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The US is the only industrialized country that has a 21+ legal drinking age. Alcohol use is made into such a huge issue in the US - there are two amendments in the constitution dealing with it. Not only that, but it is also a country that has issues with the female nipple being exposed in the media, and finds the human body and human sexuality something to be ashamed of and hidden from view. It all boils down to the puritanical beliefs that censor anything that it can get it's metaphorical hands on, making everything is censored all the more appealing as it's the forbidden fruit. Get over the hang-ups.
Coming back from the tangent, I don't think that Greeks solely should be the ones to spearhead a lobbying effort to lower the minimum drinking age. I think it should an effort by all 18-20yr olds that live in the US. Even if the 18-20yr olds in question don't go to college, they are still affected by this. If I'm not mistaken, the drinking age was once 18 but was upped to 21 in the past 40yrs or so (if anyone has the year, that would be great, thanks).
How many of us that are 18-20yrs old have had to tell our 21+ friends that no, we can't go chill with them at the bar, but thanks for the invite? I know that I personally deal with this all the time as most of my friends are 21+ and I don't turn 21 until October (so if anyone is in LV and wants to come celebrate with me at that time, just drop me a PM). I know others that get fake IDs and use them, and then are caught and have that on their records. As a criminal justice major, I won't do that to myself.
It's more annoying than anything because it's such an arbitrary age. Let's make it standardized at 18 - you can vote, you can buy tobacco, you can buy alcohol, and you can go fight (and die if it comes to it) for you country at 18. I made that argument to a police officer that I worked with on a project one day (who coincidently was a smoker) and he informed me that at 18, human lungs are already fully developed but it takes until 21 for the human liver and endocrine system to fully develop, so the US govt doesn't want to be responsible for hindering the full physical development of its youth. I think he was talking out of his ass and this all a bunch of bullshit. If any medical expert can please verify or negate this, that'd be great.
So no, I don't think Greeks should be the ones solely responsible for leading this campaign. I think it should be all 18-20yr olds and all those people who are older who remember what it is to be 18-20yrs old, and, pretty much, anyone who understands what it is to deal with such an arbitrary restriction.
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