An Open Letter To Judge Jean Boyd: Ethan Couch, Drunk Driving & Words Of Love To The Families

 this post is not the typical one I write and yet so many people have affirmed it was one that needed to be written. I believe in life as Christians we are called to forgive as we've been forgiven ourselves and just because we do this in the aftermath of great destruction and healing does not mean we also roll over as people pleasers and hold our tongue on things that matter only much to our dismay then later stand frozen as history repeats itself… hence our entire society paying the price including innocent lives lost at the wheels of drunk drivers. We can each make a difference by speaking up for what is right along with large doses of prayer that hearts will be changed, that God will be sought over money and self and good will triumph. 

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Dear Judge Jean Boyd,

Texas is being pointed at.

Ridiculed.

Criticized.

Judged.

For good reason.

Don’t believe for a second that Texans agree with your ruling in Ethan Couch’s case in which at sixteen he made the conscious choice to get in a vehicle and drive drunk when he knew the outcome held a strong possibility like that of Russian Roulette that he would kill someone.

Yet he didn’t kill just one. That surely would have been bad enough.

But he killed four.  A man has lost his wife. A man has lost his daughter.

Many were injured and suffered.

Texans are embarrassed.

Texans are angry.

Texans are not okay with this.

This cycle must stop.

Because we know what’s winning.

Money. Self. Ego. Evil. And that’s not acceptable.

We want GOOD to win.

We want JUSTICE to win.

We want RIGHT to win.

No matter what or who you believe in no one in their right mind can sit there and say that the ruling on Ethan Couch’s case brought good. People can sit and scream “Separation of church and state” all they want but at the end of the day no matter what or whom you believe in to be a higher power that ruling was not in support of mankind.

I had never heard of this term “Affluenza” until reading about this case. From what I’ve read it means this:

A NARCISSTIC individual who believes they can do whatever they want because money always saves their hiney.

Just because someone is affluent does not mean they should automatically obtain a “get out of jail free card” and not face responsibility for their actions.

"And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in; it chokes the Word, which becomes unfruitful" - Mark 4:19.

We are becoming an UNFRUITFUL society, an UNFRUITFUL nation when drunk drivers continue to wreak havoc on our roads, when these types of soft rulings continue, allowing teenagers and adults to continually commit heinous acts on the road that are highly preventable. Why should Ethan Couch be allowed to be let off the hook?

All rulings need to be set according to the weight of the crime… not according to wallets or race. 

If a poor kid stood before you and said: 

“I came from a poor background. I didn’t know any better.”

That would be insane. And yet your ruling supports that it’s acceptable for Ethan Couch to use “Affluenza” as his defense… that his “poor me” victim mentality cry is perfectly fine and sane is in reality ridiculous, harmful and immoral. It sets the standard for the future, for teens, that this behavior is acceptable.

We want judges who are going to dole out stiffer consequences. Jail time. Additionally, perhaps Ethan Couch would benefit from doing some mandatory court ordered work with Mother's Against Drunk Driving. The truest victory of this horrible loss would be him becoming an advocate against drunk driving. Sending him to a spa-like rehab facility doesn't cut it for consequences. We want judges who are going to stand for something good. Because today, as this stands, we are not impressed. We are angry. And we are sick of seeing men and women crying on our televisions night after night, crying out that someone has been ripped from them and the perpetrator has walked off scotch free.

"I think once you're behind the wheel it doesn't matter where you're from, who you are, how famous you are, how poor, how rich, how anything ... I think when we're given a driver's license, that's a privilege and a part of that privilege has a responsibility," 

- Jeff Miracle, with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, told NBC 5

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Judge-Jean-Boyd-Becomes-Target-of-Ethan-Couch-Affluenza-Case-Criticism-235718611.html

As a nation we are taking a stand.

We want justice for these families.

We want good to win over evil.

And if we can’t get that… we want you removed from the bench.

© gps-gracepowerstrength.blogspot.com ~ 2013 

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Victims-Family-Attorneys-Speak-Out-After-Ethan-Couch-Sentenced-to-Probation_Dallas-Fort-Worth-235658911.html

To the victims families: 

My sister was killed by a drunk driver in 2008 and without a doubt I personally know the loss, the pain, the tears, the magnitude of this… it is heart wrenching and I have zero doubt God is with you in this very moment, the coming days, weeks, months and yes, even years. He is there. Comforting, consoling and giving you strength. May He continue to uplift you, wipe your tears and give you the words needed even if your voice wavers to speak up, to reach out, to do good… to leave a legacy of beauty, hope and resilience that yes, your loss, your loved ones loss will bring GOOD. 

God Bless You

Pray for the victims, their families and for Ethan Couch, pray that he sees that God is much more valuable than anything in his or his parents wallet. 

To My Readers: 

Thank for you for reading, 

commenting & sharing!

to sign the petition: 

 https://www.change.org/petitions/governor-rick-perry-take-judge-jean-boyd-off-the-bench#supporters