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Old 01-02-2008, 03:22 PM
 
Location: Charlotte, NC (in my mind)
7,943 posts, read 17,193,652 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JakeDog View Post
Most of the people who go directly into the military that are not going into the academies have less maturity and judgment than those who go to college (or the academies) in my opinion.
Not always. At least in my area, most people don't make it past their first semester because they party and flunk out. I was one of only 3 people in my graduating class of 72 students to stay in college to the end.
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Old 01-02-2008, 03:24 PM
 
13,053 posts, read 12,908,718 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twojciac View Post
NHTSA studies showed that there was a 13% decrease in alcohol related fatalities after the drinking age was raised to 21. Most studies analyzing the trends in the 80s when the drinking ages were increased from 18-19-21 show the same statistics.

Maybe instead of lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18 we should raise the age in which you are considered an adult to 21 (yes, including draft and military registration).

The reason you can smoke when you're 18, 16 in some places, is because it has yet to be proven that smoking leads to impared judgement when operating heavy machinery.
Maybe so, but then isn't that legislating rights based on what the irresponsible will do? My point being, drinking itself is not an irresponsible action. It is the irresponsible abuse of it that produces a crime.

Do you remember many cases where fraternities were hazing their members by requiring them to drink massive amounts of water? The kids died from water intoxication. Water we would all agree in itself is not a bad thing, but it can be abused in many ways to make it criminal. Do we put a age requirement on drinking water?

As for impaired, there are a lot of people in all ages of life that have shown they are impaired without any influences. Maybe we ban them too? *chuckle*
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Old 01-02-2008, 03:25 PM
 
3,570 posts, read 3,738,061 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kuharai View Post
Ok. Since we've been debating rought topics like health care reform, abortion, which ideal sucks more, etc - I thought I'd open up a semi-light topic (I hope) about the drinking age.

Right now, the drinking age in America is 21. Now, I know I'm being biased in this manner. But I think that if you're an adult (18) then the responsibility of alcohol should also be bestowed upon you.

Each day, men and women join the armed forces straight out of high school. These men and women have the full on responsibility of being a soldier. However, no matter how rough of a day it is - they can't even take a shot of Wild Turkey to relax their mind.

Myself: I have a full time job. I have a husband and daughter - a family. We have our own apartment that we furnished for ourselves. We pay all of our own bills - without any sort of parental or government assistance. However, my husband could legally have champagne for New Years. Me, I was completely illegal on it.

Making it illegal to drink while under 21 hasn't helped anybody, has it? People will still have a glass of champagne for New Years (myself) and some will still go to parties with friends and drink underage. For some, it's the thrill of doing something illegal that drives them.

Cigarettes are a lot worse for you than a beer. So why, at 18, can you chose to smoke but not drink?
I'm a big champion for young adults. I agree that if you can go to war, then you should be able to drink.

I think there are some exceptions for military personal on base who are between the ages of 18-21. (not sure).

I believe it isn't illegal for someone underaged to drink, but illegal to purchase alcohol.
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Old 01-02-2008, 03:29 PM
 
3,570 posts, read 3,738,061 times
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Drinking is a cultural thing. Note that in France and Italy, wine is part of the meal. Culturally, there is no cachet to go out and get waisted. It's kind of a scratch your head thing like "Why would you want to?" (At least from my experience when I was there in my early 20's.)
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Old 01-02-2008, 03:34 PM
 
Location: Small patch of terra firma
1,281 posts, read 2,362,345 times
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While there may be statistical reasons for not raising the age, it is still absurd to think, at age 18 you are a legal adult, you can enter into contracts without parental permission, you can vote, you can join the military, you can move out of your parents place without being called a runaway, the government will now see you as an individual person and not someone still under the “care†of parents or guardians, but nooo, you’re not supposed to be allowed to legally obtain alcohol. It just doesn’t make sense once they become an adult to obtain all the rights a privileges but booze.
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Old 01-02-2008, 03:46 PM
 
