Posted on 08/12/2005 12:12:55 PM PDT by summer
... Many parents have decided to take a realist's approach. They're throwing parties for their kids and their friends. They serve alcohol at these parties, but they also collect car keys to make sure no one drives home until the next morning. Their logic makes sense: The kids are going to drink; it's better that they do it in a controlled, supervised environment.
...For this the Andersons found themselves arrested and charged with supplying alcohol to minors...
In fact, the Andersons were lucky. A couple in Virginia was recently sentenced to 27 months in jail for throwing a supervised party for their son's 16th birthday, at which beer was made available. That was reduced on appeal from the eight-year sentenced imposed by the trial judge. ...Parents would risk jail time and a fine of $1,000 per underage drinker.
... The question, then, is do we want them drinking in their cars, in parking lots, in vacant lots and in rented motel rooms? Or do we want them drinking at parties with adult supervision, where they're denied access to the roads once they enter?
The Virginia case mentioned above is troubling for another reason: The cops raided that home without a search warrant. This is becoming more and more common in jurisdictions with particularly militant approaches to underage drinking. A prosecutor in Wisconsin popularized the practice in the late 1990s when he authorized deputies to enter private residences without warrants, "by force, if necessary," when there was the slightest suspicion of underage drinking....
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
PS I know of many towns celebrating prom nights inside the local YMCA, with total adult supervision, and kids dancing, plus there's video games, door prizes and food, etc.; and guess what - no alcohol. And, the kids have fun. So, it's possible.
Libertairian whining if you ask me...underage drinking is against the law as is serving it to them. If the cops get a call of a party or see kids puking on the lawn then they have the right to suspect a crime has been committed.
What about the parents who don't want their kids drinking? And please tell me what good ever comes of having teenagers and alcohol together in one place?
So this this Father-of-the-Year candidate tell all the other parents that he was having a beer bash for their underage kids?
The fact that the parents are breaking the law by serving alcohol to minors should be cause enough to land them in jail, IMHO.
I don't care what precautions they take to see that the kids don't drive.
We throw teenage parties all the time. Mountain Dew and Coke seem to keep them happy. (However, an errant teen will occasionally sneek in some Red Bull, LOL...yuck, I don't know how they can drink that stuff, it smells so bad.)
I'm right there with you that the parents should not be hosting these parties, but I'm worried about police being able to force entry into the houses just because of suspicion of underage drinking. That's getting into jackboot territory.
}:-)4
We celebrated H.S. graduation by being locked in the H.S. for the night with "adult" supervision.
No alcohol, but a lot folks dropped acid....
Dancing! Dancing! Do you know what dancing leads too?
A party? You remember those?
My thoughts exactly.
Anyone who does not recognize the above as sarcasm should stick their finger into an electric wall socket immediately.
What are these parents using for brains?
Nice, all you blue nose tea-totallers.
Question.
How many of the almost 2,000 troops killed in Iraq and Afganistan were "just too young to drink"?
In your Humble Opinion?
Just a question.
Six, Mr. Moore.
Your Eighteen.
You can vote for the President of the United States.
You can take a weapon and kill for your country.
You can get your ass shot off for your country. And your arms, and you legs, and lose your eyesight and your hearing.
But you're just too irresponsible to drink a beer.
Make me sick.
Communist.
1 - The main point is that police can search premises without a warrant in accordance with local ordinance - THIS is as much of a problem as irresponsible/absent parents.
2 - Starbucks Doubleshots.
"underage drinking is against the law as is serving it to the"
No it isn't - not in every state. Minors can drink with permission of parents in many states. If all the parents of the children at the party agreed to allow them to drink, and one or more set of parents were on hand to supervise, it shouldn't really be a problem.
This country's idiotic attitude towards minors and alcohol causes more problems than it solves. Minors should be taught how to responsibly drink, not be kept from some forbidden fruit they think will make them cool and popular.
Susan.
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