unfortunately, these accidents are not the hardest to see.
       The worst are, in my opinion, caused by drunk driving. 
     These accidents are horrible, caused only by some careless 
     person who is drunk. Every time I see another disaster caused 
     by this, I feel despair and complete hopelessness emitting 
     from friends and family quietly standing by.
       Policemen, paramedics, and other people acting as rescue 
     workers feel the pain too. ``Another accident,'' mutters one 
     rescue worker under his breath. ``When will this all stop?'' 
     None of us are sure.
       In fact, who is sure? Is anyone? All humanity may think I 
     am made of asphalt, dirt, or gravel, but I know what I am 
     truly made of. I am made of the blood and tears from victims 
     and their families. Everyone, please remember this--
     ``Drinking and driving is the road to nowhere.''
                                                                    ____



                1st place national winner, grades 7 to 9

                        (By Christopher Jackson)

       ``Where have you been tonight son?'' I heard the voice 
     asking from just behind the flashlight beam. ``Nowhere,'' I 
     said.
       ``Where did you get the beer?'' the voice asked. 
     ``Nowhere,'' I replied. I tried squinting to look past the 
     flashlight beam, but all I could see was flashing red and 
     blue lights. This guy asking me these stupid questions was 
     really nowhere. I must have fallen asleep while driving home 
     from the party with Ed. He must have left me in the car and 
     gone somewhere. Now some guy with a flashlight is hassling 
     me.
       ``What are you? A cop?'' I asked. ``Yes'' came the reply. 
     Boy, have a few beers and they treat you like a durnk, I mean 
     drunk.
       ``Where were you and your buddy going?'' came the third 
     stupid question. I told him ``nowhere.'' If they found out I 
     took a case of beer from our dad I'd be in real trouble. The 
     two of us each drank six beers so far tonight. No big deal, I 
     drink more than that some nights.
       I figured he'd want some ID, so I reached for my wallet but 
     my arms wouldn't move. I looked down to see the steering 
     wheel pressed against my chest. I turned to yell for my 
     brother Ed and saw him in the light of the flashlight. He was 
     halfway through the windshield and two people were trying to 
     pick him up.
       I looked over as they put Ed on a stretcher and screamed 
     for someone to help him. The cop started to strap him in, but 
     the EMT stopped him and said, ``Don't bother, he's going 
     nowhere,'' as he pulled the sheet over Ed's face.
                                                                    ____



               1st place national winner, grades 10 to 12

                         (By Angela Wieczorek)

       Dear Mom...
       Mom! Mom! Please don't cry! I always hated to see you cry. 
     Oh, Mom. I'm so sorry. I never meant for this to happen.
       I should have listened when you told me not to leave. You 
     just had a feeling. Deep down, you knew. That's why you held 
     me so tight and told me how much you loved me. Then, 
     reluctantly, you let me go and I left.
       It was not your fault, Mom. Please stop thinking that. You 
     weren't the only one who knew. I knew too. I almost listened 
     to you and stayed, but something inside me kept pushing me 
     out the door.
       The weird thing was that I knew the man would run the red 
     light, but I pushed the gas pedal anyway. He hit me so fast, 
     I didn't even know what happened. But I heard it--the 
     horrible sound of metal crashing against metal. The aroma of 
     alcohol invaded my senses. It was so strong. The man had been 
     drinking! Wild thoughts raced through my mind as I recalled 
     all the seminars and speeches I had heard about things like 
     this. I never dreamed it could happen to me.
       Oh, Mom. I'm so very sorry. I'm sorry it was me, your 
     little girl, that death claimed and not the man at fault. I'm 
     sorry you have to live with the knowledge that the man who 
     killed your daughter only suffered a broken arm.
       But, Mom, you can't stop believing in God because I'm gone. 
     I know it seems unfair that the Lord took me before I could 
     graduate, but it was my time to go. In your heart, you know 
     that. And now that man has to live in a dark room with 
     nothing to do except remember. Because of his drinking, he 
     claimed the life of a seventeen year old girl. Something that 
     he knows could've been prevented. God works in mysterious 
     ways. That's what you taught me.
       I love you, Mom. So much more than I ever told you. I miss 
     you, but you have to carry on. You have to be strong for Dad 
     and little Tommy. They need you now more than ever.
       I know in your heart, you know I'm alright. I'm at peace 
     now and I'm ready to go Home. You should go too.
       Come visit me often. And Mom, don't forget to bring 
     flowers. I like the yellow ones.

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