Position Paper Lowering Drinking Age
Ishka Jose
Paul Haney
ENC 1102
Position Paper Draft #1
September 27th, 2012
Lowering Drinking Age in the US
Who are we to define what we’re old enough to do and not to do? Yes, everywhere is different and every country has their rules and regulations, and as an international student I’d like to narrow the comparison of my island and the U.S.A. and why I strongly believe that the drinking age should be lowered. In the United States of America, at the age of 16 one is entitled to get their driver’s license, meaning the lives of other people are in a 16 year old’s hands. At age 18, one can volunteer to fight at war and are also allowed to kill, sometimes the decision is not even theirs but they have no choice but to go. If one commits a crime at age 18 they’d be charge as an adult yet they’re allowed to through post-traumatic stress disorder and not be able to drink their sorrows away? Now, see where I come from, we have a standard age for everything; whether it’s clubbing, driving, going to the army and yes drinking alcohol. Some see it as reckless, but in reality if you could handle driving and going to the army, if you are so responsible to do such things, then why not be responsible and or ‘mentally stable’ to drink alcohol every now and then? The more rules we set, the faster people are going to break them. During teenage years we have a lot of curiosities and people are going to want to try and do things before their time. The determination of legality in drinking should not be based on age, but rather on maturity and the ability to handle responsibility, therefore the age of drinking should be decreased.
Alcohol, where did this evil luring drink that makes us go berserk come from? What is it really? Alcohol is basically dissolved grain, fruit juice and honey. This drink was founded 8000 B.C. in Persia and the Middle East. A couple thousands B.C.’s later it would reach to India, China and other major countries around the world. Between 4000 and 3000
Paul Haney
ENC 1102
Position Paper Draft #1
September 27th, 2012
Lowering Drinking Age in the US
Who are we to define what we’re old enough to do and not to do? Yes, everywhere is different and every country has their rules and regulations, and as an international student I’d like to narrow the comparison of my island and the U.S.A. and why I strongly believe that the drinking age should be lowered. In the United States of America, at the age of 16 one is entitled to get their driver’s license, meaning the lives of other people are in a 16 year old’s hands. At age 18, one can volunteer to fight at war and are also allowed to kill, sometimes the decision is not even theirs but they have no choice but to go. If one commits a crime at age 18 they’d be charge as an adult yet they’re allowed to through post-traumatic stress disorder and not be able to drink their sorrows away? Now, see where I come from, we have a standard age for everything; whether it’s clubbing, driving, going to the army and yes drinking alcohol. Some see it as reckless, but in reality if you could handle driving and going to the army, if you are so responsible to do such things, then why not be responsible and or ‘mentally stable’ to drink alcohol every now and then? The more rules we set, the faster people are going to break them. During teenage years we have a lot of curiosities and people are going to want to try and do things before their time. The determination of legality in drinking should not be based on age, but rather on maturity and the ability to handle responsibility, therefore the age of drinking should be decreased.
Alcohol, where did this evil luring drink that makes us go berserk come from? What is it really? Alcohol is basically dissolved grain, fruit juice and honey. This drink was founded 8000 B.C. in Persia and the Middle East. A couple thousands B.C.’s later it would reach to India, China and other major countries around the world. Between 4000 and 3000