| I came of age at a funny time: I came of age at 18, then 19 when they reaised it for the first time, then 21.
My problem with the 21 year old age is this: we recruit people of 18 to go fight for our country, and possibly make the ultimate sacrifice in doing so. We can decide our leaders at 18 in an election. We are considered adults in many, many ways at 18. By law, can you not be married at 18? Yet, those same people cannot have a beer at the end of the day. An 18-20 year old returning from Iraq cannot have a glass of champagne to celebrate his return; 18-20 year old newleyweds cannot have champagne for their toast at their wedding. But they can buy tobacco products and begin their journey of self-destruction and poisoning. I think it a huge inconsistency.
I agree that there are far too many young deaths due to driving and drinking. That young people process things differently than those of us above 25 or so. I agree that responsibility is key, and that parents need to take an active role in the lives of their children and discuss this openly and honestly.
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-Glenn
"Roses have thorns; shining waters mud. Clouds and eclipses stain the moon and the sun; and history reeks of the wrongs we have done. After today, after today, consider me gone."- Sting |