Underage Bar Entry - Ames vs Iowa City

[iccyfan]

The desire to help people make better choices, such as not drinking too much is a laudable goal. However, doing everything possible to take that choice away is patronizing. It doesn't help kids make the right choice, it just tries to remove that choice.

You're a heck of a debater, Kyle; you make many good points that I've considered and weighed, only my conclusions are different than yours. I expect that should the petition drive be sucessful in garnering the appropriate number of signatures, we'll be seeing this mini-debate reinacted in supersize fashion come October / November. As I age I become more liberal, but this issue in IC has blown right thru "libertarian" and emerged in "anarchy"...

The bottom line for me is that all of your very good suggestions have been attempted (a few of which include lobbying of council, student alcohol education, attempting to impose bar-owner responsibility, alcohol-free venues, etc.) yet failed miserably (in Iowa City). If a majority of the minor-aged adults fail to act in a responsible manner with privileges that they have been afforded (in IC but not Ames), to the detriment of themselves and the community, they run the risk of losing that privilege. Hopefully, that'll be for the voters, including students who register, to decide after lengthy and open debate! What's more democratic than that?

Good exchanging ideas with you, but it appears this thread has lost its steam so I'm out...

[Schroed]

My personal opinion is if you are an adult then you should have all the privelages that go with that. You are able to serve our country in the military at 18 then you should be able to drink at 18. There are kids as young as 12 that get charged in criminal court as adults. It should be one way or another. I am 34 and have no agenda on this issue, just an opinion.

I agree completely.

However; one of the things that makes Ames different than Iowa City is the house parties. Nobody has house parties in IC. Going to the bars all of the time gets old.

[tejasclone]

At 33 years of age, I can say that I think Ames has a long way to go to make the community more student friendly and oriented, but I don't think that allowing admittance to a bar or tavern at 19 or over is one of these steps. After walking over piles of vomit on the Ped Mall in Iowa City after Pints or Flip-Night I don't think this is a positive move for the community as a whole to accommodating the partying habits an age demographic of two years. While UI may wear it's Top 10 party school ranking as a badge of honor, I think it's caused a lot of problems on their campus that we would be smart to avoid. Ames doesn't have to be Iowa City, and quite frankly people who would choose UI over ISU because it has a "better party scene", well I say have a good time in black and gold.

BINGO

My sentiments exactly.

[tejasclone]

EDIT: Also, having a social life shouldn't mean that you need to be a drinker. That kind of attitude is how alcoholics are created. Myself, my roomates gave me an intervention because of the fact that that's how I thought too. Since then, I've realized that drinking does not equal the wa to meet people.

I completely agree. You can have plenty of fun without drinking yourself stupid. Not drinking doesn't make you a "square" or a "sissy" --it's a healthy alternative. I have never felt the need to drink in order to be social and have an enjoyable time. Maybe that makes me a boring person, but I have no regrets.

[Cyclone62]

I completely agree. You can have plenty of fun without drinking yourself stupid. Not drinking doesn't make you a "square" or a "sissy" --it's a healthy alternative. I have never felt the need to drink in order to be social and have an enjoyable time. Maybe that makes me a boring person, but I have no regrets.

Good point. Just for contradiction's sake, what happens when a student/athelete has the choice of "moving on" from the program? I beleive that they should have that privelige as long as they inform their potential coach beforehand.