Hi,
I've been watching this thread, and I'd like to try to give a bit of perspective, Midwest style. I come from Ohio, that's where I grew up, and while I didn't grow up on a working farm, where I live now is just as rural. The values are just as country as where I was reared, and I went through part of the whole 18 year old drinking age debate at the time I grew up. And I also shoveled a lot of horse stalls to make money when I was a kid, which made me pretty thirsty sometimes!
In Ohio, when I was 18, we could drink "near bear" at 3.2% alcohol. That, of course, didn't stop some of us from procuring other, more potent forms of alcohol from different folks we all knew. That being said, I had my share of Boone's Farm and other disgusting stuff, of course not being satisfied with 3.2 beer. Were we able to handle it? Probably not. But, at that time, in the late 60's, 18 year olds all over the country were being drafted and sent to Viet Nam, and the debate raged over whether one should be drafted into service and not be able to drink. I'm not being political here, just describing a cultural phenomenon of that time.
Now, please bear with me. When the original driving ages in most states were set, we were an agrarian society in most rural areas in the country, while in other parts, our country was in an industrial revolution. Most of the reason for early driving ages happened to be because those in rural areas needed to have offspring who could drive a truck or a car to help on the farm, drive cattle and product to market, operate the tractor, etc. At that time, culturally, families were huge, and everyone contributed, and had to help out to insure the survival of the family. Here in Vermont, driving permits are available at the age of 15.
Fast-forward to present day life. Oh, my what a difference! This is a most coddled young generation, with little work ethic (just one man's opinion), and an incredible sense of entitlement. And much of the time, that sense of entitlement extends to most things, including alcohol and other substances. These kids grew up with it, from their parents, or the parents of their friends, much of the time. But that sense of entitlement doesn't stop with substances, it goes to the heart of much of our culture. We have smaller families for the most part, and most kids in this generation grew up without any sense of the urgency of survival, everything is pretty much just handed to them.
So, in some respects, our present culture has very much set the stage for this debate.
Now, to be sure, I would not think that it's a great idea to give this entitled generation the right to drink at 18. But, like many of us did, they're going to go out and get it anyway, with the help of their older friends, etc. I think that the present debate at the college level is that by making it legal to procure alcohol at 18, it can be more easily regulated and controlled. I'm definitely not sure about that!
So, to tie this all together, I know for my daughter, driving was all about independence, all about the freedom to go places when, where and with whom she wanted to. In Vermont, the first 6 months a driver has their license under the age of 18, the only passengers permitted in the vehicle with them would be an unimpaired person who would need to be at least 25 years old for the first three months. After that, the state allows siblings to be transported in the vehicle, for the next three months. Then, after this six month probationary period, there are no more restrictions on the driver. It's what's referred to as a "Graduated License" It was quite entertaining at times watching her and her friends figure out who had their licenses for long enough to cart everyone around!
We're very lucky, she doesn't do drugs, she doesn't drink most of the time, as she certainly doesn't ever get behind the wheel after even consuming a 1/2 glass of wine at dinner. Which she does, by the way, very very infrequently. And she is now 19. And she learned about alcohol consumption at home, not from her friends!
So, kids don't need to drive tractors and trucks much any more in a lot of places, but we still have enough farms in Vermont that the seemingly low permit age still makes sense here. But that has now become the exception, and not the rule.
But that being said, I don't see a lot of maturity from many of the younger folks I know and meet around here, and I doubt that most of them would have much good sense about drinking, or especially drinking and driving until they get much older. Yes, that's a value judgment, but I think many in the present younger generation need a few more years before they should be able to buy alcohol on their own.
Perhaps those in the service of our country should be able to consume alcohol at 18 on base? Or where they are deployed? I don't know, this is still a very fuzzy area, but I do concede there may be room for discussion about this.
Maybe this makes me an old fuddy-duddy!
So, how about some of our younger members chiming in on this one?
Anyway, just one perspective of many.
Chris K
