While I support a woman’s right to choose whom she marries, where she works, what she wears, I certainly do not support the woman’s right to choose to kill a child. It is puzzling to me why America can be outraged by so many things, but this issue just can’t light a fire hot enough to reverse the work of a woman who now sees her own mistake and avidly fights to overturn Roe V. Wade. A product of adoption, I believe that 9 months of inconvenience is in order for the mother who will refuse to care for the child, perhaps that will give her sufficient time to think about being more careful next time. Abstinence anyone?

I am tired of the argument that abortions are necessary because of rape or health risks. Only 1% of abortion cases are rape/incest, and 6% are potential health risks for the mother or the child. So 93% have to suffer because 7% cannot?

These are not hard questions folks, just real life issues. Sometimes we make choices we regret, that’s why there are options for adoption, but taking the easy way out by ridding oneself of the problem (insert child here) is cowardly, and should be a felony. Child abductions and murder are prosecuted as some of the most heinous crimes, why cant the same matter be treated in the same way days earlier (prior to exiting the womb)?

Johnny’s parents said that they would not tolerate any grade less than a B, but he has been getting C’s and D’s.  Johnny’s parents have punished him for this, but it does not seem to help.  Johnny’s parents gave up and decided to give him… a new car?  This logic does not work, neither does the logic that simply lowering the drinking age is going to solve the problem that people are irresponsible with alcohol consumption, especially people in the 18-20 age group. Rewarding their law-breaking will not improve the situation.

Education is not meant as a fix-all solution to the problem, and is certainly not meant as propaganda. It is no secret that the education we are giving young people is not sufficient. While you may look at education as scare tactics, I look at it as an opportunity to be honest about what sometimes happens when people are not responsible. No law entirely eliminates behavior, that is why there are consequences for breaking laws. Believe it or not, there are those 18-20 year old youth who do not consume alcohol because of the law; however, the notion that education has been argued as the fix-all, it absurd and illogical. As for people who have blemishes on their transcripts the solution is quite simple, don’t break the law or don’t get caught! Should one feel bad for a good student who plagiarized on just one paper and got caught? Absolutely, it was wrong and the student should be punished.

The argument that changing the drinking age to 18 is going to help parents teach their children responsibility is laughable, because it is also argued that once one reaches 18 they are adults (adults should not be in need of such responsibility training in the first place). Perhaps one should argue that some states (such as Wisconsin) have drinking laws that allow parents to give consent for their children to consume alcoholic beverages in their presence. Perhaps this is a better solution that simply lowering the drinking age.

Furthermore, the argument that “prohibition does not work, ever” is a dangerous argument. One should think carefully before placing qualifiers such as ever, never, or always in an argument. By whose standards are you measuring the idea that prohibition of any kind does not work? People murder all the time, but if the law was lifted it would most certainly happen more. If illegal and prescription drugs were legalized for all, I am more than sure that people would be shooting up and popping pills left and right. Laws play an important role in society, regardless of if everyone follows the law. Saying that prohibition has not “ever” worked is not a good reason to lower the drinking age.

Perhaps an argument for implementing a parental consent law is more reasonable and in-line with the argument made that parents should be able to teach their children responsibility. However, this will not keep irresponsible parents from demonstrating even more damaging behavior, but this time involving their children. The fact is, implementing a parental consent law might be a good idea, but based on the argument set forth it will not completely solve the problem, therefore, more alternatives need to be considered. Until some more concrete arguments are set forth, the drinking age will have to remain.

Shortly after, with his unpopular decision to go to war, people began lambasting him for not only that decision, but everything going wrong in the world today. President Bush is a true leader, he made choices to keep America safe, and keep America safe is what he did. He was a patriot, a hero, and a good man, and for these things I am forever grateful.

While I may not like the policies that Obama supports, I have a respect for the Office of the President, even more after I fought for people to respect the Office of the President during George Bush’s reign as the 43 Commander-in-Chief. Therefore, I welcome President Obama, and wish him the best, as my American President.

While you might be right that changing the drinking age seemingly did not change much, what you fail to mention is the way American Culture has changed in the past 20 years. Today’s 18-21 year olds are not as responsible as they once were. While you make a good point that 18-21 year olds are seen as adults in every other sphere of government, you know as well as I do that many 18-21 year olds would not have an adoption aproved, because their maturity level is far below that of the average parent. Further, many 18-21 year olds certainly could not serve on a jury, and many should not open bank accounts.

Most people, if given the chance, could be responsible citizens; however, rules are made for those who choose not to be responsible. While many 18-21 year olds might be able to drink responsibly, the minute percentage who choose not to,  ruin it for everyone. While that percentage continues to break the law, many students such as yourself are worried about the law, and examples are made of those who have been cited for underage drinking or even arrested.

You said yourself that you “ducked into nearby bushes” to avoid being caught while your friend was questioned. The issue here is that the law is the law, you as a citizen cannot simply put yourself above the law by deiciding which laws you want to follow, by creating levels for which laws are worse (i.e. vandalizing cars and stealing stop signs).  The police have to enforce the law, even if they feel stealing stop signs is worse than underage drinking. In a utopian world no laws would exist because people would be responsible citizens who could judge right from wrong, good from bad. This way of thinking is simply laughable because in all societies laws and regulations must exist since people cannot make decisions with the best interests of others and themselves without them.

Perhaps if America did a better job educating its youth we might not need a drinking age, but we obviously cannot handle that, so we continue to be “grounded by the government” for our bad report card.

It is a fact that most youth have consumed alcohol prior to reaching 21, but this does not make drinking acceptable. Americans are simply not doing enough as parents, teachers, and communities in educating our youth about destructive behaviors, of which drinking is a prime contender. While drinking in and of itself is not necessarily bad, it is the abuse of alcohol that needs to be fixed or certainly made better prior to a discussion of lowering the drinking age, potentially causing absolute pandemonium. While drinking on college campuses is of national concern, so is other substance abuse, most of which is potentially more harmful than alcohol. Having a couple drinks is not the big concern; however, binge drinking is becoming more prevalent and the enforcement usually occurs following the tragedy.

Lax enforcement of the law is really to blame for the amount of drinking on college campuses, and simply allowing it, is not going to solve the bad decision making with those who have not yet reached 21. The answer to this starts with educating youth about the effects and consequences of alcohol abuse, not changing the drinking age resulting in even more tragedy and irresponsible behavior before an attempt to educate has been made. You can’t always have your cake and eat it too – deal with it!