Your Opinion Matters

General brewing information, questions and discussion. Topics that do not seem to fit elsewhere.

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Kubae
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Joined: Thu Jul 25, 2002 8:21 pm

Your Opinion Matters

Post by Kubae »

Hi all,
Just stumbled upon this site and saw the forum. I have a question regarding an ongoing discusion in one of my classes at LSU. If you wouldn't mind, I would like your opinion. What do you think about our (United States) current drinking age? Do you think that a person who is given the privelege of being able to serve in our armed forces should be aloud to have a drink if they so choose? What about a person who is also of voting age? Wouldn't you think that voting is a greater responsiblity that drinking? I understand that everyone here is most likely of drinking age - as am I - but surely you have opinions on the matter.
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KBrau
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Should be 18

Post by KBrau »

I started drinking around the age of 16 along with most of my friends and everyone else I knew. I don't think the 21 year law has realistically prevented anyone who wanted a drink from drinking one. As a voting citizen over the age of 21 I certainly think that along with the right to vote and serve in the armed forces people should have the right to drink. Although as a beer brewer I would hope that they would use this right only to drink quality beer!
stumpwater
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tough call

Post by stumpwater »

I think that if you are old enough to die for your country, you should also be old enough to have a brew so you can relax from your responsibility. Having said that though, I have always felt that the age for driving a vehicle should be raised to 21.
Freon12
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Same old

Post by Freon12 »

Someone who did not know thier limitations ruined it for those under 21. As with all laws governing behavior, one person causes punishment for everyone. The government thinks it can legislate self control and common sense to protect us from ourselves- you must give up rights little by little..... B.S.
It is always the exception to the rule that gets the law, not the rule.

S.
dartedplus
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should be 35...

Post by dartedplus »

There are those individuals in our society who are not mature enough to drink at all. For this reason it is tough to arbitrarily put a number to this age of responsibility. In general though, I agree that the age of 18 is OK, but how many kids at that age are responsible enough to care about the rest of us when they are drinking and give up the keys, or stay where they are. That is what the whole matter comes down to, and if responsibility is what is going to determine it, then 21 is a better age, but not the best because who among us was totally responsible at that age????????????????
I'm not proud of it, but I know at that age I would get trashed and then drive home. I was old enought to serve and vote, but obviously not old enough to carry out this responsibility. Ok, thats enough from me. Later guys, Ed
andytv
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Personal Responsibility

Post by andytv »

First of all, I agree wholeheartedly that this BS about our government trying to legislate self control and dictate morality is just that....BS. This comes from an unhealthy cultural concept that someone else is responsible for our well-being. This has been the American Mantra for some time. Too many people expect the Gov't to run their lives, which of course begins to limit freedom. But I digress.... to address the issue specifically; I am a great believer in personal freedom and the responsibility that comes with it. I have acted irresponsible in the past and have to some extent faced some consequences. Nowadays, it seems that many young people are irresponsible in so many ways that there is no way that I'd trust them with alcohol. Don't get me wrong... I have no problem with a 18 year old (or 16 year old for that matter) having a few beers, as long as they can drink responsibly. Who teaches responsibility???? Not the schools (anymore), not the government, not the police, ....... FAMILY and FRIENDS. It's high time that we all started to take back the reins from big bro and start imparting our good values to our children, friends, and families. This is a much bigger issue than just drinking age laws. Good judgement is the key to survival and success in many arenas. Who defines what good judgement is?? Easy... God, Buddha, Mohammed, the voice in your head...whatever. I beleive that we all know what the good moral choices are. They are things that promote success, understanding, compassion, well-being, etc. Smart people wrote these things down years ago. Some called them religion, for others just a book of poems.

Anyways... I guess it comes down to the individual. If an 18 year old can drink responsibly, then go for it. My Father and I had long talks about the dangers of DUI, and I had always made arrangements to avoid driving when drinking. Without that bit of good judgement, I would have been dead. That is a fact.

ANdy
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