Posted on 09/25/2008 8:42:51 AM PDT by NCDragon
At age 18, an American can enlist in the military, vote, sign a contract, get married, have an operation -- hey, in California, a 14-year-old can have an abortion without telling her parents -- but cannot buy a beer. Not legally, anyway.
It makes absolutely no sense, and it is shameful that my generation, which won the right to vote at age 18, continues to infantilize people who are allowed to make life-and-death decisions on every issue save one. We believe in rights -- except for those of college-age kids, even if they are serving in the military.
Enter the Amethyst Initiative, pushed by former Middlebury College President John McCardell and signed by more than 100 college presidents, which is pushing for Washington "to reopen public debate over the drinking age." According to McCardell, it is time for Washington to reconsider a 1984 measure, signed by President Ronald Reagan, that withheld 10 percent of highway funds from states that had a legal drinking age lower than 21.
The reason for the Amethyst Project -- named for a gemstone believed to be "an antidote to the negative effects of intoxication" -- is simple. Many college officials do not believe that the 21-year-old drinking age works. They believe that most students break the law. Worse, McCardell argues, they believe that the age fosters a "culture of dangerous, clandestine binge-drinking."
(Excerpt) Read more at seattlepi.nwsource.com ...
Okay, suitable identification for drinking is a valid ID showing age 21 or a military ID. I can live with that.
Could be a great recruiting tool!
I think that’s a great idea. Whatever the country does with the drinking age, no person in the armed forces should be denied a drink when they are out there fighting for us.
If you are 18 and refuse to sign up to fight for your country, then you can wait until 21 to drink legally.
I used to have a drink at the enlisted club on base at At MARINE CORPS Base [at the time] 29 Palms,Ca. We were told by our units that we should not drink off base, but on base was OK, as long as we did so RESPONSIBLY! So, I did along with a lot of my “fellow” MARINES! I do not see why a base commander can open the “clubs” as long as the service members stay on base and have their fellow members help them when they have had too much. As far as the lower ranks go. That is why GOD made NCO’s to take care of them when they need it the most. I did so when I was a Sgt. [E-5] in my beloved CORPS. So then all NCO’s need to take of their “troops” that are assigned to them at all times!
I know a few soldiers who were underage, but when they were in establishments in uniform NO ONE ever carded them. Shoot, they rarely paid for their drinks or anything else for that matter.
The soldiers about whom I am talking are now over 21. They were in mufti and over 21 when I saw them carded.
Why 18? Don’t these addictive personalities start to abuse sex, drugs and alchohol at 12? I think these college presidents have better things to do with their resources than their failed crusade to suppress the party culture at the colleges. Maybe society should follow their august example. Those extra three years of amnesty to drinkers would probably save their institutions millions they could spend on responsible entertainment.
The South Carolina legislation had a bill that proposed exactly that. It was abandoned after the feds made it clear that we would risk our highway funds if anyone under 21 was allowed to drink.
Problem solved. Great idea!
A group of University Presidents wants to lower the drinking age. Reason, in my mind, is that, since underage binge drinking is an epidemic on campus, they would rather brush the problem under the rug instead of being part of the solution.
“You’re old enough to kill, but not for drinkin’....”
Consider this:
...having one or more of your limbs amputated
...being blind in one or both eyes (if they are not missing altogether)
...a large piece of your skull missing
...a huge hole through your abdomen courtesy of a sniper
...sustaining terrible nerve damage throughout your body due to repeated exposure to bombs and IEDs
...being young and diagnosed with some rare cancer while on the battlefield
confined to a wheelchair
...having to use crutches or learn to walk again with prosthetic legs with motorized knees
...taking all kinds of new drugs and combinations of said drugs to help "fix" you
...spending months or years at Walter Reed Army Medical Center
All this because you chose to defend and serve your country.
But you cannot smoke a cigarette unless you hike through all kinds of weather to one of two designated "pens" where smoking is now permitted. At least the small gazebo has a roof over it.
There has never been an indoor space provided for smokers, but there was a covered breezeway that was easily accessible from the inside. It was a popular gathering spot for our wounded to gather and discuss a wide array of topics and share in a bit of camaraderie...and smoke.
ONE person changed all that.
Now the breezeway, with all its new furniture, is desolate.
I agree completely. If you have a military ID, you should be able to get a drink anywhere.
The reason is they want to get out from under the potential liability load. College's can be held negligently liable for not taking steps to control illegal activity occuring on campus. Make the activity legal and it lifts a huge load of their backs.
If you have a military ID-drink
If you have a military ID-vote
If you have no military ID-no drinks& no vote
First of all, I’d prefer limited supervised drinking as a child grows up. As it is now, a person rarely learns to drink responsibly until they’ve made all the mistakes short of DUI and vehiclular manslaughter.
If children were taught to drink responsilbly and in moderation then imo the allure of binge drinking would diminish as would the aspect of the ‘forbidden fruit’.
Second, if one wants to base changing the law to 18 because one might be called upon to defend the country in uniform, then make the rule state that those that actually do defend the country in uniform legally drink, not just those who reach the age. Make it on actual merit, not potential merit.
Third, I’d disagree with your penalties and punishments all the way to Supreme Court simply because they are too severe for the crime committed. Lose a house (upwards of $200k fine) for underage drinking? No way, Jose.
Thanks. I understand. Nonetheless, I would much rather see these presidents try to mitigate their risk by enforcing university no drinking policies than wash their hands of it.
I am for an across the board 18 yo drinking age. But it is obscene that service members can be sent to Iraq, handle tanks and rifles and advanced weapons systems, and then they come back home and can't have a beer at a ballgame. If you can't change the law to 18, at least change it for them.
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