Thursday, May 27, 2021

Have A Safe And Happy Memorial Day Weekend

This coming Monday, May 31, is Memorial Day, often known as the unofficial first day of summer and National BBQ Day.  But let's remember what it really is--a day to honor all of the men and women of our armed forces who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, past and present.  And that of course includes all of those who died serving our country before they were legally old enough to drink.  Let us all take a moment of silence to honor them.

As for Candy Lightner, the ageist turncoat founder of MADD who had the chutzpah and hubris to go on national TV in 2008 and publicly insult our troops, may her name and memory be forever blotted out. 

And as always, arrive alive, don't drink and drive.  It's just not worth it, period.  And it's very simple to prevent.  If you plan to drive, don't drink, and if you plan to drink, don't drive.  It's not rocket science.   Designate a sober driver, call a cab or rideshare, crash on the couch, or even walk if you have to.  Or don't drink--nobody's got a gun to your head.

12 comments:

  1. Indeed, what the founder of MADD said to those troops is bigotry. Our soldiers deserve respect, whether they are 18 or 35.

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  2. There are calls to raise the drinking age to 21 in Victoria, a state of Australia. Hopefully, the drinking age will stay at 18. However with junk science being spread around the world on this matter, I'm not sure what will happen in Victoria.

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  3. Another topic that needs addressing: Are 18-20 year olds entitled to Second Amendment Rights?

    buying handguns (from federally licensed dealers)is off limits to those under 21. However there has been a debate about whether it should be a blanket ban or whether the 21+ rule for handguns was even the right move.

    https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/florida-law-guns/67-75946688-27c5-4af8-adf6-bdc653e350a2

    https://www.kake.com/story/44220802/kansas-lowers-age-for-concealed-carry-license

    https://govtrackinsider.com/second-amendment-for-every-registrable-safer-voter-act-would-lower-minimum-age-to-buy-a-handgun-d34387cf092b

    https://www.wdam.com/2021/04/27/hyde-smith-co-sponsors-bill-relax-age-restrictions-handgun-purchases/

    https://www.opb.org/article/2020/09/01/bc-wa-gun-regulations-initiative/

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    Replies
    1. I think that the minimum age to buy and own certain types of guns should be 18.

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    2. I think so to, but the common argument you always here is “they can’t buy beer or cigarettes, guns shouldn’t be any different” I think beer and tobacco should be 18 like every other country, but outside of that I don’t think it’s that similar being that first, cigarettes and alcohol are not constitutional rights. We do however, have a right to bear arms as enshrined in the constitution (although it’s still not unfettered access). People with mental health problems or convicted felons aren’t allowed to own firearms and we don’t young children purchase them. I just find it odd that an 18-year-old who can learn how to operate more lethal weapons in the army, would be denied the right to own a simple shotgun as a civilian.

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    3. Agreed. The age of majority of 18 should be used as the preferred minimum age, including for gun ownership.

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    4. I agree. Any guns that are legal in general should be just as legal for 18-20 year old young adults as they are for adults over 21.

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  4. https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/13/politics/handgun-appeals-court/index.html
    https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/federal-appeals-court-strikes-down-law-barring-gun-sales-people-n1273884

    Handgun sale ban to under 21-year-olds is unconstitutional, appeals court says.

    After so many years, the question is finally being addressed and challenged. Although it's a step in the right direction, it would be naive to think they aren't going to appeal or try to reverse it. These types of cases only have any real teeth when it's brought up before the Supreme Court.

    Anyways, I don't see anything wrong with being able to access a legal handgun from an FFL where you have to do a background check rather than having to access a handgun via private sale or gift in the states that allow it.

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  5. Another issue is that most hotels have a minimum age of 21 to get a hotel room.

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    1. Yeah, it is inconvenient. I know they can make their own rules and such but it does not make wanting to travel as a young adult a bit more of a drag. There are still a good amount of 18+ hotels, but you have to call and search around on the internet for hotel policies. So you can book a hotel under 21 technically, you just don’t have the privilege of knowing that no matter what hotel you go to they’ll rent to you.

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    2. But this is mainly for the US, anyways. Anywhere outside of the US, accommodations are not hard to find. I think the reason why many hotels in the US are 21+ is to deter spring breakers and underage drinking from happening on the property. Elsewhere, that’s not an issue since you can drink at 18. The problem is trying to rent a car if you’re under 20/21. Only two states mandate that car rental companies rent to under 21s and that’s New York and Michigan, where it’s 18, but don’t think you won’t pay those extra surcharges.

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