Further to my post last Friday about Dr Anne Fox's report, here's a (relatively) recent story from the Timaru Herald which backs up Fox's view that alcohol is used as an excuse for violence and other bad behaviour.
The views expressed in the Herald's article are identical to ones I've heard from people working with family violence offenders in the Wairarapa. I regard these real-world opinions as carrying a lot more weight than those of hysterical, agenda-driven academics.
A great story on this subject: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/02/15/drinking-games However, the argument should turn on "what works": if alcohol restriction works, lets do it. Changing cultural norms is far, far harder.
ReplyDeleteI would argue that our cultural norms don't need changing. Most New Zealanders manage to drink alcohol without harming themselves or others.
ReplyDelete