I will never agree that kids should drink, I see the effects of it in school every day. It is sad indeed. I do agree the government needs to not legislate morality. 18 and 21 are still to young for drugs and alcohol. Raise the age to 25 and legalize it all, and allow darwin to select the winners.

As to the PTSD comment earlier, that affects young and old and the only way to stop that is to stop war completely. I used to preach the 18 and you can die for your country and can't have a drink bs, but I was 18, 19, and 20 then.

 

I agree with this that a responsible example should be set. When I was stationed in Germany it was fairly common for children/teens to have a glass of wine with dinner. I think the law of not being able to drink until your 21 contributes to the lack of parents teaching their children to be responsible around alcohol. The law puts alcohol on a pedestal and then when kids turn 21 they are in the hospital for alcohol poisoning.

I'm not saying that children should drink. I'm just saying that our society does not teach responsibility around alcohol.

 

Working on a farm THERE IS NOTHING AROUND. And they hardly go faster than like 10mph. There couldn't be much damage to other people's property in that scenario.

On a public road there are trees and OTHER PEOPLE. There is a lot more responsibility and other people's possessions would be in jeopardy.

 

https://montecarloforum.com/forum/ne...ank-you-13110/

 

Mike I lived in north western Vermont for a third of my life. Vermont is a dairy farm state and apple orchards. The kids living on these farms were driving faster than ten miles an hour and there is plenty of things around to damage and harm. The point to this isn't the speed or the items to damage. The point is that these kids are given the training and the respect to operate. The whole point to this whole thread is the lack of training and respect.

 

Thank you. This is exactly my point. I am fairly certain you never saw drunk German kids walking the side of the road, but I bet you did see more than one American GI doing it.

 

Todd if you raise the age to 25 it isn't high enough. The maturity level difference between 21 and 25 isn't that great in many cases. Set it at 30. The problem with this is that you have reinstituted prohibition and we know from experience that doesn't work. We need to study Germany and those other countries and look at what they are doing. I know they don't have kids showing up to school drunk, they don't have the issues with alcoholism that we have and they even have roads that have no speed limits. No drinking age and no speed limit. What a concept.

 

Speaking from experience.....Both my parents were alcoholics ! and died of it at an early age...57 and 59...thats been well over 20 yrs ago!.....I was 1 of those that drank and went bar hoping at 18, here in michigan(a NO Fault state)....and when the raised the age to 21...it didnt bother me as i was 21 when they changed it.....Since i was a rebel wothout a cause and my parents passed away.. i went hardcore to intravenious drugs! Did that for pretty much for over 10 yrs.....Then 1 night (at the dope house shooting up) I deceided im DONE! signed my self into a 28 day program and never looked back! That was 31 yrs ago....

I to myself was a victim of a drunk driver.....My then wife and i were on a sunday drive in the country on our 1 month old Harley (dyna wide glide)....we rode all day and it was Great!....2 1/0th of a mile from home ..a girl who was 19 yrs old (underage drinking) T boned the mrs and I....My wife died instantly..(they buried her 3 days later) I spent 6 weeks in a coma, Had 5 different operations and passed away twice! ended up an above knee amputee.. with a closed head injury...Broke both my hands and wrists, shattered both my hips and pelvis..and fractured both my shoulders..along with my right leg broken in 2 places...The docs said there was no reason for me to have survived!!! (considering when i woke up the 2nd time..i was in the morgue with a toe tag on.) It took 2 1/2 yrs teaching me to walk and talk again!

This is just a small portion of what happen to me as a result of a drunk driver!
That was in 1997..I will never fully recover from this!

Drinking and drugs are way out porportion nowadays.. I lost everything..my wife mylife and my whole way of life...I had to completely Re invent myself...meaning i will never be same like i was before the accident.

So yes i totally agree something needs to be done in this country fora change for the better...

But im Liveing proof......There is a PROBLEM here in America!!!!!

Didnt mean to bum anyone out.....But this is the harsh reality !!!

 

didnt bum me out. that is one hell of a story! hope god continues to bless you!

 

Todd, I agree that PTSD affects everyone, however the younger soldiers often have a more difficult time dealing with it. I don't know if it's lack of education on PTSD or what but keep in mind I've been in the military for 8 years so I've seen this unfold right in front of me. In general, the middle age soldiers tend to go get help before the younger or older soldiers. The older soldiers are still ingrained with the "they'll put me out of I admit something is wrong" mentality (which may have been true at one point but is not now) and the young ones either don't know how to deal or aren't mature enough to ask for help.

That's just my observations of my fellow soldiers.

And as far as the "can't fight but can't drink" argument, at the very least those who are serving need to be allowed to IMO. Or should I say legally allowed. I would have liked to have had a nice dinner and beer (preferably a german beer, but I digress) with my dad before I left for my mobilization in 2008 (I was still a few months away from turning 21). Gone for a year, and can't even have a beer before I leave.

On a side note, I also think it's ridiculous that I spent the first 3+ years of my military career carrying a pistol on duty but not being allowed to own one for my personal protection while off duty.