Local Author Confronts Alcoholism

Beer, Vodka, Vino, Saki? What's your poison? The consumption of alcoholic beverages is a worldwide "love affair," according to Mike Kennedy. After more than 40 years as a pioneer in the treatment of alcohol addiction, Kennedy's new book, Filling Up The Hole: The Nature & Consequences of Mankind’s Love Affair with Alcohol, documents how his work critically began after Senator Hughes of Iowa succeeded in getting the Comprehensive Alcohol Services Act passed in 1972, which provided about 800 million dollars nationwide to help further the effectiveness of Alcoholics Anonymous throughout county mental health departments, as well as city and local entities to provide services in the treatment of alcoholism, particularly in the forming of groups, the assembling of meetings, and contracting with local recovery homes and outpatient programs. "A.A. is part and parcel of any good recovery program. If it doesn't have A.A., it's probably not worth its salt." Kennedy stated. Kennedy went on to point out, “Not until 1980, and within a period of a couple of years, did a national awareness of the dangers of drunk driving come about with the organizing of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving).” From then on, according to Kennedy, counties and local entities nationwide began to provide drunk driving (DUI) education programs. "People who are alcoholics don't want to recognize that they are both within themselves, as well as they try to hide it from everybody else. They're not hiding, but they think they are. Thinking gets quite distorted with alcohol as your brain is being changed the more you drink heavily.” Kennedy further stated, "For the alcoholic, your primary goal in life is to drink. To keep your brain satisfied, you have to drink." How timely a book when we see how on Sat., at around 4 a.m., Feb. 9, 6 lives were taken by a 21 year old female from Fontana who was drunk beyond realizing that she was heading in the wrong direction on the 60FWY in Diamond Bar. According to CHP Officer Rodrigo Jimenez, as reported by local news agencies, "This tragedy is 100% preventable." Kennedy, 77, quit drinking after moving from St. Louis to San Bernardino nearly 40 years ago. At the time, after much self-reflection due to an alcohol-related accident, a job in Social Work drew Kennedy to the Inland Empire where he met the love of his life and started a family. A guest at the book presentation by the name of Herb is featured in Kennedy's book. As he spoke, his east coast accent gave leverage to his testimony during the discussion held Sat., Jan. 8, at Norman F. Feldheym Public Library. Herb used to work at the Schaefer brewery in New York. "At that time, a 6-pack was about $1.49. But when Budweiser began to market in New York, they undercut Schaefer, selling a 6-pack for $1.09.” Herb stated. Later, when Herb was in St. Louis on a visit, he noticed Budweiser wasn't as cheap as it was in New York. At that time, Herb realized that the Budweiser markets, such as those in St. Louis, were subsidizing places like New York where the beer market had been dominated by Schaefer. At that moment, an anonymous guest recalled, “Remember Schaefer's ad back in the day?” Just then, she sung the ad’s hook, 'Schaefer is the one beer to have when you're having more than one.'” Then she laughed. Herb further shared, "The breweries advertise, 'Please drink responsibly!' But by the same token, they entice you, especially the big breweries.” With that statement, Herb put a long, drawn-out emphasis on the word, “big.” He went on to attest, "They want to be bigger, and so they make their product readily available, and they glorify it." Kennedy went on to state that the majority of alcoholics who got help and stayed clean, did so, but not without giving credit to the “higher power” Alcoholics Anonymous speaks of. Those taking to heart Kennedy's self-published work can purchase his book by emailing Linda Adams Yeh, Program Coordinator of San Bernardino's Norman F. Feldheym Public Library at: adams.lin@sbpl.org.