You Have The Right…

You have the right to remain silent. How many times have you heard that? On tv crime dramas, in the movies. Most everyone knows those words are part of the Miranda Rights and know that you have certain rights when you are accused of committing a crime. But, how many of you know the rights you have when you are the victim of a crime?

This past week was Victims Rights Week. A week set aside to raise awareness of all of the rights crime victims have and to thank those who dedicate their lives to working as victim advocates. This year MADD Nebraska created a display in the Nebraska State Capitol that focused on one of the many rights victims of drunk driving crashes have, the victim impact statement. The victim impact statement is one of the few times during the court process where victims are allowed to share how a drunk driving crash has changed their life. It is truly the voice of the victim. The chance for a victim to say in their own words, how the crash has shattered their world.

We have to thank all of the victims who shared with us their words, their very personal stories to make the display this year so very impactful. We know that we could never even begin to try to say how much their words and stories make a difference in the fight against drunk driving. We hope that everyone who saw the display not only was moved by the stories, but also learned just how important the words of the victim are during the court process.

You’ve Got The Power

It is time for our Second Annual PowerTalk 21 Day and we couldn’t be more excited! After the huge success of the First Annual Event, we decided to bring it back! So for the second year in a row, we are encouraging all parents to use April 21st as a day to start the conversation with their kids about alcohol! Is there really any better time than right now to keep your kids safe!

The bad news is, underage drinking is a growing problem and kids are starting to drink at younger and younger ages. The good news is, kids are still listening to their parents, so as a parent you can keep your teen from drinking. MADD’s Power of Parents program works to help parents start that difficult conversation about alcohol with their teens, because talking about it early and often and laying out clear expectations are two important ways to keep your teen safe from the dangers of underage drinking.

We obviously aren’t the only ones who think this is important! The Governor of the State of Nebraska Dave Heineman must agree, he is going to be signing a proclamation on April 11th, declaring April 21st PowerTalk 21 Day in the State of Nebraska! This tells you just how important he must think this issue is!

So join us in the conversation! Check out http://www.madd.org/underage-drinking/the-power-of-parents/ for more information on the program. Or call the Nebraska state office at (402) 434-5330 to find out more about how to hold a workshop in your area!