[sk5t]

This seems like a dangerous way to understand any harmful act. It may be inconvenient that other views trouble the healing process, but wishing doesn't make it so. Suppose one were to say, "Only one person is responsible for a DUI fatality--the driver. Otherwise it's possible for the bartender to torture himself thinking 'if only I'd cut him off two hours ago.'"

[snowwrestler]

The driver is the only person responsible for a DUI, unless they were somehow forced into driving against their will.

Are you seriously proposing that we hold bartenders responsible for the actions of drunk people?

[sk5t]

I'm not proposing it--the law already recognizes that bars bear some of the responsibility for over-serving their customers. It's rarely-enforced, however, and appears that the drunken driver must harm someone with a bit of pull in the legal system for charges to surface.

http://missoulian.com/news/local/bartender-sentenced-to-jail...