JSonline Feature: WI Drinking Issues

[jaybird2001wi]

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel is running a five-part series on Wisconsin's drinking culture/experience and before I comment on this subject I feel this has to be said. Regardless of your age, gender, race, economic status and family upbringing; no one is immune to being an alcoholic. I am 26 and had to take four years off of school because I had problems with it and it nearly got me kicked out of college for poor grades. I finally came to terms with it at the beginning of this year and this article gives me a great opportunity to express my experience with anyone effected by alcohol abuse.

I would like to start off by not blaming anyone, it was my fault and I needed to change. But that is besides the point of this article. It makes me wonder about the education of children are. Back when I attended elementary school, we had the "Just Say No" club and the "DARE" program. Both programs never really touched on the more legal drugs like tobacco and alcohol. The DARE program, from what I understand, was pretty much removed from most public school systems because of funding issues. In my experience, both programs never really hit home the idea of what alcohol abuse is. Maybe elementary school was too young to begin targeting home these ideas because of maturity levels, I seem to remember students laughing at the films depicting drunk people, but they never had the perception that it was the drug that caused this behavior. I don't really think these programs helped or made these problems worse on a student-by-student basis.

I am not even entirely sure the media is to blame, but there does seem to be a glamourization of movies "showing the college culture of drinking, etc." But even that can be questionable, Animal House was made in 1977 or something around there and to this day, movies are made to show that type of culture. So there really is no simple answer to the issue The Journal-Sentinel is putting out there.

[craigharmann]

There's a problem in Wisconsin with alcohol?? Really??? Who knew??? The running joke in Sheboygan, where I moved away from in January, is there is a bar and a church on every corner. Granted, the problem is nationwide, however, in growing up in Mayville, a small town, I understand (but don't condone) how this behavior can happen. Small towns don't usually have a whole lot to do on weekends, so the high school/college aged crowd would drive "laps" and hang out. I'm fairly sure, even though I didn't participate, that there was alcohol involved. It's a very social thing in Wisconsin. Doesn't matter what's going on, let's have a beer. I'm not a prude by any stretch, but I will say it's about personal responsibility. I saw one of my sister's friends drunk back in high school (let's just say her pants were wet and it wasn't water), and it made me determine I would never let myself lose control in that way. I've never drank to the point of getting drunk, but I will drink here and there. It's about parents being responsible for their kids, and people taking responsibility for themselves, something that seems to be falling out of practice fast in our country.

[JimH5]

I spent my college (and shortly after) years working in the bar business.

 

When you see how alcohol affects people on that grand a scale, it hits you. Also, during those years of working 60-80 hours per week, I didn't want to spend a single one of my off hours with a hangover.

 

Plus, I could tell tangibly that I wasn't funnier or sharper when I drank. I wasn't mentally sharp, and that bugged me.

 

Then, after leaving Wisconsin and seeing how people in other areas didn't drink as much, it really hit home that Wisconsin has a drinking culture.

 

It's weird that so many activities are built around alcohol. Fishing, hunting, golf, watching sports live or on tv, softball, shooting pool or darts, bowling. . .It's like those events aren't enough by themselves, lots of people just use those as vehicles to justify drinking.

 

I'm hardly a prohibitionist. I like beer and wine, but my days of ever having more than 2 in a night are over.

[dadofandrew]

You'll see that Jim in that many people here still argue that drunk driving is not serious, and drinking and driving is nothing. I grew up in a home where no one drank, and rarely drink myself. However, as long as you're not putting others at risk, I have no issue with drinking at all.

 

I can't believe how many folks in the paper have 4th and 5th DUI's. My goodness, on #2, it seems obvious there's a problem that needs to be dealt with...severe penalties and fines.

[Invader3K]

I disagree with one part of the article...they seemed to downplay our primarily German heritage, quoting someone as saying "Too many generations have passed." Well, I'm only 28...my grandfather on my dad's side was born in Illinois, but grew up going to German speaking Lutheran churches. My dad grew up in a typical big farm family with a drinking type of culture. Every little town in this area used to have their own brewery, into the '50s and '60s. My parents, and the parents of many on this board, grew up when the drinking age was 18, which might be a partial factor too. I don't think so much time has passed that it's not a factor.

