An age is yet a number right? Not quite when you’re teetering between 20 and 21. For Americans, one of the most monumental birthdays someone will have is their 21st birthday. They are legally able to drink. If you were to go to any other country, you would find that a 21st birthday isn’t anything special. Other countries allow a citizen to drink once they turn 18. That makes sense though right? We allow 18 year-olds to lay their life on the line for the US, but don’t allow them to drink. While reading through my classmates blogs, one blog noted this same argument. Ross McEwen in his blog, Drinking Age, mentioned how he personally believes that the drinking age should be changed. While I definitely agree with him, there were a few points that he made that made me question my own belief on the subject.
First of all, when you are trying to convince someone that the drinking age is lowered, don’t bring up a court case where underage teenagers were drinking and driving causing a near fatal accident. How will this sway me to agree with you? He made the point that drinking at 18 actually made teenagers more responsible. From his example, it sure doesn’t look like it. Now, putting that mishap in his article aside, he does make some good points. He grew up in New Zealand where the drinking age is 18. So therefore he does know firsthand how it affects teenagers growing up. There is a plus side to knowing that most 18 year olds are living with their parents and therefore are being watched closely as to what is too much when it comes to drinking. So, when these kids leave the nest, they know their limitations. Their parents aren’t as worried as to what will happen when their child takes their first sip of alcohol. They are prepared for what lies ahead. So on those accounts that McEwen mentioned, I agree with his idea to lower the drinking age. When our grandparents were growing up the drinking age was 18, why fix something that wasn’t broken?
-Kelsey Scott
