Daniel Doerr
English 250 FD
Mr. Perez
Protest Essay
Prohibition: It Isn’t Working
“Chug, chug, chug, chug,” this is a frequently heard chant amongst young adults. This is part of the culture that has developed because of the strict alcohol laws. Similar to prohibition, the intensified laws against underage drinking are failing. For example, thousands freshmen and sophomores partake in the illegal consumption of alcohol. Moreover, this age-law causes many pre-21 year olds to engage in binge drinking. In his article, “Let My Students Drink,” John McCardell states, “The 1984 federal law raising the minimum drinking age to 21 not only wasn’t working; it was encouraging more reckless consumption” (McCardell 1). It is not because they are immature, and how could they, be when young adults who turn 18 are deemed old enough to fight and DIE in war, along with being able to vote, and serve for jury duty. I propose, like so many others, that we lower the drinking age to 18 years of age.
Many opponents, such as MADD, claim that the higher drinking age has resulted in lower highway fatalities. However, the decline began in 1982, two years before the law changed (Balko 2). Furthermore, the decline has come from all age groups, as well as in Canada whose drinking age is either 18 or 19 depending on the province (Balko 2). So, quite clearly, the higher drinking age has not made as large of an effect on highway fatalities as people may think. What MADD should be more focused on is the education of the effects of drinking and driving, and the effects of mass alcohol consumption.
Throughout high school, we would frequently have assemblies to help educate students about the dangers of drinking and driving. Because the drinking age has no positive effect on under-age drinking, MADD should allocate more of their money, time, and resources to the education of alcohol consumption and its effects on people. Similarly, our federal government needs to take a look at what is really going on with under-age drinking. For instance, since alcohol has become illegal to people younger than 21, drinking became a cool thing to do; where kids would dare to be bad and feel more excitement from their rebellious activity. In her article, “Why the drinking age should be lowered: An opinion based upon research,” Professor Ruth C. Engs states, “Although the legal purchase age is 21 years of age, a majority of college students under this age consume alcohol but in an irresponsible manner. This is because drinking by these youth is seen as an enticing ‘forbidden fruit,’ a ‘badge of rebellion against authority’ and a symbol of ‘adulthood’” (Engs 1). To reiterate what Professor Engs said, hundreds of thousands of freshmen and sophomores in college feel they need to binge drink. Pre-game parties and pre-ga
ming are designed so that people can drink as much as they can in a short amount of time, before they go out to parties. People of this age feel and know that once they leave their dwellings, there is no guarantee that they will be able to drink at future destinations. Perhaps the keg was busted, or the bars won’t allow minors to enter, this is not only unhealthy, but it is unsafe. In CBS’ article, “The Debate on Lowering the Drinking Age,” a mother of a deceased Colorado University student was quoted saying that she believed that because the drinking age was 21, her son’s friends were afraid to call the police, and hence her son passed away due to extreme alcohol consumption. “If the drinking age had been 18 instead of 21, would the kids have called for help when Gordie passed out?” Stahl asked Leslie Lanahan. “I think so,” she replied. “So because it was illegal you think that’s why they didn’t call?” Stahl asked. “I think that’s right,” Lanahan said (Streeter 2). Binge drinking is not what is says in the definition, 5 drinks in 5 hours. I define binge drinking to be 10-15 drinks within two hours, because so many college students are drinking that much. Many people feel that lowering the drinking age would help prevent binge drinking.
The Amethyst Initiative is an initiative created by John McCardell, former president of Middlebury College. The Amethyst Initiative statement states, “…Adults under 21 are deemed capable of voting, signing contracts, serving on juries and enlisting in the military, but are told they are not mature enough to have a beer. By choosing to use fake IDs, students make ethical compromises that erode respect for the law…We call upon our elected officials: To support an informed and dispassionate public debate over the effects of the 21 year-old drinking age” (Statement 1). This public debate is very clearly needed, because similar to prohibition, the 21 year-old drinking age is not working, and even having negative repercussions, such as binge drinking and higher crime rates. The Amethyst Initiative has been pushing for university presidents to sign, and currently have 130 signatories including presidents from Duke University, Loras College, Morningside College, Ohio State University, University of Massachusetts, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, etc. (Signatories 1-4).
To claim that 18 year olds are not responsible enough to drink is ridiculous. I personally am deeply angered and feel like our government has betrayed our young adults. It is clear that highway fatalities haven’t been reduced simply by the drinking age being 21 compared to 18; improvements in technologies and car safeties have had more of a significant effect. With MADD standing proven wrong, I am struggling to find a reason as to why our nations 18 year olds cannot drink. Every single American male must fill out their draft information upon turning 18. Failure to turn in their draft information will result in imprisonment. While currently there is no draft instated, it still symbolizes the fact that we could potentially be forced by law to fight, and if we are so unfortunate, die for our country, the same country who allows voting, jury duty, and death for 18 year olds. How dare our government deny 18 year olds of a beer, but instead give them an M-16.
Works Cited
Balko. “Let My Students Drink” Reason [0048-6906] 2009. Vol. 40 Issue 9. Pages 10-11. 7 April 2009.
