Carr Might Provide Real-Life Lesson Plans

Below are comments I posted on July 24th at 2:30 PM on the Chalkboard in response to "Carr wants to speak to students":

Without going into people's minds, we can only know what they choose to reveal.

But I would guess that Tolly Carr is struggling on two levels: 1) knowing that he was responsible for permanently ending a fellow human being's existence on earth and 2) knowing that he has done substantial, perhaps permanent, damage to an otherwise impressive career and reputation.

One of those struggles focuses more on the victim; the other internal struggle focuses more on himself.

I cannot imagine how horrible it must feel to know that you have taken someone else's life.

If I ever found myself in such a position, even in the very different case of self-defense, I think I would have a difficult time dealing with that and moving on. It would be that much worse of a feeling inside if it wasn't an arguably justified and necessary case of self-defense.

With cases of people drinking and driving, we more often end up with stories that do not result in someone dying.

But each and every single one of those incidents contributes to a more dangerous and even deadly environment for the rest of the population.

Carr deserves judgement in a courtroom, and we are all free to judge him in our minds as we most certainly have and will, but probably not one of us doesn't know, like, and support individuals who regularly do what Carr did: place themselves behind the steering wheel and venture out onto streets under the influence.

Some of us have probably done that ourselves and only been much more fortunate that we haven't found ourselves guilty of an accidental murder.

Through the normal teaching and learning process, I would guess that every single student is exposed to the idea that drinking and driving has the potential to have very negative consequences.

But since there is nothing out there that matters equally to everyone, there are countless individuals who ignore that message every day.

What I find profound, relevant, and intensely meaningful and important may mean less or even nothing to someone else.

But for some students, there is certainly the possibility that Carr's testimony might serve as a greater wake-up call.

As I believe has been suggested, parents should have the option for their own children not to be required to listen to Carr.

But for those who hear his message, maybe it will make a stronger impression than more traditional sources of the same messages about drinking and driving.

I don't know if I'm reading the situation correctly, but the fact that Carr is already serving jail time and that he plans to plead guilty may be signs that he wants to accept as much responsibility as possible for the crime he committed (short of taking his own life, which hopefully none of us would expect of him).

Not all criminals so willingly accept their fates; many fight and attempt to avoid punishment, even when they are fully guilty and know it.

The situtation is bad all the way around for everyone directly affected, and the best that we can hope is that people will learn the lessons that are available from the incident so that it might not happen again or at least as often.