Riverwood Presbyterian Church

Culture Wars

Taking On Carrie Nation

by Clay Staggs

This really came as something of a shock to me. Apparently a group of presidents of some prominent universities have dared to suggest that the drinking age be LOWERED back to 18. Read the whole story here.

The group makes what I consider to be the blazingly obvious point that putting alcohol out of the legal reach of the 18-20 year olds at universities has NOT stopped their drinking, but merely forced it underground, where truly idiotic behaviors like funneling flourish.

Apparently, however, not all university presidents who were approached agreed to sign on. Donna Shalala, former Clinton administration Secretary of Health and Human Services, now president of the University of Miami, is quoted in the article as opposing the initiative:

“I remember college campuses when we had 18-year-old drinking ages, and I honestly believe we’ve made some progress,” Ms. Shalala said in a telephone interview. “To just shift it back down to the high schools makes no sense at all.”

She believes that they’ve made “some progress.” Really. Wow, that’s inspiring. And contradictory of every report I’ve seen on campus drinking in the past 20 years.

I cannot for the life of me understand the knee-jerk nanny state opposition to letting a person that the law considers an adult have a beer. I mean, we let 16 year olds drive - far more lethal than a beer. But yet drinking must be reserved for age 21. It’s completely backwards and totally illogical. If anything, the drinking age should be 16 and the driving age 18.

I wish this group of university presidents the very best. They are taking on the ultimate issue of political correctness in America. I wish them well.