Its actually in the constitution that states have the right to set their own legal drinking age. It seems crappy that the gov't gets around that by threatening to withold fed. highway money. That's what happened to LA.
Its just not that big of a deal around here. Most parents I know are just really cool about the whole thing. Sure, a lot of those kids may still binge drink on occasion, but I think that has more to do with the 21 age limit rather than an overall attitude towards alcohol.
I think it has a lot do to with Louisiana's French and Spanish history, as opposed to the Puritain foundings of a lot of the other states. Its just a totally different attitude towards things. I was always allowed to have wine with dinner if I wanted it. I'd usually just drink 3 sips and give the rest to my mom. Most kids don't like it that much. So, drinking wasn't a really big deal for me in college, except when it was the forbidden fruit, something I couldn't get until I reached 21. I have a friend, however, who's parents kept alcohol a big taboo. And she was all wierd about drinking. She'd talk about it all the time - fixate on getting some from a 21+ friend, etc. Now that she's over 21, she'll go to bars and do 5, 6, 10 shots - and this girl is like 5'1 and 90lbs! Her dad is a psychologist, so you think he'd know better than to make something so forbidden that it becomes attractive
I defintely think that the more you make somethiing forbidden, the more kids will want it!