Drinking age?

[Jeff]

I've done a lot of volunteer work for churches even before I was 18. I am also going to be volunteering time for the athlethics program at the school I work at.

I have my own place, pay my bills, hold down a solid job just like any other 21 year-old. Why shouldn't I, or many others like me, be allowed to drink?

I don't support 18 entirely though, I think the drinking age should be either 19 or 18 if you've graduated high school. :shrug:

Exactly, you have proven yourself to be a responsible person.

If a kid, graduates high school, has never had any involvement with the law, and has the capacity to be a responsible person I see no problem with it.

I don't think it should come easily though. Either some volunteer based community service or possibly attendance in some sort of Alcohol Awareness class where the pitfalls of drinking are taught as well as the responsibility. But I think the right to drink under the age of 21 should be earned, not given.

The trick is that a system would need to be in place to make these judgment calls.

 

[Pete]

Should it be lowered to 18?

You can vote at 18 but you can't drink a beer or have a Jack and coke. You can detect IED's and kill the enemy at 18, but you can't have a beer or a nice glass of wine or 10. You can go to college under 21 and see to your laundry, eating, homework, getting to class and getting up in the AM, but you better stay away from the 2,587 bars in the neighborhood and darn well best stay away from the 7,491 keg parties on any given night of the week.

To me, this sort of non sense breeds cynicism that is far more harmful to our society than being able to drink at 18.

So, what we we, the people, say?

Perhaps they should raise the minimum age to join the military, drive and vote to 21. :shrug:

 

[checkingthenews]

Perhaps they should raise the minimum age to join the military, drive and vote to 21. :shrug:

HMMM, that actually is a very good suggestion!

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

Exactly, you have proven yourself to be a responsible person.

If a kid, graduates high school, has never had any involvement with the law, and has the capacity to be a responsible person I see no problem with it.

I don't think it should come easily though. Either some volunteer based community service or possibly attendance in some sort of Alcohol Awareness class where the pitfalls of drinking are taught as well as the responsibility. But I think the right to drink under the age of 21 should be earned, not given.

The trick is that a system would need to be in place to make these judgment calls.

Would you agree that ANYONE, regardless of age, should be required to meet these requirements? I can agree with the alcohol awareness class if anyone has to take it, not just "underage" people There is also a fairly large number of people over the age of 21 consuming alcohol irresponsibly :shrug:

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

HMMM, that actually is a very good suggestion!

No it isn't. Some people can handle holding jobs (thus needing to drive), join the military, and vote at 18 (and lower for the job thing). And how exactly do you plan for kids to attend college without the ability to drive?

 

[Larry Gude]

It's...

I agree that military shoudl be able to drink but if its unconstitutional then just leave it the way it is.

...unconstitutional, lack of equal protection, to forbid one 18 year old the right to drink and allow another 18 year old the right to drink based on their respective occupations. We accept the government right to restrict based on age consumption of alcohol because it applies to a community issue, the dangers of alcohol, and it applies fairly.

 

[Jeff]

Would you agree that ANYONE, regardless of age, should be required to meet these requirements? I can agree with the alcohol awareness class if anyone has to take it, not just "underage" people There is also a fairly large number of people over the age of 21 consuming alcohol irresponsibly :shrug:

Personally, I would not have an issue with it.

 

[Larry Gude]

Edit...

ahh, the old guilty before proven innocent mantra. Once again, its a shame about the preception america has on its LAWS

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

...unconstitutional, lack of equal protection, to forbid one 18 year old the right to drink and allow another 18 year old the right to drink based on their respective occupations. We accept the government right to restrict based on age consumption of alcohol because it applies to a community issue, the dangers of alcohol, and it applies fairly.

Question: Where did the age "21" come from? It seems like a fairly arbitrary number to me. At least 18 legally signals adulthood. I don't understand why the number 21 was agreed to.

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

Personally, I would not have an issue with it.

Nor would I. Shoot, then you would just have to show that ID (issued after completing the course/exam/whatever) when purchasing alcohol instead of your driver's license (or other ID, like military). Seems fair to me.

 

[Larry Gude]

Perhaps...

Perhaps they should raise the minimum age to join the military, drive and vote to 21. :shrug:

...we should lower the drinking age to 18.

Every society has structure of some form. We say you can serve in the armed forces and vote and buy guns and be legally responsible for yourself, sign contracts, etc, be treated like an adult...at 18.

It is a cynicism inducing, intellectually absurd and logically indefensible argument to say a person can do all of those things, yet can't sidle up and order a beer.

 

[Jeff]

Nor would I. Shoot, then you would just have to show that ID (issued after completing the course/exam/whatever) when purchasing alcohol instead of your driver's license (or other ID, like military). Seems fair to me.

Treat it more like a privilege than a right.

You abuse your driver's license and it is taken from you. Same goes for a drinking permit. :shrug:

 

[Larry Gude]

It...

Question: Where did the age "21" come from? It seems like a fairly arbitrary number to me. At least 18 legally signals adulthood. I don't understand why the number 21 was agreed to.

...like the driving age, voting age, military service age, is/are the result, over time, of trying to balance responsibility and freedom as we attain full citizenship.

It finds its roots in equal protection under the law.

 

[Larry Gude]

That's...

Treat it more like a privilege than a right.

You abuse your driver's license and it is taken from you. Same goes for a drinking permit. :shrug:

...not unreasonable.

 

[Jeff]

...not unreasonable.

No and to be honest when I was a kid, it would simply be another part of growing up. Just like the selective service registration, driver's license, voting etc. No biggie. Keep your nose clean. Do a few things that society expects from you and earn your privilege.

Some folks might have a bit more respect for it having had to earn it.

 

[Pete]

...unconstitutional, lack of equal protection, to forbid one 18 year old the right to drink and allow another 18 year old the right to drink based on their respective occupations. We accept the government right to restrict based on age consumption of alcohol because it applies to a community issue, the dangers of alcohol, and it applies fairly.

they can however make the drinking age on base 18 even if the state it is in is 21.

 

[Larry Gude]

I'm all...

No and to be honest when I was a kid, it would simply be another part of growing up. Just like the selctive service registration, driver's license, voting etc. No biggie. Keep your nose clean. Do a few things that society expects from you and earn your priveldge.

Some folks might have a bit more respect for it having had to earn it.

...for it. We have the technology (cue Six million dollar man theme) to issue and track a drivers license. There is no technical reason that we can't simply add other civil offenses like drinking and drug offenses to the civil tracking of driving offenses and impose similar penalties.

I like it!

 

[Larry Gude]

No effing...

they can however make the drinking age on base 18 even if the state it is in is 21.

...way. That would put Ft. Hoods federal highway funds at risk!!!

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

No and to be honest when I was a kid, it would simply be another part of growing up. Just like the selective service registration, driver's license, voting etc. No biggie. Keep your nose clean. Do a few things that society expects from you and earn your priveldge.

Some folks might have a bit more respect for it having had to earn it.

People might think twice when realizing that driving drunk will not only possibly get your license suspended/revoked, but you will also lose your precious alcohol-purchase permit. I am starting to wonder why this plan wasn't attempted at some previous point in America.

 

[Jeff]

Maybe another pole option should be.

"Not based on age but responsibility"

or something to that effect