Another round on drinking

Re “At 18, is it time for a drink?,” Aug. 20

The college presidents are being reasonable when they request that the drinking age be lowered to 18. It is inconsistent to demand that 18-year-olds accept responsibility and consequences of adults but are not allowed the full privileges of adults until they are 21. When Americans reach their 18th birthday, they are given the right to vote, they may be incarcerated or executed for their actions and they may fight and die for their country, but they are not considered mature enough to consume alcohol.

Although it is true that many are not mature enough to drink responsibly at 18, it is also true that many are not responsible enough to do so at 30 or older. Some of these same people are not informed enough to make mature voting decisions, but they have the legal right to do so.

In order for Americans to respect the rule of law, we must have laws that are consistent in their application.

Milt Rouse

Dana Point

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Let’s cut down on the epidemic of over-drinking on college campuses by lowering the legal age to buy liquor. Supposedly, parents will have good talks with their older teenagers while they share a few beers on the patio, closet bingers will come out of the dorms to drink in the sunshine, frat parties will play parlor games instead of drinking games and 18-year-olds won’t have to bother their older (or older-looking) friends to buy their 12-packs.

Yeah, that’s the ticket.

Marty Wilson

Whittier