MADDer than hell

We explore the secular ritual process that Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has produced to aid Americans who have had a loved one killed or maimed by a drunk driver. Our particular focus is on how MADD's victim services filled a cultural void and provided a means for people to manage and channel their grief and and rage in psychologically healthy and socially constructive ways. The analysis is enriched by comparative ethnographic material on how people in other societies such as the Ilongot cope with such profound and unexpected personal losses.