A Joke Gone Bad- and Not a Surprise
A lot has been said about the "joke" of burning all those churches, a simple prank gotten out of hand. Yeah, right. That's a lot of hands to have gotten out of. As an alcohol counselor I have often found that this level of chaos and damage usually means that alcohol is somewhere involved. Well this came across the news today:

Drinking May Have Fueled Ala. Church Fires

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (CBS/AP) -- Three college students suspected of a string of Alabama church fires may have been out drinking when they began their spree, authorities said.

Throughout the monthlong investigation, authorities said alcohol could have led to a warped bravado that sparked the arsons, and initial interviews with the suspects bore out the theory, according to one officer.
--CBS/AP

I was not surprised. Alcohol can do that- grease the wheels of insanity, reduce inhibitions, etc. The way alcohol works on the brain is becoming clearer and clearer. The more you drink the more it affects you. Some people respond differently to alcohol from the word "Go." What may sound like a stupid, crazy joke when sober becomes a serious event in no time.

This does not in any way, shape, or form get the person off for reasons of insanity, drukenness, or anything other reason. Nor does it make it simply a "prank" gone wrong. Only when we begin to realize the real power of alcohol can we begin to do some real prevention of abuse and education of its effects. As long as we believe it is harmless, we won't see any reason to make people more aware of its dangers.