Obligatory Drinking Age Rant

I've been free to drink alcohol over here, and I've done so sparingly, but it's really going to sting when I go back home to a society that has less respect for my ability to make responsible decisions. I'd like to see the legal drinking age in the US dropped to 18 like it is here in the UK, but not just for my sake.

I think they should lower the drinking age to 18 because tons of people drink underage anyway and the law only sets up antagonism between youth and the state. There should not be a situation where breaking the law seems so obvious and righteous, especially in such close proximity to laws that matter, like the ban on drunk driving. As it stands, it is difficult for underage drinkers to make good and safe decisions without being caught, and impossible for parents to provide safe situations without contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The law pushes us into an unsafe corner that most 18-20 year-olds will gladly stand in rather than give up the beer.

Granted, some of the guys here with me are not ready to be responsible drinkers, but I'll guarantee you that they won't have changed a bit by the time they're 21, and probably not by the time they're 31 either.