Is it silly that in the US at 18 you can serve your country, even go to war, yet you cannot buy a beer?

Answer 1

I agree with you. I think that they should have exceptions and allow young (under 21) military men and women permission to buy alcohol. It's incomprehensible to me that they can be denied such a right to such a personal decision.

It's a stupid law that should be changed in my opinion.

Answer 2

That was a better argument when the voting age was 21 and the drinking age left to the individual states. 18 year olds can now vote. There's not exactly an equivalent argument here, since you don't want to go to war drunk. I drank beer at 18 (legally) and wouldn't have a gripe about it now, but your argument isn't persuasive, and the numbers don't lie: teenage alcohol-related deaths plummeted when the age was pushed up.

Answer 3

I think it is sillly.

I think the drinking age should be lowered below 18 actually, but done in the same way as a drivers permit. Starting at age 14, a child can have a drink purchesed by a legal guardian. This way parents can introduce this to thier children instead of a college frat party. At 18, let them go to bars. Look at Europe, they dont have the problems we do with alcohol.

All that raising the drinking age to 21 did was raise the average age of binge drinking. I hear the argument of learing maturity before drinking. In that case, everything should be 21, if you have to be mature to do something.

The problem in general, is that too many parents no longer teach their kids values and rely on schools and TV to do that. Not just with alcohol, but almost everything.

Answer 4

There is currently a political movement to change the drinking age back to 18 mainly because of this reason. (Also no matter how much MADD smudges the figures it still shows that nothing; they have forced politically, has worked.)

Oh and to any one wanting to qoute MADD scripture or say 18 year olds aren't mature enough. The United States have the highest; age limit on drinking, number of DUI's, Highest Alcohol abuse, Highest violent crime, and 2ndHighest number of Alcoholics. While most of the countries with 18 year old drinking are at the bottom of that list.

Answer 5

Actually you can join at 17 now with a waver, witch means you cant even have a cigarette to calm the pain of that gun shot wound to your leg. The major problem with allowing sailors and solders drink at the age of 18 is, many people simply haven't reached a maturity level to handle alcohol.

Answer 6

The irony of serving the country is low salary because it is presumed that service is the motive of the person joing the military and not the pay.

Answer 7

Yes i agree. However, when I first came in the Marines it didn't matter your age. But the younger Marines kept getting in trouble with drinking so they raised the age to 21.

Answer 8

You can be too young to drink, but you can never be too young to die.

Yes, I agree. It's stupid - not that younger kids should be able to buy beer (too many irresponsible kids as there are already), but that younger kids shouldn't have to serve (perhaps it's to avoid a parent getting killed to leave fatherless/motherless children behind?)

Answer 9

No, it isn't silly.

At 18 a person gets their first real opportunity to deal with life as an adult.

They are responsible for their own decisions now, and can vote, enter the military, make their own sexual decisions legally, etc.

It's a good idea for them to get used to that responsibility before allowing alcohol to affect those decisions.

Answer 10

I agree. We should allow our military to consume alcohol at 18. If you want to drink legally, then you can enlist.