Friday, November 04, 2011

Driving on the phone

Americans have agreed that hundreds of thousands will be slaughtered on behalf of the automobile industry and we're all pretty used to that. And since driving is fun, we accept the risk. But the auto has a new accomplice in mayhem, the cell phone, use of which killed 12,000 teenagers last year and maimed many more than that, not to mention the people incidentally run over while the teens were killing themselves. The communications industry has such power that cell phone use, more deadly than drunk driving, is legal in many states. In Tenneessee, where it is illegal, the fine is fifty dollars.

It is outrageous that this is allowed to continue. Since the government lacks the moral terpitude to address the situation, Americans should show that we don't. You want to protest something meaningful and easy? Instead of protesting Wall Street while texting your friends, protest the existence of cell phones. Put or throw them away until cell phones are incapable of working in a moving vehicle. Boycotting is easy, especially when boycotting something totally unnecessary. Just do it, America. Take a real stand for a change.