Some people use the argument, "If someone is old enough to serve our country, they should be able to drink a beer," to show they are in favor of lowering the drinking age. What should happen is, people under the age of 21 who are/have been in the army should be able to legally consume...

I don't want my soldiers to legally have the right to expose their brains to alcohol before the brain reaches maturity (more than they otherwise would, at any rate) and then go handle any sort of machinery. Impaired judgement of any kind is not acceptable when it comes to killing others, even in the name of war. Besides, in countries in the Middle East like Afghanistan where most American soldiers are, alcohol is illegal for both the citizens and soldiers, so this is a moot point.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

It would be unfair. It's basically saying that if you want a small reward, you have to take a great risk; not unlike going bungee jumping for a Twinkie. I say remove the minimum drinking age altogether. In some countries, there is no minimum drinking age. I think that is good because it teaches kids and parents alcohol responsibility early on and it takes away a rite of passage. You wouldn't constantly hear about kids binge drinking on their 21st birthday because they weren't sheltered from alcohol all their lives.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Bungee jumping isn't that dangerous if you do it right, and Twinkies are delicious. Your argument is invalid.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Not a good idea. In my opinion, the US has existed with this law for too long to turn back. While I get that countries that don't have regulations exist fine, it's because everyone has been living that way for their whole lives. In the US, there are too many kids that abuse alcohol illegally that making it legal would only hurt them more. The rite of passage would be the day the law goes into action, and boom, binge drinking everywhere.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

It would be the last of the binge drinking. One of the plus sides of having a minimum drinking age is that it allows for binge drinking. Binge drinking is simply natural selection doing its job.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

First of all, that would most definitely not end binge drinking. It doesn't just happen on people's 21st birthday, people drink heavily all the time. Second, are you saying that by binge drinking being natural selection, anyone who doesn't have the self control not to overdrink fully deserves whatever consequences they get?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Binge drinking won't go away, I know this. It will be reduced. And yes, if you play with fire, you will get burned. You can either accept that or not play with fire. Drinking has consequences. I have absolutely no sympathy for someone who drinks in excess and gets hurt.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

What about young people who start drinking in their teens and then get addicted? Teens' prefrontal cortex's aren't fully developed, so should they still suffer all the consequences of their actions?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Exactly. Generally, kids learn early on the dangers of alcohol abuse so, usually, they are aware of the potential consequences.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

If we were to do that, it would be best to gradually lower the drinking age. 18, 16, 14, 12, none. I personally think that the drinkin age should stay right where it's at. It wouldn't affect me either way because I have medications that don't mix well with alcohol, but I still care about other people's safety. I just believe that the age is fine this way.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

The argument isn't that they deserve to drink based on merit. It's that society deems them to be responsible enough and smart enough to fight for our country, but they aren't responsible enough to consume alcohol and decide what happens to their bodies.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

^ this guy knows what's up

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I think that it should be 19. I would say 18, but there are people that are still in high school when they're 18, and some of them would probably show up to school drunk. You're seen as an adult when you're 19, you can vote, fight for your country, and be charged as an adult. If you allow people to do all of those things that show responsibility and maturity, you should be able to legally buy alcohol.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Kids show up drunk to school anyway.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

People will be smokin weed in their cars in the school parking lot. And it's not like the administrators can do much about it, they'll just drive away.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Kids are still in high school at 19 too. And don't act like 16-year-olds don't show up to class drunk, it happens.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

People in the army are stupid for even signing up. Then they whine about everyone dying. Like wtf don't go if you're gonna bitch.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

TROOLLL. In the dungeon.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I could gladly tear the shit out of you at the moment. But because you are a troll, i'll do this; SHUDDA FUCK UP TROLL

by Anonymous 13 years ago

K.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

If you're going to write (in my opinion, generalizing, judgmental, and rude) comments like this, stop doing it under anonymous.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Oh shit! I'm convinced.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

You know, people rare capable of commenting without having an account.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I can see it now: "Join the army! Defend your country, and get drunk"

by Anonymous 13 years ago

More like "get crunk"!

by Anonymous 13 years ago

More like "Get in the trunk!"

by Anonymous 13 years ago

More like, "get in the bunk...er!"

by Anonymous 13 years ago

That makes sense.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

They should be the same age. You shouldn't get special treatment just because you're in the army. If you are supposedly mature enough to decide whether you want to risk your life for your country then you are old enough to decide what to do to your body. I think both should be 18. Finding an 18 year old American who hasn't drunk is rare anyway and I think as legal adult you would have the right to make decisions in your life. State control needs limits.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Actually, most 18 year olds in the US have not "drunk."

