Lindsay Lohan is Not One of Us

Image from Gawker

Thanks to reader Anna Z for bringing this to my attention.

Britney Spears probably muttered TGFLL (thank God for Lindsay Lohan) when she read Friday’s edition of USA Today that featured the above full page ad featuring Ms Lohan’s DUI mug shot. The ad was commissioned by The American Beverage Institute, a restaurant association that promotes on-premise alcoholic beverage consumption. It was meant to raise awareness about new laws going into affect that allow for ignition interlock use in punishment for drunk driving offences.

Hopefully no one from the ABI drove home after the planning session for this ad campaign because they obviously must have drank one too many of those adult beverages themselves to come up with such an idiotic idea. They might as well run ad add saying we support drunk driving for those not yet convicted of driving under the influence!

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That’s right, according to the ABI if you have been convicted of drunk driving like Ms Lohan then you are not one of us… us being those that drink and drive but don’t get caught.

The text of the ad states, Ignition interlocks, or in-car breathalyzers, are a great tool for getting hard-core drunk drivers off our roads. However, activists now want to put one in every car in America. That means the end of moderate and responsible drinking prior to driving. No more champagne toasts at weddings, no more wine with dinner, no more beers at a ballgame. Lets stop drunk driving without eliminating our traditions.”

Unfortunately the ABI is under the misconception that only people who are “hard core” drinkers should be of concern in the battle against drunk driving.

“By mandating breathalyzers for first time offenders, regardless of their BAC level, HB19 ignores the root cause of today’s drunk driving problem—hard core alcohol abusers,” said ABI spokeswoman Sarah Longwell. ~ ABI News

Statistics from MADD show while repeat offenders are no doubt a problem, they still make up for only a third of the drunk driving problem in America.

We want to expand the use of interlocks to include all convicted drunk drivers. Even first-time offenses are indicators that a person has a serious problem with alcohol and is likely to become a repeat offender. First-time offenders have driven drunk an average of 87 times before they’re finally arrested. ~ MADD

I guess that is 87 times driving home intoxicated from the ballgame, business dinner or wedding reception… impaired driving by the “rest of us”.

I am sure that Britney is happy that Lindsay has inherited the mantle of drunken poster child, but at least Ms Lohan has the option of additional treatment… no rehab in the world will help the ABI recover from this blatant display of stupidity.