School leaders urge new look at drinking age laws

[theguilt engine]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-college-drinkingaug19,0,7039288.story

Interesting.

[GiggsOho]

I agree with what MADD says, but then again, I am for a totalitarian-like punishment for drunk driving, too.

[theguy77]

lol at MADD's rhetoric. they act like the law actually discourages underage drinking, and that if we lifted the law wed have more teens drinking. fucking idiots who think their kids are little angels.

[lauren<3s music]

I think it is a very interesting debate to be honest. Most people I know drank underage and were fairly stupid about it. However, now they're all 21+ and super responsible. I couldn't tell you if this is because of the maturity factor or the experience factor. I certainly think it's a bad idea to allow 18 year olds to drink, if only because at that time you are finally an "adult" with the majority of people entering college and being on their own for the first time, i think the combination of all that freedom plus uninhibited drinking is a bad thing. I know the first few months after I turned 21 I was ridiculous, but I already had been on my own for awhile. Maybe make it 19? Something just to stagger it a little bit? I'm not sure there is a great solution, to be perfectly honest

[awakenarogue]

lol at MADD's rhetoric. they act like the law actually discourages underage drinking, and that if we lifted the law wed have more teens drinking. fucking idiots who think their kids are little angels.

http://www.dissimulate.org/accordingly/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/untouchables-cast_1137616950-000.jpg

[x togepi x]

fuck MADD. ugh. drunk driving is horrible, but their approach to everything is so ridiculous.

[theguy77]

I think it is a very interesting debate to be honest. Most people I know drank underage and were fairly stupid about it. However, now they're all 21+ and super responsible. I couldn't tell you if this is because of the maturity factor or the experience factor. I certainly think it's a bad idea to allow 18 year olds to drink, if only because at that time you are finally an "adult" with the majority of people entering college and being on their own for the first time, i think the combination of all that freedom plus uninhibited drinking is a bad thing. I know the first few months after I turned 21 I was ridiculous, but I already had been on my own for awhile. Maybe make it 19? Something just to stagger it a little bit? I'm not sure there is a great solution, to be perfectly honest

who says drinking is inhibited? ive never met a college student who thought twice about drinking for legal reasons. if you're not dumb about it you probably wont get caught becuase no one is going to tell on you, its a victimless crime, and the only way police can enforce it in most cases is to poke around, which becomes so futile that they start using stereotypes to "narrow down" their search even though the stereotypes usually arent true, hence racial profiling and other things of the like. its all in all pointless for government to make attempts at drug control, it only causes further problems.

[lauren<3s music]

who says drinking is inhibited? ive never met a college student who thought twice about drinking for legal reasons. if you're not dumb about it you probably wont get caught becuase no one is going to tell on you, its a victimless crime, and the only way police can enforce it in most cases is to poke around, which becomes so futile that they start using stereotypes to "narrow down" their search even though the stereotypes usually arent true, hence racial profiling and other things of the like. its all in all pointless for government to make attempts at drug control, it only causes further problems.
I'm guessing you go to UMD which would explain a lot.

If I could have gone out my freshman year and sat in a bar and drank until I blacked out I would have. Sure I drank my freshman year but it was in no way shape or form as much or as frequent as if I had been able to walk into a liquor store or a bar.

[saysmydoctor]

The Untouchables is the only Kevin Costner movie I like and is probably my favorite movie of all time.

[sayyes]

While this wouldn't have helped me as I drank a lot more at 21....I know when I was underage the parties with large amounts of alcohol were chances to "go as crazy as possible" so to speak. I don't think it would equal out in terms of drunk driving deaths, but I see the point with alcohol poisoning. It is hard to think that people that die for our country are not allowed the freedom to drink though.

[MusicBox24]

lol at MADD's rhetoric. they act like the law actually discourages underage drinking, and that if we lifted the law we'd have more teens drinking. fucking idiots who think their kids are little angels.


This.

MADD's approach to the drinking age is like the Conservative Christians (and the public school systems') approach to premarital sex. How about we tell everyone that sex is bad and expect teenagers to just stop having sex, instead of educating them and providing them with protection and such.

There's just a fundamental fucked up approach to drinking and sex. Teenagers are going to drink. And they are going to have sex. No matter what.

[TeachBirds2Fly]

I cannot believe it is 21 in the US, going out clubbing and getting drunk etc...was like the foundation of most of my freindship/relationships, and then again at uni. I know teenagers still drink under the age of 21 but it's not the same.

[ghostyouare]

Not all kids are retarded and feel like drinking because they are told not to. Not all of us were little ass hats, some kids have sensibility. Lowering the drinking age will just make it more accessible for high school parties, i guarantee that. Im not saying im completely against lowering the age but 19 is just putting it in the hand of irresponsible highschool students.

[theguy77]

I'm guessing you go to UMD which would explain a lot.

If I could have gone out my freshman year and sat in a bar and drank until I blacked out I would have. Sure I drank my freshman year but it was in no way shape or form as much or as frequent as if I had been able to walk into a liquor store or a bar.

im not much of a drinker but the law does nothing to influence my decision. if it did i wouldnt have even tried alcohol, i wouldnt grab maybe one or two beers at a party. and to the guy above me, nobody drinks just because they want to rebel against the rules, its a part of social interaction as a teenager. the other kids are drinking, you drink too, and not because of peer pressure or trying to fit in and be accepted or any of that, but because its what the other teens are doing for fun and you want to have fun with them.

and again dont make assumptions about why i have this opinion, i honestly think alcohol is overrated and it's nowhere near the first thing that comes to mind when i think of having a good time, i just have lots of libertarian views, and i dont think legal drug control is effective let alone justified.

[tfar06]

school teachers with guns, not allowing baggy pants, lowering the drinking age and putting missles in poland despite a seemingly authoritatrian russia.....we're fucking up big time.

[selftitled85]

I think they should lower the drinking age to 18 but then if someone under 18 is caught drinking then they should get a severe financial punishment. And drunk driving in my opinion is one of the worst offenses in the world and should be handled a lot stricter than it is. First offense should be loss of license for a year. No matter what.

[x togepi x]

Not all kids are retarded and feel like drinking because they are told not to. Not all of us were little ass hats, some kids have sensibility. Lowering the drinking age will just make it more accessible for high school parties, i guarantee that. Im not saying im completely against lowering the age but 19 is just putting it in the hand of irresponsible highschool students.

how exactly is this different than the status quo? i don't really know where you went to high school, but it was pretty easy to get alcohol when i was in high school.

[&IllBeTheReason]

Age is the not problem. The real problem is the shitty punishment for drunk driving.

[chronomic]

being overseas really changed my mind about drinking age. sometimes i feel like we are way behind.

[Burning Star IV]

Ever since I turned 18, drinking just isn't what it used to be.