Engs, Ruth C. Professor “Why the drinking age should be lowered: An opinion based upon research.” Applied Health Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405 http://www.indiana.edu/~engs/articles/cqoped.html
“Signatories.” April 2, 2009. Amethyst Initiative 2 April 2009. http://www.amethystinitiative.org/signatories/
“Statement.” June 2008. Amethyst Initiative. 2 April 2009. http://www.amethystinitiative.org/statement/
Streeter, Ruth “The Debate On Lowering The Drinking Age” 60 Minutes 22 February 2009
English 250 FD
Mr. Perez
Protest Essay
Prohibition: It Isn’t Working
“Chug, chug, chug, chug,” this is a frequently heard chant amongst young adults. This is part of the culture that has developed because of the strict alcohol laws. Similar to prohibition, the intensified laws against underage drinking are failing. For example, thousands freshmen and sophomores partake in the illegal consumption of alcohol. Moreover, this age-law causes many pre-21 year olds to engage in binge drinking. In his article, “Let My Students Drink,” John McCardell states, “The 1984 federal law raising the minimum drinking age to 21 not only wasn’t working; it was encouraging more reckless consumption” (McCardell 1). It is not because they are immature, and how could they, be when young adults who turn 18 are deemed old enough to fight and DIE in war, along with being able to vote, and serve for jury duty. I propose, like so many others, that we lower the drinking age to 18 years of age.
Many opponents, such as MADD, claim that the higher drinking age has resulted in lower highway fatalities. However, the decline began in 1982, two years before the law changed (Balko 2). Furthermore, the decline has come from all age groups, as well as in Canada whose drinking age is either 18 or 19 depending on the province (Balko 2). So, quite clearly, the higher drinking age has not made as large of an effect on highway fatalities as people may think. What MADD should be more focused on is the education of the effects of drinking and driving, and the effects of mass alcohol consumption.
Throughout high school, we would frequently have assemblies to help educate students about the dangers of drinking and driving. Because the drinking age has no positive effect on under-age drinking, MADD should allocate more of their money, time, and resources to the education of alcohol consumption and its effects on people. Similarly, our federal government needs to take a look at what is really going on with under-age drinking. For instance, since alcohol has become illegal to people younger than 21, drinking became a cool thing to do; where kids would dare to be bad and feel more excitement from their rebellious activity. In her article, “Why the drinking age should be lowered: An opinion based upon research,” Professor Ruth C. Engs states, “Although the legal purchase age is 21 years of age, a majority of college students under this age consume alcohol but in an irresponsible manner. This is because drinking by these youth is seen as an enticing ‘forbidden fruit,’ a ‘badge of rebellion against authority’ and a symbol of ‘adulthood’” (Engs 1). To reiterate what Professor Engs said, hundreds of thousands of freshmen and sophomores in college feel they need to binge drink. Pre-game parties and pre-ga
ming are designed so that people can drink as much as they can in a short amount of time, before they go out to parties. People of this age feel and know that once they leave their dwellings, there is no guarantee that they will be able to drink at future destinations. Perhaps the keg was busted, or the bars won’t allow minors to enter, this is not only unhealthy, but it is unsafe. In CBS’ article, “The Debate on Lowering the Drinking Age,” a mother of a deceased Colorado University student was quoted saying that she believed that because the drinking age was 21, her son’s friends were afraid to call the police, and hence her son passed away due to extreme alcohol consumption. “If the drinking age had been 18 instead of 21, would the kids have called for help when Gordie passed out?” Stahl asked Leslie Lanahan. “I think so,” she replied. “So because it was illegal you think that’s why they didn’t call?” Stahl asked. “I think that’s right,” Lanahan said (Streeter 2). Binge drinking is not what is says in the definition, 5 drinks in 5 hours. I define binge drinking to be 10-15 drinks within two hours, because so many college students are drinking that much. Many people feel that lowering the drinking age would help prevent binge drinking.The Amethyst Initiative is an initiative created by John McCardell, former president of Middlebury College. The Amethyst Initiative statement states, “…Adults under 21 are deemed capable of voting, signing contracts, serving on juries and enlisting in the military, but are told they are not mature enough to have a beer. By choosing to use fake IDs, students make ethical compromises that erode respect for the law…We call upon our elected officials: To support an informed and dispassionate public debate over the effects of the 21 year-old drinking age” (Statement 1). This public debate is very clearly needed, because similar to prohibition, the 21 year-old drinking age is not working, and even having negative repercussions, such as binge drinking and higher crime rates. The Amethyst Initiative has been pushing for university presidents to sign, and currently have 130 signatories including presidents from Duke University, Loras College, Morningside College, Ohio State University, University of Massachusetts, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, etc. (Signatories 1-4).
To claim that 18 year olds are not responsible enough to drink is ridiculous. I personally am deeply angered and feel like our government has betrayed our young adults. It is clear that highway fatalities haven’t been reduced simply by the drinking age being 21 compared to 18; improvements in technologies and car safeties have had more of a significant effect. With MADD standing proven wrong, I am struggling to find a reason as to why our nations 18 year olds cannot drink. Every single American male must fill out their draft information upon turning 18. Failure to turn in their draft information will result in imprisonment. While currently there is no draft instated, it still symbolizes the fact that we could potentially be forced by law to fight, and if we are so unfortunate, die for our country, the same country who allows voting, jury duty, and death for 18 year olds. How dare our government deny 18 year olds of a beer, but instead give them an M-16.
Works Cited
Balko. “Let My Students Drink” Reason [0048-6906] 2009. Vol. 40 Issue 9. Pages 10-11. 7 April 2009.
Engs, Ruth C. Professor “Why the drinking age should be lowered: An opinion based upon research.” Applied Health Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405 http://www.indiana.edu/~engs/articles/cqoped.html
“Signatories.” April 2, 2009. Amethyst Initiative 2 April 2009. http://www.amethystinitiative.org/signatories/
“Statement.” June 2008. Amethyst Initiative. 2 April 2009. http://www.amethystinitiative.org/statement/
Streeter, Ruth “The Debate On Lowering The Drinking Age” 60 Minutes 22 February 2009
