Tuesday, February 15, 1934
Daily Nebraskan
Page 5
ilniform drinking age worth a cry
At some point in the late 1060s, when thousands
of young men were being drafted to fight in Vietnam,
the country became embarrassed about the check
erboard of laws that ruled the lives of 18, 19 and
20-year-olds. A young man was old enough to die for
his country, but not old enough to vote in it. A
Marine could return from the Mekong Delta and
then ?t carded at hh hometown bar.
In that climate, support grew for a uniform age of
responsibility. In 1971, the voting age was lowered
Ellen
Goodman
to 18 and in the next few years many states lowered
the drinking age to 18.
In retrospect, it seems odd that we simply accepted
the draft as the baseline, the duly designated point
of adulthood. Instead of raising the military age, we
lowered everyt hing else to match it. We were embar
rassed about the wrong thing.
Nevertheless, we allowed 18-year-old3 to drink
legally and openly. Soon, the lethal combination of
alcohol and gasoline, drinking and driving, inflamed
the fatality statistics.
Gradually now, states have been raising the drink
ing age again and watching the accident rates go
down. Today only four states still allow 1 8-year-olds
to buy all kinds of alcohol. In 1 1 states the legal
drinking age is 19, in six states it is 20, and in the rest
it's 21.
But there are sti3 a number of different laws coex
isting side by side, border by border. This patch
work, as the President's Commission on Drunk Driv
ing pointed out, becomes an absolute incentive to
drink and drive. In Spokane, Wash., for example,
19-year-olds have to drive if they want to drink.
They have to drive to the strip of waiting bars over
the border in Idaho.Then they have to drive home.
Now there are two bills wending their way through
Congress which would establish a national drinking
age of 21. Some have opposed this legislation as an
example of federal intrusion. But surely the border
traffic in search of a six-pack is a kind of interstate
commerce.
The need for uniformity seems obvious. But there
is a legitimate controversy about raising the age
barrier again. For openers, there is nothing magical
about the number 21. If we were concerned solely
with safety, we could reasonably ban the sale of
booze to anyone under 22 or 25. On the ether hand,
we could forget about drinking and raise the driving
age to 21 an idea which appeals to me enor
mously as the parent of a 15-year-old.
More importantly, there is the notion of a single
age of responsibility. Isn't it rather insulting to tell a
bona Fide voter that he or she isn't old enough to
belly up to the bar?
I see the contradiction. Yet despite all the talk
about a single age of adulthood, there are all sorts of
uneven laws regulating the uneven process of mat
urity. Today, in many states, you can become "eman
cipated" from your parents by becoming a parent,
even at 1 5. In most states you can get married with
parental consent before you can vote. On the other .
hand, you cannot become a member of the House of
Representatives until you are 25 or a U.S. senator
Advertising Manager
The Daily Nebraskan is accepting applications until
4 p.m.- Feb. 21 for Advertising Manager. The
position .runs from May, 1984 through May, 1985.
Applicants should have relevant sales experience
and academic preparation in advertising, marketing
or management. The ad manager must be a student
at UNL. Applicants should see Dan Shattil, No. 34
Nebraska Union.
R1
T fl Duly ft
UNL does not discriminate in its academic, admissions or
employment programs and abides by all federal regulat
ions pertaining to same.
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until you are 30.
In thb case, the dangers warrant raising the
drinking age. The number 21 h no more or less than
a familiar compromise figure.
I have no illusions that well stop young people
from drinking entirely. Nor will we stop them from
lying about their age although perhaps we can
raise the lying threshold from 16 to 19. Yet it's been
estimated that we can save 1,250 lives each year
with a new minimum age for legal drinking, and
that's worth a try.
1SS4, The Boston Glob Newspaper Coni?apyU'sLIr.2tsa
Post Writers Group
Crockett's Lounge
Wants you to join in the fun every Wednesday and
Thursday night !
Wednesday: LADIES' NIGHT
4-7 Happy Hour with V4 price drinks and free
hors d'oeuvres
8-10 All Margaritas and Daiquiris only $1.50.
10-1 2 Late Night Happy Hour with yA price
- drinks
Thursday: HAWAIIAN NIGHT
Free hors d'oeuvres .
Free Lei's
Prizes for the best Hawaiian costume
Both nights from 8-1 dance to top hits
and videos with Tim Marshal.
IF I
"P.UtOuMifl
3201 Pioneers Blvd .-Lincoln
488-5990
y
I s
TUO EHOADUAY HITCH
cotcr Hero Id ...
end Iho boys
written and directed by Athol Fugard
Thurti;y, February 23 st Cpm
This emotionally charged drama follows a young white
student's transformation from innocent childhood to
poisonous bigotry in 1 950 South Africa.
AgnooofGd
starring Peggy Cas? ' O -an Strasberg
Saturday, FebrvV- at Epm
A spellbinding ama about a young nun who gives
birth in a convent and whose child is mysteriously
murdered.
Individual Ticket Sslss
Tickets on sale to everyone for the two plays.
Individual tickets for the Beaux Arts Trio and Alvin
Ailey on sale only to UNL Students February 13-17. On
sale to others beginning February 20.
Beaux Arts Trio . -
piano, violin & cello
with the support of the Nebraska Arts Council
Saturday, March 3 si 6 pm
Program includes Schubert, Mozart, and
Shostakovich
25th Anniversary Season
Akin Alloy
American Danoo Thoairo
A Mid-America Arts Alliance Program
Thres Performance
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
f!srch 5, 6 & 7 et pm
Supported in part by a grant from the National
Endowment for the Arts
CI BALL
MALL 11 uH
Box Off'.cs (11-5, Mon-Fri)
113 Music E!dg. 11th & R
472-3375
r University
1 1 ( ) ct Nebrsska
y....i Lincoln
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