Location: DFW, TX
2,935 posts, read 6,697,823 times
Reputation: 572
Quote:
Originally Posted by madicarus2000 View Post
While there may be statistical reasons for not raising the age, it is still absurd to think, at age 18 you are a legal adult, you can enter into contracts without parental permission, you can vote, you can join the military, you can move out of your parents place without being called a runaway, the government will now see you as an individual person and not someone still under the “care†of parents or guardians, but nooo, you’re not supposed to be allowed to legally obtain alcohol. It just doesn’t make sense once they become an adult to obtain all the rights a privileges but booze.
Once someone is an adult I think not only should they be allowed to consume alcohol, but they should be allowed to consume *anything*... after all it's their body.

I just question the arbitrary age of 18. While I personally acted responsibly at the age of 18, I wasn't ready to make adult decisions until I was closer to 22. That includes joining the military and entering into contracts...
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Old 01-02-2008, 03:50 PM
 
Location: Wallace, Idaho
3,353 posts, read 6,643,769 times
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Yes, the law is completely asinine. You're old enough to go overseas and kill people for your government, and you're old enough to vote for your leaders ... but you can't handle a beer? How stupid is that?
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Old 01-02-2008, 04:00 PM
 
Location: Camberville
15,798 posts, read 21,311,780 times
Reputation: 28022
It's not as if the drinking age means anything. In fact, I had to be very picky about which college I chose because since I choose not to drink or be around drunk people, there are very few secular colleges that embrace that atmosphere. Most of my friends went to state schools (UGA, GA Tech, GA State) and are drunk out of their minds every weekend at bars- no one cares about the drinking age. There's a problem in our culture when it's OK and even respected to go out and get plastered, but that's another thread. :P

It's ridiculous that the drinking age is 21 yet DUIs of ANY age are ever allowed out on the road again. In high school alone I knew about 10 kids who were killed by drunk middle age drivers. If you get caught on a DUI even once, you should permanently lose your license. It's attempted manslaughter no matter how you slice it.
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Old 01-02-2008, 07:08 PM
tny
 
1 posts, read 1,890 times
Reputation: 11
Default Conflicts with the drinking age.

I have recently been hearing an arguement about the government debating on whether the legal drinking age should stay at 21 or be changed to 18. I will be completely honest with you. I am 18 years of age and im an american soldier. I justed wanted to voice my opinion to others so that they may see my point of view. I think that the drinking age should be lowered to 18. Of course with my age being a factor, yes I am going to say that. But, why is it that I can smoke, vote, buy lottery tickets, sign contracts, and even sign my life to serve my country, but I can not legally drink. Yes I understand the risks that can occur if they do lower the age. If you honestly look at it though, whether they lower the drinking age to 18 or not. If they want to drink, there going to drink. Just like when you were kids, when your parents told you not to do something but you did it anyways. Thats how it is in this case. Just because the law says under 21 years of age can not legally drink does not mean that there not going to. Its kind of ridiculous that Im old enough to die for you and all the millions in this country but I cant be old enough to drink. The government needs to realize one thing. An adult is an adult. Don't give 1 responsibility to a certain age than another at a different age. Pick an age where you say an adult is an adult then put all of the responsibilities at that age. Please comment back I want you to voice your opinion.
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Old 01-02-2008, 07:16 PM
 
Location: Boise
4,426 posts, read 5,901,925 times
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I lived in another country when I was 18, and was able to drink and go to pubs or whatever.. I think its the culture surrounding alcohol in this country that is the problem. You can't tell someone they are an adult then exclude them from adult responsibilities otherwise they will act out as a child would and abuse it. Make DUI laws more harsh. block off city streets surrounding city centers at night and make everyone do a breathilizer. Where I lived it was common place. DUI involved thousands of dollars in fines and you lost your license for 2 years if not more.... not to mention, the dependency on the automobile that most american cities have... there's many factors but raising the age limit is not going to help anything... in fact they already have raised it to 21 from 18 a few decades ago.. and it hasn't helped anything...
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