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I just don't think soldiers should get special treatment.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

^ This comment is simple and yet it's the only counterargument needed for this illogical post.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

The biggest problem with the US's drinking age that nobody seems to know about is that there is no actual federal drinking age. The Federal government has no Constitutional authority to pass such a law. However, the government found a way to cheat the Constitution. They threatened to take away 10% of any states' highway fund were they to pass a minimum drinking age below 21. This is why the federal government has no business providing money to states. They basically steal money from the states and then threaten not to give it back unless they surrender themselves to Uncle Sam's will. People don't realize how much the Federal Government overreaches on their power.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I actually learned that in debate class this year and thought it was seriously messed up.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Yeah. And that's not the only thing the Federal Government does it in. That's their loophole. It's ridiculous. Federal grants-in-aid need to end

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I learned that NY's drinking age was changed to 21 before NJ's and CT's, but on the weekends all of the NYC kids would drive to either of those states to get drunk, and theu would try driving back to NY, but it caused so many accidents on the weekends that NY made some kind of a deal with NJ and CT to raise their age. I vaguely remember my gov teacher telling us that.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

The method they used to enforce the minimum drinking age doesn't seem right, but I'm glad that they did so.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

You may like that, but there's sure to be several things they do through this method that you hate.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I don't think there should be a drinking age because performing an illegal act such as underage drinking makes a great form of "rebellion" for teenagers and very appealing. I mean teenagers do it anyway no matter if it is illegal or not so maybe eliminating a drinking age will teach kids to drink in moderation and not binge.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I actually had a debate on this in English class. I am for lowering the drinking age. You should be able to drink at 18, as you are a legal adult. America is pretty much saying, "Okay, you can fight for our country, you can smoke, you have to pay taxes and you can vote, BUT GOD FORBID DRINKING?! No, you aren't 'adult' enough yet for that!"

Now when it comes to drinking in the military. Military people shouldn't get special treatment just because they are in the Military. Yes, I know they are fighting for our country, but what about the people that actually LIVE in our country that fight for us, like firemen and policemen? Should they be able to drink? And lastly, the reason why some people have the right to drink in the military is because they follow the age of the country they are in. It is perfectly legal for them to drink there if the age to drink is 14. Why should they be left out?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

When people use that as an argument they are saying that if someone has enough responsibilty to join the military then they should have enough responsibility to just have a drink. They're not saying that being in the military means you're suddenly capable of consuming alcohol. Oh, and inb4 people complaining that it's hard to make witty comments on a serious POTD.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

The drinking age should be lowered, the driving age should be raised and public transportation should be improved. Also, if anyone is caught driving drunk, revoke their license for a year. If it happens again, revoke it for life, with no exceptions.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Not sure how to vote on your comment because of the mixed feelings I have with your suggestions. -Lower drinking age: Has its ups and downs. Lowering it means that college kids won't drink illegally, but it also means they're legally obligated to drink. So I'm half-and-half. -Driving age raised: No. Now, this will sound biased (because it is) but taking Driver's Ed in Sophomore year is fine. It means that majority of the Sophomoers will be driving by Junior year, age 17, which is the perfect age for driving. -Public transportation improved:

I don't want to be on those nasty buses with their germs. -Revoke license for a year: Seems a bit harsh. A short suspension + fine seems steep enough. -Revoke license for life: That's just insane. Sure, drunk driving is a serious offense, but this is just TOO much of a punishment. tl;dr: I agree with some and disagree with others.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I'll tell you what my American friend told me when he came to Canada for school, "American college students party way harder than you guys ever do." Basically, we go out to the bars that close around 2, and we all go back to our residence (we were all living on campus at the time) and eat McDonalds and have good laughs and maybe watch movies. However (this is what he told me, I've never been to an American college party so it could be wrong), because the kids in American colleges can't go to the bars, they get booze on their own and drink all night and all over the place (as opposed to contained in a bar area) and wreck shit up. The point being that these kids are drinking regardless of legality, and they're drinking harder than those where it is legal. Also, I fully agree with revoking a license of a drunk driver on their second offence. That's almost like walking around drunk with a loaded gun and no safety. Nobody has the right to put your or my life at risk, which is what anyone who drinks and drives does. People die WAY too often because of drunk driving and that would likely not happen so much if there were more of a punishment for those doing it.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

