"I'm old enough to go to war, but not old enough to drink"


Discuss.

Why are we old enough to fight and die for our country, but we're not allowed to live free of poverty, do what we choose on our own property, drink underage (which harms only ourselves), etc?

It's already happened once in American history, it can happen again, if people really think it's important. (I don't, but I can sympathize with people who want to kill their brain cells).

The government likes to think it knows best. There are tons of studies showing how underage drinking damages our liver.

How many government studies show how harmful war is for our liver?


THINK OF THE LIVERS

But really, that makes perfect sense. Which is why I'll be moving out of this country as soon as my girl and I are financially able to. Not because I hate the US, but because I think other countries have the right idea. (and no, it wouldn't be solely so I could drink underage:rolleyes: )

Total drinking and driving deaths to underage persons caused by war, 0.

Duh.

A) Poverty has nothing to do with what we are allowed and not allowed to do, unless you're impoverished becaues you can't do something like sell drugs.

B) As long as it isn't killing somebody or making drugs, we can pretty much do anything we want on our property(even sodomize each other), provided it doesn't harm someone else.

C) Beats the hell out of me, it doesn't make sense. However, from what I know, bars will generally serve any military personnel, regardless of age. Just flash the military ID.

Read the first quote in my sig.



True, but I can't smoke a joint in my own house, because that's wrong. But I can take a bullet in my *** for something that the president/prime minister thinks is the "right cause", whether or not I myself feel that way.

If you dont like it, come to NZ. Here we never go to war (not that we could if we wanted to!) and the legal drinking age is 18.

This is exactly why as soon as I turn eighteen, i'm hopping on a plane to the U.K.

Actually, I'm canadian :p

better conquer english class first...

Funny you say that....

I never stopped to think.

talking to stinkywrix with his 'plan'... plane...

It's plane there.

Are you blind?!

True, but if it still holds true today - if you're in the military and under 21, you can drink on the base. Therefore, the logic is - if you're under 21, and not in the military you cannot drink.

If you're under 21, and in the military - you can drink.

So the whole argument's kind of one sided.

At least that's how it used to be on the bases, I'm not sure now since it's been awhile.

While your posts are filled with poor usage of proper grammar and punctuation, you actually attempt to degrade someone by pointing out a simple spelling mistake they made? Heh. Wow.

But I don't want to derail the thread. Anyway, I always found America's legal drinking age funny.

Alright. I am 21 years old. If I am in the army, and I am about to be shipped out, I will buy the 18-20 year olds beer. Seriously, if you are in the armed forces and about to be shipped out and might die, SOMEONE in your platoon will get you alcohol. Even though you can die for your country at 18 but not drink does not mean crap.

Hell, I work with a guy who use to be an army air ranger. Back when he was first in the arm forces as a younger guy, he'd buy booze for the 18-20 year olds if they were about to leave.

it was honestly sarcasm on the whole bit of him moving away to england and leaving the beloved U.S.

didn't mean to hurt so many feelings...

Only when I was filling out my Selective Service card back when I turned 18. Now, it doesn't really matter.

It's actually lyrics from a song. Its meant to point out the hypocracy of America/Wherever the same laws apply, society, laws, etc.

/point+nelson haw haw

17 to join army voluntarily and 18 to drink non-liquor alcoholic beverages here.

*hugs Finland*

18 for both here.

/me chugs a bold and crisp, delicious Canadian beer.

It's all about society.

Drink has been integrated into others without the 'taboo' it has pressured on it from above here.

We tried it once. It really didn't work. In other societies, (most) kids can handle drinking (more) responsibly than their counterparts here, I think.

i've thought about it... and when i am named supreme ruler of america the drinking age will be lowered...

I don't think it's that big of a deal. Now, I'm not saying that I haven't gone against this idea. Sometimes in my more "out" moments I've even approached Martyn's more sober moments (sorry Martyn, couldn't resist), but it's not necessary. Serving in your country's army should fulfill a sense of duty. Drinking may loosen your mood for a bit, but after you wake up in the morning after drinking 18 beers with a hangover to end all hangovers and large gaps in your memory, and realizing you've spent your hard-earned money on losing your memory when it could've been spent on making memories, then you realize drinking isn't all it's cracked up to be.

I mean, err.....*snipe

I like to drink, but I don't like to get drunk all the time. Once or twice a month, sure, that's fine. but most of the other time it's just a beer or two with friends at a pub or at home and taking it easy after a long day of work.

I thought the american system was to do with driving - separate the ages for driving and drinking by as much as possible, so you never have the urge or the 'need' as some people seem to, to do both at the same time.

Despite the fact I can drink quite a bit and not 'feel' it, I would never drive a car after even what the law says is legal. If I drive, I don't touch drink. End of story.

Personally, I think 21 is too high an age, it promotes the 'forbidden fruit' aspect fo drinking. By 18, I'd already got the painfully unhealthy drinking out of my system, I no longer get so rat-arsed I throw up everywhere - well, I did pass out on my 21st, but that was a one off...

...I'm just rambling now so I'll stop.

*Goes across the road to the Queen's Head*

Martyn speaks the truth. I've drank. I've drank a lot. Ironically enough, I started to wind down my drinking while I was away at college. Now, my 21st birthday is 11 days away and I plan to start drinking again. In the past... 8 months, I'd say, I've had a total of maybe 7 drinks, and that's pushing it. I got my excessive drinking out of my system before. But also, there are idiots at all ages. I think it should be a case by case basis.

At 18 I was legally old enough to drive my Army-issue jeep while having hot man-sex after stopping off for a few beers on my way home from the voting booth.

So sucks to be you :p

What?

Do you have any idea how many alcohol related deaths and injuries there have been? And usually, it doesn't involve just the person drinking.

And that applies to other intoxicating drugs as well, but alcohol is pretty much on top. And in the US, the responsibility level of people under 21 (and even over it, sometimes) is absurdly low.

It's never the marijuana that makes us hit things, it's just that we're too busy looking for the goddamned lighter.