so here is a question thats been plauging my mind for sometime....why is it that at 18 years old we can vote for the president, move out on our own, and even serve...or be drafted into the military, but cant buy beer/ wine/ etc....

the "experts" say our bodies arent mature/developed enough for the consumption of alcohol till age 21....

i do feel it saves a lot of people's lives (the 21 law)....

but why can we do everything else, even be FORCED to fight for our country (if drafted) but cant do something like have a glass of wine with dinner?

okay we are getting off the topic....i think the military is great, wonderful, fine, whatever...it was just a comparison....the point is that americans are all about choice, "their right to choose" and 18 is the "adult" status yet there are "adult" things we cant do because we "arent mature enough" the military was just a comparison to show that we are mature enough (in the eyes of the GOV.) to go through extreme training and possibly combat, we can vote....but we arent mature enough to "choose" to drink, or gamble...

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That is the most stupid response. I hate it when people say it because they are embracing their own ignorance. Of Course It's One Opinion!!! What in the hell else would it be you idiot!

get over it....

Integrity First
Service Before Self
Excellence In All We Do


Drinking underage doesn't fall under any of those.

You can serve a purpose without being in the military.
By serving in the military you are serving a purpose. i never said you couldnt serve a purpose in a different way. And who exactly is doing the thinking for me?

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Yea getting drunk what a hoot and fun time, being in the military- you serve a purpose, being drunk- your serving your partner anfd friends

I beg to differ. If you're getting drunk, you're serving yourself. Besides, that's a really poor comparison. You can serve a purpose without being in the military.

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well that is one point of view

That is the most stupid response. I hate it when people say it because they are embracing their own ignorance. Of Course It's One Opinion!!! What in the hell else would it be you idiot!

Yea getting drunk what a hoot and fun time, being in the military- you serve a purpose, being drunk- your serving your partner anfd friends

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They can join a service that will teach them respect and responsibility but they can't get drunk?
Outragious!

well that is one point of view.....

i say
"they can join a service where they would go through hours of intense training and could eventually die in combat, but cant have a drink because "their bodies arent mature enough.""

hydrok---i see your point and in all honesty i wouldnt want those people driving around where my families are driving/walking either, but the fact is they drink anyway...and i just think it is bad that the rest of us who wouldnt go acting like "that" are punished.....

again i think the law protects people in this situation to a point, .... but if they are determined to do it, they will regaurdless of the laws legal age limit.

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It seems to be like the majority of kids age 18-20 who would drink irresponsibly if the drinking age was nationally lowered to 18 are probably drinking irresponsibly anyway

exactly....

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Originally posted by FreeMarketLover:
They can join a service that will teach them respect and responsibility but they can't get drunk?
Outragious!

I think you're mistaking the military for the Cub Scouts.

They can join a service that will teach them respect and responsibility but they can't get drunk?
Outragious!

I can think of one really good reason that happened 2 weekends ago in Galveston Texas, not that it would change any of your minds im sure.

Airman 1st Class got shot in the damn head by a drunk marine buddy of his... who was guess what, underage.

http://boards.youthnoise.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/796...03/m/88010864863/p/1

heh

I'm with you, Chrissy. It's ridiculous.

It seems to be like the majority of kids age 18-20 who would drink irresponsibly if the drinking age was nationally lowered to 18 are probably drinking irresponsibly anyway.

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ChrissyLynn, this is why 18-year-olds can vote. People used say, "They can get forced to risk their lives, but they can't even vote on the matter" when the voting age was 21.

which is what i am addressing, we can risk our lives, fighting for the country but cant buy or drink alcohol, because it is a "health risk" being that the experts say our bodies arent mature enough

ChrissyLynn, this is why 18-year-olds can vote. People used say, "They can get forced to risk their lives, but they can't even vote on the matter" when the voting age was 21.

What gets me is that you can't drive a rental car until you're 25 (in most US states).

As for the alcohol thing, I think it's just silly to require a person be so-and-so years old before they can drink alcohol. Maturity comes at different ages for different people, and making it illegal for minors to drink just makes them want to drink even more, to spite the establishment.

However, I don't really care either way. I don't like alcohol.

Amp, no need to get all torn up about it.....i didnt say the draft would come back...it was the priciple of the matter....

and i never said i wanted the law to change , just pointed out that we can do almost everything else except buy alcohol (and as strange pointed out gambling).

sad though that the ones of us over 18 with enough good sence not to drink and drive have to be punished for others ignorance.

Well, they had reduced the age to 18 a few decades ago, and accident and death rates did go up. However, I think it's a bit hypocritical, this stuff covers gambling also. It's the nanny state protecting us from ourselves.

Oh, and amp, as for mandatory service, I'd support a system as laid out in Starship Troopers. The book not the movie.

It's called "maturity besides you chrissy can't be drafted at least not for combat jobs. Besides the draft won't come back and even if it does good everyone needs to get off their butts and do something for the antion once in a while hell if I was in charge I'd set it up like israel has, you graduate high school and you serve two years in one of the service branches then you go to college and what not.

Anyway on alchol it self the Gov and the experts are in this case lying its not the body that is not developed enough it is the mind I don't know about you but i'm damn sure that the rate of death amongst 18 year old would go up like hell if alchol is leagilized for 18 or up isn't the stolen or borrowed booze that some kids steal then go for a ride with an get them selves killed enough?