Informers

At the risk of being accused of seeing a Nazi behind every tree (following in the footsteps of Cynthia Tucker, who sees a racist there), I have spoken out against President Obama's attack on Christianity, and now I rebuke the fascist concept of one American informing on another for profit. (Weren't the Hitler Youth encouraged to turn in their parents?)

Ron Calderon (D-Montebello) has proposed the shameful (CA) Senate Bill 1203 which would offer $100 to each person who turns in a driver who is subsequently convicted of drunkenness. Think of the anticipation of following a trial, hoping that someone is guilty. Does that sound like the American spirit?

I called the police once when a driver was weaving back and forth on the freeway in front of me, but the only reward I would ever expect is the satisfaction of improving public safety. I think drunk driving is inexcusable, but when weak minds are encouraged by monetary reward to assign drunkenness to someone at the slightest provocation, possibly only out of some personal animosty, that is just another step on the road to degradation.