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Should the drinking age be raised to 21? On the Letters page of The West today (4 Sep 09), Bernie Brown reminds us of the 1970s logic for reducing the drinking age to 18:
"Eighteen-year-olds were being conscripted to fight overseas... Man enough to die for their country but not man enough to handle alcohol."
Why are 18-year-olds selected for conscription? Because they are young and foolish and have not learnt to fear their own death. Because they are not so old that they have learnt to value their own life above all else. Because they are young enough to accept orders without asking questions based on their own life experiences. Because they may not yet be fixed in their belief that thou shalt not kill. Because they have not yet learnt that those in authority can still give stupid orders.
Actually, I have no problem with the preference for young soldiers. Though I am against conscription.
On the other hand... None of those reasons for selecting 18 year olds as soldiers seem to be good reasons for allowing 18 year olds to drink alcohol.
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