Lowering the drinking age

How are you supposed to join the army and have any fun?? Seriously.

 

I'm guessing he thinks operating fighter jets over international borders is a little safer than driving cars out to visit our mutual friend Sanchez.

 

the age limit isn't a real barrier to get booze either.

 

At the same time, even "adults" who are 21 are not mentally prepared to handle it then either. Kids are going to do it regardless. I remember when I was 16, 17 and so on. If I wanted to get drunk, I did.

I do believe if you can fight in a war and risk your life, you should be able to drink.

 

since someone brought up the issue of europe not having so many problems with drinking, etc. and not having a drinking age of 21.... here's my thoughts on the matter, having lived in europe.

i agree that kids who are brought up to know what alcohol is, how to consume it responsibly, and are allowed to find their limits in a safe environment, i.e. the home... are much more likely to consume alcohol responsibly on their own. they know their limits and can make the decision when to quit, and not to drive. when alcohol is glossed over, and not talked about and kids are not exposed to it, it DOES take on a mystical thing, and of course, kids wanna try it. and then they get carried away.

however, the main point of irresponsible drinking i've noticed in the US is the tendancy of people to think that getting "fucked up retarded" while they're drinking is cool. and that it's funny, and awesome, and will make you more liked by others to be so fucked up you can't remember last night. and then do stupid stuff. and that's cool. so of course people continue to do it. ugh.

in europe (well, i can speak for italy, i guess i shouldn't speak for the whole continent, lol!) it is considered very bad manners to be so drunk you make scenes and become obnoxious and piss on the sidewalk or whatever else super drunk people sometimes do. don't get me wrong, they have a good time, they get hella drunk... they talk loudly, sometimes get into fights.... but the whole vibe of advertising to the whole world just how fucking drunk you are, and celebrating that, trying to get more drunk than your friends, etc.... well, it's just practically unheard of. wait... no... it's what they complain about as the plague of american tourists.

nothing wrong with drinking a lot and having a jolly good time. but don't celebrate drunk stupidity. it's part of what causes the psychotic behavior of american youth (and not youth) in relation to alcohol.

 

In the U.S., states can lower the drinking age below 21 if they wish but they would lose 10% of their federal highway funds. Reagan was the one who signed the bill into law in summer 1984 (an election year). Reagan, who often touted states rights, argued that states weren't being forced by the federal government to raise the drinking age. They didn't have to comply, but they would lose a portion of their federal highway funds if they didn't comply.

.

 

well that's just bullshit, lol! but you know... government

 

"I'm not going to make you keep it at 21, I'm just going to blackmail you"

 

It's a proven fact that kids/teenagers that are taught to drink responsibly (a glass of wine, whatever, at dinner) end up to be more responsible drinkers then people who aren't allowed and then go nuts with it later on.

 

And I don't understand why some people think just people in the military should be able to drink at 18.... although it sure did help me when I went out to dinner and then homecoming at my ex's school when he was in the army.

 

i think they should lower the drinking age, however i also think that most parents don't teach their kids how to be responcible about it, and so lowering the drinking age might be dangerous

 

i don't think anyone actively in the military serving and "defending" the US should be able to drink

 

boo drinking age

 

I don't think you're mature enough to vote at 18 either. That was only brought into play because 'if you can be drafted at 18, you should be able to vote.'

 

there's a real drinking culture here. but i have to say, that everyone starts drinking from 14/15 and so people are kind of over it by the time they are 21.

 

Considering how easily adults fall into a rigid, unquestioned, partisan voting pattern, I don't think older folk are better off in that regard.

 

Well, I've never understood why it should be 21.. if you're a legal adult at 18.. you should be able to put whatever you want in your body.. why be able to vote, and not have a beer? It's dumb.

 

people shouldn't be able to vote either

 

I grew-up in a country where I could buy a beer at a bar at 13 and where people hardly ever get carded if they look at least 16.. though the legal drinking age is.. 18.. so.. I felt ultra-restricted when I moved to the U.S..

Besides, it's true: the more you forbid something, the more people are gonna wanna do it, and irresponsibly, too, so..

 

yeah, got it. still can't have a freaking beer. you can be drafted, you can't have a beer? really now?:toetap05: