MINOT -- I'm with those college presidents who favor lowering the legal drinking age to 18. And no, I'm not in the 18-to-20-year-old demographic.
In fact, I entered that age group in August 50 years ago. So, I got in a month of legal drinking in Wisconsin before going off to college in Minnesota, where the drinking age was 21.
It was a bother to drink in Minnesota, but also riskier and more exciting. Home for vacations, we congregated in a bar.
The point is that most 18-to-20-year-olds drink, whether in college or not. Why have a law that most break -- a law that may make it easier for young adults to get street drugs than alcohol?
Deciding what is good for one group of adults is Mommy-Daddy government. These young people go off to war for us, but we'll decide for them about drinking?
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We can't seem to get it right. I could drink at 18 but couldn't vote until 21. Now, people can vote at 18 but can't drink until 21. Let's make it the same, 18 or 21, for both drinking and voting. Along with the college presidents, I say 18.
Besides, the drinking ban for people in that age group seems unconstitutional. They also can't get jobs serving alcohol; that looks like age discrimination.
The three years after high school are a time to learn the important social skill of responsible drinking. Current law makes this learning illegal and less likely.
Jim Lein
