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No More Crocodiles
By Toni Lee Robinson
Imagine you live in an average town.
Your town is full of nice people. Dads and
moms work hard to take care of their
children. They want their kids to grow up
healthy and have a good life. In many ways,
the village is a great place to live.
Something else is going on in the town as
well. Some people in the village raise
crocodiles. They make money selling the
crocodiles to people who want them for pets.
Those who buy one believe they can handle
the big reptiles. In fact, many enjoy the
dangerous pets with no problems.
Sometimes, though, a crocodile attacks its owner. Members of the
owners' families may suffer bites as well. Families with crocodile
problems are a sad sight. Once they start, the attacks always get
worse. Owners and their families are mauled again and again. These
people are unable to hide their terrible wounds. Some people are
even killed by the pets.
Some of the villagers think it is time to do something about the
problem. The town must take steps, they say, to stop the suffering. It
must end the destruction in the lives of these families. It must stop
other families from ever starting the cycle. The solution is simple. A
law is passed. No one will be allowed to raise crocodiles or sell them
anymore.
Many villagers think the law is a good idea. Think of all the
terrible pain and scars that will be prevented! Others object to the
law. They say that people have a right to own risky pets if they want
to. They also say that people who want to own crocodiles will find a
way, law or no law. It turns out they are right about that.
A few people break the law. They secretly raise and sell
crocodiles. They make lots of money with this illegal trade. The big
money brings in other people who compete for the profit. Many of
those involved are violent. They break the law in other ways as well.
Now, a question arises. Was a law to keep people free of the risk of
crocodiles a good idea? Or was it better to let people take the risk if
they want to?
You have probably realized that the story of the crocodile village
is a fable. Something similar, however, actually took place in
America. It happened in the early 1900s. The danger that concerned
people wasn't crocodiles. It was the use of alcohol.
At the time, alcoholic drinks were sold in places called saloons.
More companies began making liquor. More saloons came into
being. Many of them were appalling places. The owners made
money on other things besides liquor. Saloons often offered
gambling as well. In the area around the drinking places, fighting
and crime could be a problem.
Saloon patrons were mostly men. Some men came to the saloons
to relax after a hard day's work. They drank, visited, and went home.
Others were not able to control their drinking. They were "hooked"
on or addicted to alcohol. (This disease is called alcoholism.) Often,
these people spent their whole paychecks in the saloon. Families
went without food and other necessities.
For some time, people had been concerned with the problems
created by alcohol. Groups like the Temperance Movement held
rallies. They crusaded against the use of alcohol. Several states
passed laws against the sale of liquor. In 1918, Congress passed the
18th Amendment. The bill banned the making and the sale of
alcoholic drinks. In 1919, the Volstad Act was passed. This law
provided for enforcement of the liquor ban.
Together, the two laws prohibited making or selling alcohol. This
policy was known as Prohibition. The policy, also called the "Noble
Experiment," lasted through the 1920s. During that time, the use of
alcohol went down by at least 50%. Arrests for drunk driving went
down by the same amount. There were 63% fewer deaths from liver
ailments, a hazard of too much alcohol.
Not all the results of the policy were good ones. It was much like
the crocodile story. Dishonest people saw a chance to make money.
Some made liquor to sell. Others brought it into the country from
other areas. Profits from illegal liquor made some people very rich.
Huge kingdoms of crime were built. This became known as
"organized crime." This type of crime had existed before Prohibition.
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It became much worse, however, during this time.
In 1933, Congress passed the 21st Amendment. This law
repealed the 18th Amendment. It was the first time an amendment
was passed to cancel another. The manufacture and sale of alcohol
became legal again. The "Noble Experiment" was ended.
4. Alcoholism is:
A. being addicted to alcohol
B. the making and selling of liquor
C. leaving your family without enough money to live on
D. the drinking of liquor
5. The Temperance Movement was involved in the debate over
the alcohol issue. What part did it play?
No More Crocodiles
Questions
1. Why was the 18th Amendment repealed?
A. The 18th Amendment led to an increase in drunk drivers.
B. The 18th Amendment did not reduce the numbers of
drunk drivers.
C. The 18th Amendment did not decrease the use of alcohol.
D. The 18th Amendment led to a large increase in crime.
2. Give your answer to the question at the end of the crocodile
story. Was the law against crocodiles a good idea, or would it
have been better to let people take the risk of owning
crocodiles? Why?
6. What was the effect of the 18th Amendment and the Volstead
Act?
7. The "Noble Experiment" was completely unsuccessful in
accomplishing its goal of stopping people from drinking
alcohol.
A. false
B. true
8. Was the ending of Prohibition a good or a bad decision? Why?
3. Explain the purpose of a saloon.
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Can addiction be cured or prevented? In your opinion, does the
passage of restrictive laws prevent people from doing things that are
destructive or dangerous?
What does it mean to be addicted to something? What things might a
person become addicted to? What are some ways that people who
suffer from addiction can get help?