The Drinking Age
Posted by Frankly Francis on March 17, 2009 under Social Issues/Politics | 
8 Comments to Read
Every state in the union has decided that you must 21 years of age to purchase and/or consume alcoholic beverages. How did this event unanimously occur amongst 50 states that have some substantial differences in their laws? As I understand it, the federal government decreed that if any state’s legal drinking age was below 21, that state would not receive any federal funding for its highways. Federal coercion and extortion!
Here’s what you can do at age 18:
You are expected to vote for your elected officials, and from an American national perspective, vote for a President who can wage nuclear war upon the planet.
You can join the military armed forces and by doing so, be committed to accepting orders that will result in your death, under penalty of court martial.
You can you enter into legally binding contracts and loans.
But you are not considered by American society to be responsible enough to buy a six-pack of beer.
At the time that I tuned 18, I could legally purchase alcoholic beverages in the state of New York. Moving forward a couple of years, I am 20 years old, a few months away from my 21st birthday. I am in the State of California where the drinking age was then 21, as it now is on a national basis. I am in the United States Air Force. I am married. I have a child. I vote. I can’t buy a beer. This could not seem more ridiculous to me at that time and it still feels completely ridiculous to me now.
So, if I were 18 years old today, I would really be pissed. I think it is illogical.
Ponder this and then Please, Seriously:
Don’t let a kid be legally obligated to die in military service if he/she is not responsible enough to buy a beer. Don’t let a kid be legally obligated to a contract if he/she is not responsible enough to buy a beer. Don’t let a kid vote if he/she is not responsible enough to buy a beer.
Let’s get it right, one way or the other. Few things seem simpler to me, one way or the other.
Frankly,
Francis