That's what already happens in the US. If you're in the military, you can drink on base, even if you're only eighteen.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

inb4debatesaboutloweringthedrinkingage troll

Am I favvkes yet?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

you're getting there

by Anonymous 13 years ago

-.-

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I do it out of love.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I thought you //could// purchase alcohol with your military I.D. no matter what age you are.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

hAHHHAHHAHAHHA, you simply could not be more wrong, could you

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Don't argue about 18 not being much different from 21, and then asking why our drinking age shouldn't be lower/higher. You have to put the cut-off somewhere, and if you kept saying things like, "Well, what's the difference between 17 and 18?" that will turn into 16 & 17, and so on. You really have to draw the line somewhere, and it has been drawn.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

TBH the worst binge drinking I've seen were in the countries who enforced the drinking age...Once you start drinking when you're 14 you get over drinking-being-a-big thing by the time you're 16. European drinking culture ftw?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I've had alcohol around me in moderation my whole life. My parents had a glass of wine with dinner, that kind of stuff. When I was 15 or so they let me have a glass (I also at one point when I was 15 got hammered for the first time, and I've only gotten that drunk maybe twice since then). I learned that alcohol is the same as anything and should be indulged in in moderation. So when I turned 18, the novelty had worn off and I didn't care to get shit faced and puke everywhere. The same can be said for most of my friends. That said, the few people I know who had never been drunk until they were 18 went fucking nuts on their birthdays. I've never seen people get that fucked up. Maybe this is just relevant to my group of friends, or maybe it's suggestive for the general population, all I have is my experiences so I don't know. My point is that if you learn about booze before you're legally allowed to drink, you're probably gunna understand it better and thus not abuse it so much. tl;dr? I agree with you.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Mmk, I No Wayed this because I believe that we just have a silly way of dealing with alcohol. And anything else somewhat controversial. How about we teach that (almost) everything is alright in moderation, not put a limit on what age you can start being stupid.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I don't really feel like going through all the comments so if this has been said already, I apologize in advance. The point of the statement isn't about joining the army, it's saying if they're giving you the responsibility at 18 to choose whether or not you can go and put your life on the line, then you should also be responsible enough to consume alcohol.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Aaand now I see that it's been said. Well. I agree. ._.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

just use your military ID which doesn't have your age on it, and you're good

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Honestly, I don't think it really matters in the end. The law isn't really stopping teenagers from drinking regardless.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Wasn't this just homepaged today?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Yes.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

k i thought so, thanks. btw... congrats on POTD

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Thanks. :3

by Anonymous 13 years ago

hurrrrrrr I'm OP

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I don't see how you can enforce it. How do you prove to someone you're in the military? Do you have to be in uniform? or produce some certificate? then people just fake these and it leads to more underage drinking. Then why should only those in the military be allowed to drink? why not parents under 21? or those working full time?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

If you're in the military you have a military ID. What you're saying about how people will "just fake these" is stupid, because people would just get a fake regular ID if they wanted to drink.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

toddlers should be walking around with a 40oz amirite?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

my question is why is this POTD...

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Controversial Anthony took over regular old Anthony.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

It used to be this way but they stopped it in the 70s. someone may have said this already though

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Raise the recruitment age. Problem solved. :trollface:

by Anonymous 13 years ago

FIFY

by Anonymous 13 years ago

In Australia the legal drinking age is 18, but we still have 'rebellious' teens who drink at 14, 15, 16. Regardless of the legal age, there will always be people who don't abide by the laws, so it doesn't make a difference whether it's 18 or 21 years old. People are going to drink when they feel like it, not when the law dictates they can. Personally though, i think drinking alcohol any younger than 18 is fucking stupid, even 18 is a bit too young.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

What I don't understand is why an 18 year old is allowed to start in porn but not drink. It's like, "Hey, you're old enough to expose your body and have 40 year old men fap to you, but you cannot drink. Sorry bro."

by Anonymous 13 years ago

which one has caused more deaths?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

eh don't answer that

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I guess you've never heard of the term "equal rights".

by Anonymous 13 years ago

What concerns me the most about lowering the drinking age is the period between lowering the drinking age in America and the period where society/young kids are accustomed to it and view drinking like teenagers in other countries (with no drinking age or a very young one, like 14) do. That may be an entire generation or two. It would be complete chaos, and drunk driving accidents, property vandalism, injuries due to intoxication, etc. would probably increase exponentially due to all the 18 year olds who were expecting to have to wait 3 more years but can suddenly go to bars at 18.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Believe it or not, this USED to be the law. In the days of the draft, if you were in the army, you could drink on base at least if you were 18. I guess they changed it when they removed the draft, so since no one is being forced to be in the Army anymore I guess the drinking age argument would still be invalid.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

It's debates like this that make me even happier to be Canadian.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

How is this a POTD?

by Anonymous 13 years ago