I have always had a bug up my ass about how our society treats young adults like me so now I'm gonna start venting about it. This is going to be the start of an ongoing series about youth rights issues.
Starting with my youth manifesto
- When you're eighteen society deems you fully responsible for your actions, as such you should be given all of your rights (driving, drinking, -(not together), etc. Also when you turn eighteen in addition to voting you should have the right to run for any office including Congress and the Presidency.
- Students should be able to express their first amendment rights at schools (foul language, clothing, etc)
- School should be a choice, many students can't get a good education because there are kids in the classrooms that don't want to be there and goof off the whole time
- Schools shouldn't be able to punish students who miss class
- Marijuana should be legalized
Today I'm going to talk about number one.
When we turn eighteen the government puts on us all the responsibilities of being an adult. If we commit a crime we will be held fully accountable for our actions and if we are a guy and we are needed in a time of war we must serve (I think women should be included too but that's for another day). Meanwhile, us 18-20 year olds are not given the full privileges of being adults. We cannot buy alcohol, run for many federal offices, and are still restricted in how we can drive. This system is fundamentally unfair and ought to be changed. If I am to serve this country honorably in time of war and serve my time in prison if I commit a crime then I ought to have the right to rent a car or run for Congress.
The collective policies towards young americans breeds contempt for the system, especially police. Traffic laws teach us to generally fear the police and makes us feel like the government is more interested in raising ticket revenue then keeping our towns and cities safe. The drinking age of 21 is just as silly as total prohibition was in the twenties. It has simply driven drinking underground, although unfortunately not to badass secret speakeasies, but rather kid's basements and the like, leading to increased binge drinking and kids being afraid to call an ambulance for alcohol poisoning for fear they will get in trouble.
Also not being able to rent a car. WTF is up with that?
Now these policies I've been talking about cross the political divide. The twenty-one drinking age for example was championed by both Ronald Reagan and Senator Lautenberg (D-NJ) in the eighties. It hearkens to the statist side of liberalism. The side that thinks it is productive to ban marijuana and scare the shit out kids about drugs instead of giving them the truth. The side that wants to ban fast food. This side is harmful to America and the Democratic party and we should fight it!
If you want to learn more about the drinking age you can visit
http://www.chooseresponsibility.org/...
Kids rool and statists drool.
I learned everything in life from Hey Arnold, South Park, and the Wire