The Worthwhile Company, Inc.
Does your growing business need an IT dept.?
The Worthwhile Company can help!
Software Applications - Network Support - More!
Visit our Advertisers!
HOME | Contact Editor | Add Comment | Forum | Directory | Search | Advertise | Tell-a-Friend
June 2, 2006 | South Carolina Headlines

MyVoice!


Join us in
South Carolina Headlines
Community!


Sign up today to take part in the forums, interact with the content, receive South Carolina Headlines newsletters, display current weather conditions in your area, and more.

Already a member?

E-mail:
Password:


Advertisers


Support South Carolina Headlines - visit our advertisers


Columnists


Author (last 7 days)

Influencing Elections

Editors

 :: Jonathan Pait
 :: Benj Buck
Regulars

 :: Mike Cubelo
 :: Doug Kendall
 :: Jimmy Moore
 :: Henri Thompson
Press Releases

 :: List All

Want to be a columnist? Contact the editor to learn how.



Government Hypocrisy
Doug Kendall
September 7, 2005

I just finished reading a guest editorial about the South Carolina Supreme Court’s reported efforts to curtail underage drinking, and it got me thinking about how screwed-up our government really is when it comes to age and responsibility.

 

The article states that the court’s recent ruling would allow “civil as well as criminal penalties for those individuals whose transfer of alcohol to minors results in death or injury.” Additionally, the article states, “Alcohol is not a kid's drink, plain and simple. That's the reason South Carolina’s drinking age is 21.”

 

I have a big problem with that, but not for the reasons you might think.

 

In 1986, the state government raised the legal drinking age to 21, supposedly because youngsters below that age are not responsible, or wise, enough to drink responsibly. If that’s the case, why are children expected to be responsible adults in other areas of the law and society?

 

For example, our children can sign up for military service when they’re 17. They can even start down that road when they’re barely teen-aged, through ROTC programs on government-run, middle school campuses.

 

They can join the military, complete boot camp, learn to use various types of weaponry and expensive equipment, get shipped off to fight in a foreign land for a year, then return home and still not be old enough to enter certain nightclubs or buy a cold beer. Something’s just not right about that.

 

When it comes to breaking the law, someone please explain to me how no one under 21 is adult-enough to buy alcohol, but the courts can determine that a thirteen-year-old is adult-enough to stand trial and go to prison for the rest of his life.

 

In order to eliminate government hypocrisy in these areas, we should administer a simple test to all those who are under 21 when they are on trial, want to go into the military, or join the ROTC program. The test would determine if they were adult-enough to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages, and if they failed the test they could not be tried as an adult in court, could not enter the military, or join an ROTC program until they turned 21.

 

Government can’t throw out fairness, simply because it stands to gain—a new recruit or an additional prosecution—from doing so.




Post a comment for this column


You must be logged in to participate. You may use the MyVoice! area at the top of this page to log in, or you may set up a new account.


Left&Right


Use the partisanometer to put this columnist in his place - liberal or conservative? Just click left or right. First, you'll need to sign on.

Join in the fun! Sign on and give your rating on the partisanometer.


Up&Down


Join in the fun! Sign on and give this article a thumbs down or a thumbs up.


0%
100%


Refer Column


Refer this column to a friend. Highlight the fields below, fill them out and press "Send."



 


Feedback


Send your comment to the author of this column.
  


Comments


Good points Doug. Unfortunately, your points are far to logically for government. The democrats and republicans have made all levels of government dumb and blunt. They're as sharp as bowling balls - there is no hope of your wisdom penetrating their logic shields. . . .

Read the rest.





Site Stuff


Sessions: 567769
Members: 763
Advertise!


  South Carolina Headlines
Made possible by The Worthwhile Company, Inc.