Meet Joe Fishman. Joe is an average 18-year-old freshman, new to the world. Joe has it all. He can vote. He can buy cigarettes and porn. He can even get married or join the Army. But Joe has one problem…he can’t buy beer.
Instead, Joe has to go downtown and risk paying a crazy bum to buy his liquor. He has already decided he’s going to get drunk regardless of the law.
By seeking out and obtaining alcohol, he has signed on the dotted line acknowledging that he is aware of the dangers and risks that go along with heavy drinking.
Our friend’s story sounds familiar, doesn’t it? This is the same story that has been lived out by a number of under-aged people.
It is also the same story that has inspired over 100 university presidents to challenge the 24-year-old law that made the national drinking age 21. This made the United States the country with the oldest drinking minimum, most countries start between ages 16-18, while some have no minimum.
Many experts have given detailed statistics and shown charts and power point presentations on the subject, but what about us? It affects us most. Shouldn’t we have a say?
I’ve decided that, since this doesn’t affect the suit-and-tie-wearing, grey-headed “expert,” I want to find out what my generation has to say on the topic.
Jordan Parker, a 21-year-old sophomore, thinks 18-year-olds shouldn’t be able to get alcohol. Citing his life’s experience as reason enough, “I was kind of immature when I was 18. So, I would assume other guys would be also.”
Parker thinks it would be dangerous to give that responsibility to young people who are just getting used to real responsibility and says that it will result in more alcohol related deaths.
Alison Rudd, a 19-year-old sophomore, says, “I think people that want to drink are going to drink whether they are of age or not. So, legality holds little water in the argument.”
Raising the same point our friend Joe just did. The number 21 has not stopped most people from obtaining hooch.
Rudd goes on to explain, “As long as they have an older sibling or friend that can hook them up, few kids are going to say ‘Well, maybe I should wait another 6 or so years until I won’t get in trouble.'”
Where there is a will, there is a way. So, why not cut out the middle man?
Phillip Clark takes a different approach. The 22-year-old, Clark, would like to see a compromise. “I think the age should be 19, because that would rule out most high school kids drinking. But, also, would solve a lot of problems with underage drinking in college.”
Having the drinking age lowered to 19, as opposed to 18, would make the drinking that goes on at the many classy parties around campus legal.
Each one of these people has valid points. As for me, I’m under the school of thought that if people can die for their country, I should be able to buy them a shot.
But this debate will continue whether law is changed or not. Alcohol consumption will be dangerous regardless of what age we start.
What we should be more concerned with is the education of responsibility. Not just with drugs and alcohol, but with all aspects of life. Raise the maturity level of the nation before lowering the drinking age.