[craigharmann]

I can't believe how many folks in the paper have 4th and 5th DUI's. My goodness, on #2, it seems obvious there's a problem that needs to be dealt with...severe penalties and fines.

4th and 5th???? I can't tell you how many stories I read in the 3 years I lived in Sheboygan, that there were folks that were on their 8th or 9th....and what did they get? A fine, jail time, minimal for both. That's the big problem there!

[Patrick425]

4th and 5th???? I can't tell you how many stories I read in the 3 years I lived in Sheboygan, that there were folks that were on their 8th or 9th....and what did they get? A fine, jail time, minimal for both. That's the big problem there!

I'm not a hunter, but I was talking to someone who is. He was talking about how he was hunting in a "earn a buck" area, where you have to bag a doe before you can start shooting at bucks. Well, the first thing he saw was a buck and was frustrated that he could not make a shot at it. Another guy in the conversation joked that he should have shot the buck and transported it to an area that is not a "earn a buck" zone. He stated he would never do anything to violate the hunting laws because of all the power the DNR has. He started telling me about someone he knew that got his car taken away, was fined, and almost got prison time for shooting a deer out of his car.

 

I realize that shooting wildlife from your car is very objectionable. However, it kills me that the DNR has that kind of power over a first time wildlife offender and yet people that endanger human lives by continuously driving drunk are allowed to basically get off with a slap on the wrist.

[dadofandrew]

Patrick, I would have never even thought of such a thing. I guess you can beat anything if you think on it a while.

[Bikeage77]

There's a problem in Wisconsin with alcohol?? Really??? Who knew??? The running joke in Sheboygan, where I moved away from in January, is there is a bar and a church on every corner.

 

Milwaukee has more bars than per capita than any other city I believe. It's not really so much a joke as it is true.

 

What I do know is, that once you make the choice to be responsible and get a full time career job where you have to be at work by 8, even on the weekends you don't feel the need to drink to much. My tolerance is way down since just two months ago, when I was drinking on work nights, but had a job that started at noon. Friday I still enjoy having some beers, but Saturday's are much more tame, even when hanging out at a party or a place that isn't so tame.

 

I remember a time when we did a power hour (a shot of beer every minute), and I blew through 9 beers in an hour. Then went out with my friends to a bar (where one of my friends kept playing with a pitcher he bought). Those days are way over.

[homer]

"Milwaukee has more bars than per capita than any other city I believe. It's not really so much a joke as it is true. "

 

I heard the same thing about LaCrosse.

[bullox]

This says La Crosse

 

This says Butte, Montana

 

This says Medford, WI

 

These people think it's Portland

[gypcasino]

I heard the same thing about LaCrosse.

A guy I work with once told me that LaCrosse is in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the most bars on one street.

[Tailgat0r76]

Yep, that would be 3rd Street here in downtown La Crosse.

[PlayerHader]

La Crosse bars are fun.

 

When I was young the town I was from had 5 bars.

 

Population ~900. That didn't count the 3 bars within a couple miles of town.

 

There are only 3 bars open in town now and the population has skyrocketed to just over 1,000. People just don't drink like they used to, I guess.

[JonnyLungs]

A small unincorporated town near me with maybe 30 people in the whole town has two taverns. And one of the taverns sells guns and ammunition behind the bar.

[Katuluu]

You'll see that Jim in that many people here still argue that drunk driving is not serious, and drinking and driving is nothing.

Just want to be clear Al, but by here do you mean WI or this message board?

[Invader3K]

Well, just look at a town like Watertown. Population of about 20,000, and used to have about 60 bars...I think that may be down to around 50 or so. Still, that's a lot of bars per capita.

[TracyThom]

Milwaukee has more bars than per capita than any other city I believe. It's not really so much a joke as it is true.

 

 

I always thought Hurley was numero uno. However, I might be thinking of adult entertainment places. According to the Hurley Chamber of Commerce website, there are 21 places that serve booze in the Hurley area. That does not include the adult entertainment places either. BTW, population of Hurley is 1,800.

[dadofandrew]

Kat, I meant WI by "here".

[Brian the Automator]

Milwaukee has more bars than per capita than any other city I believe. It's not really so much a joke as it is true.

 

 

I always thought Hurley was numero uno. However, I might be thinking of adult entertainment places. According to the Hurley Chamber of Commerce website, there are 21 places that serve booze in the Hurley area. That does not include the adult entertainment places either. BTW, population of Hurley is 1,800.

 

It's true, but those numbers are skewed as people head north for deer hunting and snowmobiling in the winter and vacationing in the summer. I'd imagine that townies don't make up the majority of patrons on average.

[danzig6767]

I hate that i used to do this, but around ages 20-21 i used to drink and drive a lot, thankfully i never hurt anyone. Then one night i was heading to a birthday party at a bar and had a bad cold, so i took two allergy pills that this girl i was with gave me. Well, between drinking a ton and not knowing the pills were effecting me, i decided to leave. By incredible luck, an old friend of that girl showed up about 20 minutes before i left and she decided to stay. On my way home, i fell asleep at the wheel and crossed a lane of traffic, my car by pure chance went into an empty parking lot and i hit a pole.

 

It was around 1 am and nobody saw or heard the accident, the parking lot was very dark. The allergy pills and all the booze had me so knocked out that i never woke up even through my face smashed into the rearview mirror, slashing both of my lips to shreds. I woke up about an hour later with blood everywhere and spitting little pieces of glass out on my mouth.

 

When the cops spoke to me later, they told me if i had hit the pole a few inches over, i may have been dead. Even scarier, they said if someone had been in the passenger seat without a bet on, they'd likely have gone through the windshield. Julie, the girl who would have been riding with me, she rarely buckled up. Besides almost assuredly having to jail, i can't fathom how it would have been trying to live with killing her had she left with me. She was a good friend and i liked and knew her family.

 

That was it for me with drunk driving. I kept this fairly big hood ornament piece on my key chain afterwards to always remind myself what can happen when driving drunk. It's just so dangerous, that night it all hit me in a blink and i was out cold.

[T B0NE 10]

I hate drunk driving....

 

Just 3 years ago a kid at my high school got killed in a drunk driving accident....At the time everyone vowed to change their habits as alcohol is deeply ingrained in our schools social culture.

 

Sadly, now things are back to the way they were before, I've seen and heard of too many times people driving home when they have had WAY too much to drink. And the thing is they talk of it as its no big deal. It makes me sick. In ways I can't wait to get out of my small town and just escape the messed up culture it really does have.

[Crewin06]

Am I the only one that had a dad that routinely had 1-3 stout drinks a night when he got home kept his job, raised his kids, stayed married to his wife and was a great father. Actually I don't think I was because I had about 5 uncles that were exactly the same way. Drinking is definitely in the culture and I don't understand what the problem is exactly. Yes there are idiots that think they need to drink the bar everytime and think they are superman. But there are extremists in every group.

 

I don't think that drinking is always the problem in most circumstances, my belief is that people are generally the problem. Alcohol is just an excellerent.

[Invader3K]

Am I the only one that had a dad that routinely had 1-3 stout drinks a night when he got home kept his job, raised his kids, stayed married to his wife and was a great father.

I'm sure you weren't the only one. But I think you hit the nail on the head...he was drinking when he was home, not drinking 2-3 drinks and then driving home. I think when people drink at home, especially around family, they are a lot smarter and tend to "space 'em out" over the course of a night. 1-3 drinks over the course of three or four hours isn't going to affect too many people, significantly. I think when people are out drinking in a bar or social setting, there's this mentality that they need to drink quicker, and drink more to keep up with their friends.

[BREWCREW5]

Driving drunk is a serious problem and unfortunately most of the people who do it, dont think its a big deal. Its basically a game of the drunk vs. the cops. The drunk tries to sneak home and cop tries to hunt the drunk down. Unfortunately there are about 2000 drunk drivers for every cop.

Something else to keep on the back burner....99.9% of the time when someone is on trial for a 2nd,3rd,4th,5th,6th,etc OWI the jury will have no idea of the prior offenses. The jury will think it is the person's first offense that way they are not automatically assuming the defendent is guilty.

Some other quick information...60% of the all of the people that die in car wrecks are not seatbelted.