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#31

01-19-2012, 05:25 PM

KJRich

Join Date: Sep 2010

Location: Hopewell, PA

Posts: 2,382

I don't want to take this too far off topic, but last year we had a guy walk into a local Subway and shoot and kill 2 people. His defense is PTSD from serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. Is this a valid defense? This goes to trial later this year.

#32

01-19-2012, 06:27 PM

mousehousemoparman

Thread Starter

Join Date: Aug 2011

Location: Lakeland, Florida

Posts: 3,226

Quote:

Originally Posted by STUMPMI

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 !!!

Thank you for sharing your experience. I am sorry for your pain and heartache for sure. I agree something needs to be done differently than what we have done or are doing. Too many of our laws are written by either some bible thumping conservative politician who thinks his sole purpose is to save us all from ourselves or are knee jerk reactions to someone who did something out of the ordinary.
In the early days of this country age 14 or 15 was marrying age and most people were in the ground by age 50. The composition of the human body has not changed in 250 years. There were no drinking ages back then and young people were responsible for a whole lot more then than they are now. The only thing that really changed in those 250 years is technology which made life easier and also extended the human life cycle.

#33

01-19-2012, 06:30 PM

mousehousemoparman

Thread Starter

Join Date: Aug 2011

Location: Lakeland, Florida

Posts: 3,226

I want to thank everyone for their opinions and posts. Thank you too for not making personal attacks and keeping a positive outlook on what is a serious subject and problem. Gregg

#34

01-19-2012, 08:41 PM

Teacher

Join Date: Aug 2008

Location: Prineville, OR

Posts: 4,994

I am know expert in brain development, just have spent many hours studying it for school. I was not talking about the maturity level of 21-25 being greater, just that research shows that the brain reaches full development at mid to late twenties. Alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, and narcotics can cause permanent damage. Where does the just trying and true damage line start in the amount consumed? I have no idea. Just pointing out that if we went by brain development research the age should be higher. As far as maturity levels go there are many 18 year olds mature enough to drink and many 25 year olds who are not. I was only talking about the affects on the brain. Do I think the age needs to be raised or lowered, not particularly. It is legal for parents to allow their kids to have a beer in the house while under age, at least in oregon, but not to let them get or be drunk.

As to the PTSD, I will not even claim to know what it is like or how it is affecting them and will take our veterans words on it as they are the experts. I know my 60 year old step dad is drinking himself to death because of PTSD from Vietnam, and I hope that when he goes it is only him that goes and he does not act out violently toward my mom or my family. We love him to death, but he is on a fast path to drinking himself to death and he refuses to get help. I could see though how someone in there late 20's and 30's may deal better with the stresses of war. I have many family who have come back and they all are reacting differently.

Thanks for allowing me to say my piece, this is what makes the country great. Just because we disagree does not mean we can not coexist happily on the MCF.

Last edited by Teacher; 01-20-2012 at 08:24 AM.

#35

01-19-2012, 11:12 PM

mousehousemoparman

Thread Starter

Join Date: Aug 2011

Location: Lakeland, Florida

Posts: 3,226

Thank you Todd for your insightful post. I also am not an expert on anything except living life. I see things that work and fully support the theory of if it works leave it alone. The model that Germany and many other countries employ seems to work. The model we use here does not and each state is somewhat different but most have been pressured by the federal government to adopt the 21 drinking age in order to continue receiving their federal highway funds. In effect it was blackmail. Here in Florida if I serve any of my children who are under 18 any alcohol in any amount I am subject to prosecution. I have seen some studies in the past that suggest that the brain damage and addiction issues arise when the brain is flooded with high amounts of alcohol which occur when we get drunk. One to two drinks of beer or wine have actually been shown to have health benefits. Just do there is no misunderstanding my position, I am not advocating allowing our kids to get drunk. What I am suggesting is a glass of wine with dinner, or a beer with dad while working in the yard, perhaps a glass of champain at a wedding. Many kids don't like the taste of beer, wine, or champain. Many will have no interest in it if they can have it. The desire comes from saying you can't have it. It is human nature to want what is forbidden. It goes back to the beginning of time according to Genesis in the bible and the forbidden apple in the garden of Eden.

#36

01-20-2012, 08:26 AM

Teacher

Join Date: Aug 2008

Location: Prineville, OR

Posts: 4,994

That is the funny part, that the government will connect highway money to things like drinking age. They do the same things to schools with federal money and the strings attached.

#37

01-20-2012, 08:33 AM

Cowboy6622

Fallen to the Dark Side - Resident Ford Man

Join Date: Jun 2007

Posts: 9,901

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teacher

That is the funny part, that the government will connect highway money to things like drinking age. They do the same things to schools with federal money and the strings attached.

Yuuuppppp