2008 Woodie Awards
Getting drunk breeds trouble
Benjamin Billman
Issue date: 10/25/07 Section: Opinions
- Page 1 of 1
I must have missed the memo.
I am, of course, referring to the one that reads "All adults from the ages of 18 and 25 must now drink irresponsibly and wildly and give the entire generation a bad name."
It's a shame that I missed it, because with my imagination, I could have really been beneficial for our age group. Really.
I have all these great ideas. Like getting drunk and robbing a liquor store, then leaving my keys on the counter (been done before). Or getting drunk and banging on the library windows at 1:30 a.m. while screaming racial epithets at several students doing homework (been done before). Or getting drunk and going out to drive, telling your friends, "It's no big deal, I only had a couple." Then killing a family of five (been done so many times that I get tired of hearing the news stories about it).
Now, don't get me wrong. I have nothing against liquor. I think it's a great thing, and as far as a social beverage, it's a wonderful way to get people together.
Unfortunately, the only people who manage to treat it thus are those who are in other countries. Maybe this has something to do with the drinking age (although I am certainly not a proponent of lowering it to 18. I wouldn't trust some 18-year-olds to carry my books, much less drink), but whatever it is, overseas, people drink to meet each other, but here, people meet to get drunk together.
Anyway, whatever the reason for my generation's inexcusable behavior, I just want to make it known that not everyone acts like that. Call it a reassurance to older people that we aren't going to totally ruin their world.
Between people like me (who don't drink) and others (who drink...what's that "r" word...responsibly?), I think we will have a decent place to raise our children.
Those that don't, get run over by drunk drivers.
I am, of course, referring to the one that reads "All adults from the ages of 18 and 25 must now drink irresponsibly and wildly and give the entire generation a bad name."
It's a shame that I missed it, because with my imagination, I could have really been beneficial for our age group. Really.
I have all these great ideas. Like getting drunk and robbing a liquor store, then leaving my keys on the counter (been done before). Or getting drunk and banging on the library windows at 1:30 a.m. while screaming racial epithets at several students doing homework (been done before). Or getting drunk and going out to drive, telling your friends, "It's no big deal, I only had a couple." Then killing a family of five (been done so many times that I get tired of hearing the news stories about it).
Now, don't get me wrong. I have nothing against liquor. I think it's a great thing, and as far as a social beverage, it's a wonderful way to get people together.
Unfortunately, the only people who manage to treat it thus are those who are in other countries. Maybe this has something to do with the drinking age (although I am certainly not a proponent of lowering it to 18. I wouldn't trust some 18-year-olds to carry my books, much less drink), but whatever it is, overseas, people drink to meet each other, but here, people meet to get drunk together.
Anyway, whatever the reason for my generation's inexcusable behavior, I just want to make it known that not everyone acts like that. Call it a reassurance to older people that we aren't going to totally ruin their world.
Between people like me (who don't drink) and others (who drink...what's that "r" word...responsibly?), I think we will have a decent place to raise our children.
Those that don't, get run over by drunk drivers.