I have a very serious, yet simple, request of you tonight: respect your life and the lives of others. Today, a friend, mentor, and colleague of mine tragically had his life ended by the carelessness of an individual driving under the influence of alcohol. I cannot properly express the shock and horror I experienced upon learning of this; I cannot imagine the pain his family must be experiencing.
It is at times like this that I want to gather my loved ones, keep them comfortably within my reach, and protect them from harm. I realize that is not a possibility. I also realize that I am the individual that regularly advocates living every moment to the fullest and not allowing fear to dictate action. Tonight, although it is on very shaky legs, I stand by these convictions.
Tonight, I make you this promise: I will value my life and yours. I will be the designated driver, call you a cab, or let you crash at my house. I will be the person to tell you that you've had too much and take your keys, regardless of how angry you become. I will do everything in my power to prevent you from injuring yourself or someone else.
I choose to do all of these things because I care about you. 
You are my family.
You are my friend.
You are my colleague.
You are my classmate.
I value you and I know that every person is someones family, friend, colleague, or classmate.
We took a cab home last night!
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