If you're old enough to die for this country - saddle up and have a beer

Well, it looks like at least one legislator in the South Carolina assembly understands that if you're old enough to die for this country why not allow that person to have a drink, or even buy one. From The State:

That’s the opinion of state Rep. Fletcher Smith, who is sponsoring a bill that would make it legal for service members younger than 21 to down an alcoholic drink or buy a six pack.

All the service member would have to do is show his or her military identification card to the bartender or store clerk.

State law prohibits the sale or possession of alcoholic beverages by anyone 21.

It doesn’t make sense to prohibit a young soldier, Marine, airman or sailor from having a drink, said Smith, D-Greenville.

“They’ve proven they’re adults,” Smith said. “They have the maturity that an average 18-year-old wouldn’t have.”

This of course is controversial after all it was just about 20 years ago that SC under pressure from Lizzy Dole joined the rest of the country in order to get the ever so desirable 'highway dollars' from the Federal government. If South Carolina passes this law it could very well put in jeopardy a portion of those funds. Some disagree with the law for moral reasons, others because it sets apart the military from the rest of that demographic and gives them special treatment.

My opinion, pass it - actually let all 18 year olds drink, and encourage parents who do drink to educate their young adults on how to drink responsibly and respect alcohol and for those parents who don't drink have them educate their children why they don't and what alcohol means to them and let the young adults make honest educated decisions.

Of course America is one of the only Industrialized nations to actually have a drinking age that is higher than the age of legal consent. America of course is also the only nation that is so enamoured and mystified by alcohol as to love and hate it at the same time which creates many of the problems of addiction and abuse of alcohol that we have in this country - it's not alcohol that's the problem, it's a lack of understanding of what alcohol is and where it's proper place is in society. All you have to do is look at Germany with it's beer and Italy and France with their wines and how from very young ages children are taught to respect alcohol. Does that mean that alcoholism doesn't exist in these countries? No, of course not, but I believe there are lower instances of 'DUI' and habits such as binge drinking. But what do I know, and why do I care - I'm already beyond the legal age to drink.

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