tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30130444.post116050974994754821..comments2024-02-16T09:00:32.845-06:00Comments on FromDC2Iowa: I'll Drink to ThatUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30130444.post-1161102572124334072006-10-17T11:29:00.000-05:002006-10-17T11:29:00.000-05:00In 1984 when the National Minimum Drinking Age Act...In 1984 when the National Minimum Drinking Age Act was passed, the founder of Mother Against Drunk Driving (MADD), Candy Lightner, was known to be one of the strongest advocates for a minimum drinking age. At the time, it was thought that increasing the drinking age would help lower the number of alcohol related car accidents. Because this is such an emotionally sensitive issue for so many people, all of whom were desperate to support anything they felt could help them reduce the number of alcohol-related deaths, the logic was easy to follow.<BR/><BR/>(But whether it can be proven that it was a salient factor in curbing the number of people both driving under the influence and number of drunk driving deaths is still debatable.)<BR/><BR/>What's also interesting to discuss (and it would take more than a blog entry to do it) is the history of how the Federal Goverment managed to coerce all 50 states to implement this policy on the grounds that if they didn't adopt the change they'd get their federal highway funding taken away. Some would argue that this quid pro quo way of politics is dangerous. Others argue it is even unconstitutional because the Fed isn't given the power to regulate the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages. But in any case the issue was leveraged for certain politicans to gain popular support.<BR/><BR/>Before then, a lot of states had a lower drinking age set at 18. A lot of that is due to the early 70s in the US, students really felt strongly that if they could die serving their country at 18 overseas, they should be mature enough to drink. Otherwise it was age discrimination. And that is a good point. Consistency isn't a bad thing. And like the safety issue it's something that's emotionally potent enough to inspire others to take action.<BR/><BR/>Which leads me to address your point that given the history, lowering the drinking age to 18 probably makes the most sense.<BR/> <BR/>in the meantime I'm still just looking forward to the day when we're going to have a meaningful dialogue in the public sphere and holistic analysis about the causes of binge drinking. Rerum cognoscere causas. That would be nice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30130444.post-1161037229363694362006-10-16T17:20:00.000-05:002006-10-16T17:20:00.000-05:00Alex: Right on, as always. But while this essentia...Alex: Right on, as always. But while this essential analysis is going on we might also want to limit entry to bars to those over 21 (or lower the drinking age to 18). Otherwise, letting people who are legally forbidden to consume alcohol into an establishment the sole purpose of which is to sell it, is an administrative nightmare. It's like Mason Williams' line: "Here's a ball; don't bounce it." -- DadNickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08467682953748756539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30130444.post-1160925103559036822006-10-15T10:11:00.000-05:002006-10-15T10:11:00.000-05:00If someone asked me what needs to be done I'd sugg...If someone asked me what needs to be done I'd suggest putting together a community task force to map out a huge Venn diagram that illustrates all the reasons why young adults drink excessively while in college. All ages would be encouraged to attend.<BR/><BR/>I'm sure the reasons cited would include but wouldn't be limited to: stress, anxiety, boredom, lacking strong sense of self, need for control, desire for social status (since only the financially affluent can afford to drink excessively therefore wasting both time and money and kids like that having that image), habit, cultural norms, addiction, tradition/indoctrination into social circles, a need for intimacy due to a void of authentic self-expression. The list goes on. Ask any person to put their pride aside and they'll tell you why they drink excessively and what the root of the problem is.<BR/><BR/>Next, compare these factors, which would surely overlap with each other on this Venn diagram, with two questions: 1) what can we specifically define as a factor as being highly correlated with binge drinking and 2) how much would it cost to focus on just reducing its influence on just that one factor based on case studies.<BR/><BR/>Repeat steps 1 and 2 until a measurable difference is observed.<BR/><BR/>It's amazing how this dialogue has been going on in Iowa City for years and the answers are right there in front of us. I think what it takes now is just strong leadership from someone with a background in the sciences and humanities who understands the social issue holistically.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com