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The "opressive" drinking law in the United States
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| OurManFlint |
So, three weeks ago I went to this place called Mojito Cafe, which is a restaurant/nightclub, and a I was lucky enough to get in the club area and have a few drinks with some friends, who were all over 21. It was a fun night overall. Tonight, I went back to the same place and tried to do the same thing, and it didn't work. I left out of frusteration, but not over frusteration of Mojito Cafe (their not allowing me to drink is very understandable). I was frusterated at the "opressive" drinking law that has been a huge aspect of the US culture.
When I say oppressive, I do not mean it in a way that it opresses me drinking or anyone under 21 drinking. I drank in high school, and there are kids drinking underage everywhere throughout the country. Drinking (in a social way) is a huge part of social life in so many ways. This is what I thought about in frusteration driving home.
I tried thinking about what the drinking law opresses without aknowledging actual drinking, because obviously it doen't opress it at all, it just makes it harder to obtain it. Kids drink anyway.
The simple fact is it opresses an important aspect of "social life" for kids mature enough to drink. How many musical and cultural events can I not attend simply because of this drinking law. I don't even care about drinking, , I can drink right now if I really wanted. Dinking is not what bothers me, it's the fact that I do not have the liberty to go to social places where drinking is intertwined. My personal liberty to go to the place I wanted tonight is outlawed, whether or not I drink.
So, what does this do to people's social lives that are under 21. Even if they are not drinkers, they still do not have the liberty to participate in a lot of activities. They are kept in their homes, and dorms, movie theatres, and streets. And the law doesn't really affect whether or not they drink at these places, because they do.
For some reason, the US is obsessed with numerical age. That means that laws that put a person into a context are illistrated by their numeracal age. They think that a numerical age really has a lot to do with a person's maturity, which it does in a large context-ie a 65 year old is more mature than a 3 year old. But the government has "dictated" that the minuite I turn 21, which is in 6 months, that I will some how be mature enough to drink and participate in certain social activities.
I'm not some kid who thinks the law is opressive because I can't go out and drink, because I can do that anyway. It's the fact that a huge aspect of my social life has been opressed by a rule that makes absolutly no sense. Is it that kids in other countries are mature enough to drink and go out at, say 19, but not the US kids. I am so sick of being confined to houses and streets and theatres. Ya, there are underage places that kids can go out to, but they are so limited in experience that I'm not really that interested in going to them- ie a Hookah bar. There's really not much else to do.
People don't understand how much this law has to do with the social liberties and maturity, because they are blined by the 'drinking aspect." That's not all it outlaws. It outlaws aspects of my social life. I mean, Digweed is coming to my city, and I can't go see him because I'm not at the government's "mature age." I have to go to Canada, which I don't mind doing, so I can particiapte in this musical aspect. I'km not going there to drink, I'm going there to listen.
And, I'm not some pissed off, whiny kid who's crying because he can't go out and be apart of ceratin social experiences, I'm simply pointing out the opressiveness of this law against certain liberties. So before anyone tries to criticize my argument, simply think about what this law oppresses without connecting the aspect of drinking to it, because underage people dink anyway. |
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| DrUg_Tit0 |
| Oh well..move to Europe :) |
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| OurManFlint |
| eh, I was so pissed off last night. I can't believe I wrote this whole thing. But I swtill stand by what I said..... |
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| OurManFlint |
| quote: | Originally posted by Nou
Don't drink... 
Only thing I don't like about the law is that I can't get into some venues, but I couldn't give two s about drinking. |
Well that's my point. I don't care about drinking, that's not what this law is preventing because underage kids drink anyway. It's oppressing my liberty to participate in social spheres that integrate drinking. That means if drinking is involved in a social event in a certain way, my liberty to paricipate is restricted, whether or not I drink. |
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| washout |
im not quite clear what the first problem was.
u were able to drink there one night, and not able to the next??
why. |
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| Jake Benson |
I used to be in your position, OurManFlint. I in hated it. So I *completely* understand where you are coming from. Because many cities won't allow you to go in a drinking venue even if you can prove you won't drink, you're deprived of a lot of entertainment and a big part of the nightlife culture.
Some cities are a bit more liberal, like New Orleans, where you can go inside about any club if you are 18 (although to drink you should supposedly be 21). I know some clubs in LA have 18+ night where they put wrist bands on those who are 21+.
In my opinion, I think people should be allowed to go out and socialize amongst their peers in proper venues starting around 13 or 14 (with more restrictions around that age and no restrictions other than drinking around 18).
Good thread topic. |
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| Lepanto |
| Why not just get a fake ID? |
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| LazFX |
Why not grow up?
:D |
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| HardTranceProd |
I hear ya. Even though I no longer have that problem.
My advice to you is, since you live close to Canada, cross the border and party there. Vancouver is nearby, a great party spot.
Also, are there no 18+ clubs in the Seattle area? That's weird, there's gotta be some college nights or somethings. |
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| Shakka |
| My advice. Either shut the hell up and get a fake ID or just shut the hell up and get over it and wait 'til you're 21. Believe me--you're not missing out on that much. Certainly not something that can wait a couple of years. |
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| tiesto14 |
| quote: | Originally posted by Jake Benson
In my opinion, I think people should be allowed to go out and socialize amongst their peers in proper venues starting around 13 or 14 (with more restrictions around that age and no restrictions other than drinking around 18).
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ya just what i want....to go to a club, see Sander spin, have a few drinks and watch little goofy teeny boppers hopping around.:rolleyes: jeez where do you people come up with this . |
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| D-res |
I know exactly where you're coming from. being 18, which is probably bad because i'll probably come off as a whiny immature kid to some of you, i have experienced exactly what you're saying. various DJs and bands have come to milwaukee or chicago that i've wanted to see but because i'm not 21, i cant go. i've been to a few where its 18 to enter 21 to drink. i think while a lot of people will just cheat the system and have their 21 year old friends or those with fakes buy them drinks, that limit should be implemented in a lot more places.
as far as underage nights go, em. atleast around here an underage night constitutes 16 or 17 and up. now as you can probably guess, its retarded. i've been there and everyone that comes in just stands around with their group of friends. theres no intermingling of groups. no ones walking around socializing. its like a in middle school dance. now again i'm not complaining that i cant drink because i have plenty of hookups. right now when i go back to my apartment today, i'll have a 24 pack of beer with me for tuesday nights basketball championship game :p
its not at all about the alcohol as OurManFlint said, its about the experience. when i'm 21 i'll probably think its stupid when clubs let in minors because i'll think the 18 year old crowd is dumb and immature and doesnt deserve to be let in, but since i'm not there yet, i think that i've been denied way too many experiences because of my age, regardless if i would consume alcohol that night or not. |
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