I've been having a bit of a moral "hmmm" lately; and thought I would pose a question for you (not that anyone actually ever answers the questions I ask here!).
Does a drunk driver that's involved in a serious accident; and then subsequently dies of his injuries deserve to have a roadside memorial? What if his victims also die?
A couple of weeks ago a drunk driver ran, head on, into an ambulance. Inside the ambulance was an RCMP officer that had been exposed to meth in the line of duty. The
I have absolutely no respect whatsoever for drunk drivers and think that anyone who does so should have their license revoked without any questions; possibly for good. Anyone who kills someone while driving drunk should be charged with homicide. So there is this part of me that would like to see the memorial removed. The drunk does not deserve that honor. (Really I think those memorials are stupid to begin with, but that's for another post.) The drunk does not deserved to be remembered in such a public way.
But what about being compassionate for the family? This was somebody's love one. Family have the right to grieve and mourn, but in a case like this, shouldn't it be in more private fashion? If it was your dad, uncle, son, brother that had caused such a serious accident and had died himself, would you want to remember those actions through a roadside memorial that you would have to drive past every time you left town?
I can't image the memorial for a drunk driver standing beside the memorial of his (or her) victim(s).
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Great question! But is it a memorial for the deceased or for those left? If it is for those still here then I doubt they are remembering a "Drunk" but a Father/Son/Mother/Daughter/ ... as you had mentioned.
Up on the highway about 10 miles from where I live are 3 crosses for a cousin and her 2 nephews of mine. I do not know if other relatives think about Amy as they pass by, but it does oft give me a moments hesitation of reflection. I can not be the judge of whether a drunk deserves their families remembrance, that is up to them I suppose.
Now that you got me thinking of those 3 crosses, it might make a good picture ;-)
I can't stand road side memorials for victims of accidents. I think they are eye sores and truthfully create a memorial where that person lived and created memories and not where their lives so tragically ended.
oh boy do I have an opinion on this! But first I have to say that I am 200% against roadside memorials no matter who the person is. Double that if it's a drunk. Sure that person has family that remain -- take your darn grief and memorial to the cemetery or your own homes.
Back to the roadside memorials: I can't fathom why anyone would want to memorialize the location where a person died or where their death was caused. Memorialize them at home, in a cemetery or mausoleum, but not in the eye of the public where their accident occurred. We don't set up memorials at hospitals where hundreds of people die every year. See, told you I had strong opinions about this :)
...I have been a believer for a very long time, that victims play 50% of the crime. When we take the judgment out of the occasion we can the reveal our compassion for all involved.
Let's remove the shock and awe and sting of the event and just lay our peaceful hearts down along the road with them, here and dear and all.
Great image! I love how you used the natural light and played with the shadows a bit. Well done.
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