A Differing View: No teen legislators
In its recent editorial “Let the young serve” (Jan. 31), the Rocky said, “Yes, some 18-year-olds are uninformed and immature, but others have taken on adult responsibilities and carry them out faithfully and well. The antics of the first group aren’t grounds for limiting the opportunities of those in the second group.”
I agree. However, that is exactly the reason that was given to prevent 18-year-olds from drinking.
If they can’t make reasonable decisions about drinking, they should not be voting either. If they are not capable of making decisions about drinking, they should not be in the legislature.
W.T. Cathey is a resident of Boulder.
I agree. We should put the drinking age back to twenty-one. Then we should lift the smoking ban to off-set the loss of revenue to the bar-keeps.
Posted by Jim J on February 15, 2007 06:03 AMI may be biting at bait, but somehow there appears to be a large disconnect in opinion of when a person is an adult: 18 or 21?
Of course the real answer is neither specifically, but rather when the specific person has achieved a maturity to be able to handle themselves.
The gut reaction to many of the problems that arise for people in the age at the end of high school is to restrict these activities until later under the misguided belief that somehow the maturity will be magically existing 21. This argument would be cogent if there was some form of inflection point between 18 and 21 that near-universally causes an increase in maturity, but alas the only way to mature once you are physically mature, which you are at 18, is to experience.
We should resist the temptation to try to protect our new adults from themselves. Instead we should focus on trying to shape our society through means other than law that will encourage them to make wise decisions for themselves even when confronted with temptation.
If we must use law, phased in approaches seem to have had the best successes: Driving permits at 15.5, limited license at 16 (daytime only or whatever), full license by 17. In a lot of ways, it's a shame that the 3.2 beer at 18 law was forced out by the federal government, as that was a nice stepping stone to harder, more dangerous liquors that claim at least a life or two each year at Colorado universities.
Beyond that, voting at 18 seems reasonable, but getting elected at 18 might be too much for most. Regardless, it's a non-issue as if a 18 year old is mature enough to convince the voting public to elect, then that person is highly likely to be mature enough to handle office.
Posted by Doug H. on February 15, 2007 08:31 AMWhat I never understood was that 18 is too young to drink, but old enough to give a gun and expect you to die for your country. There should be exemptions.
Posted by fiesty on February 15, 2007 12:04 PM