Unfettered Letters

Underage drinking

What a tragedy the death of University of Kansas student Jason Wren is, and how insulting are the responses from the various “responsible” parties (3/11, Local, “Dad of dead student makes somber plea; Suspected binge-drinking death prompts father to call for alcohol ban”).
KU says that because the house is off-campus, it is not subject to university regulations. “There won’t be any sanctions imposed in this case,” says KU Interfraternity Council president Graham Stark, because it didn’t follow an official function. Yet Wren is officially deceased, his parents are officially grief-stricken, and those who should be shouldering responsibility for this needless death are busy trying to officially absolve themselves of any blame.
If Kansas lawmakers have their way in making parents more accountable to underage drinking, they need to add provisions to include as responsible parties fraternity and sorority officeholders, advisers and alumni governing boards. Fraternities and sororities today are no more than legal drinking clubs and should be legislated as such.
My heart just absolutely bleeds for the Wren family, and this needless, senseless, death. My head is absolutely ashamed at KU’s response.
William J. Olson
Leawood
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The Johnson County Stop Underage Drinking Project, a judge, the Johnson County district attorney’s office and officers who deal with kids arrested for drug and drinking offenses attended our recent Shawnee Mission East PTA meeting. Those of us present agreed that serving alcohol to underage drinkers is illegal and dangerous.
We know that those of you (by name and reputation) who do it or ignore it when you know it is occurring were absent. You are the parents responsible for encouraging lifelong drinking problems and accidental deaths. You promote the mistaken belief in this community that “everyone does it, so we’re just making sure we have some control over it.” You are advocating something over which you have no control.
Stop the parties in your homes. You are promoting damaged minds and deadly habits. You can expect your neighbors to call the police on you next time, even though you tell kids not to bring cars and plan to spend the night, so as not to attract at attention to your crime.
Cool parents don’t pass on drinking problems to the next generation.
Ellen Murphy
Mission Hills

Keep strong beer out of grocery stores

Your editorial, “Bottoms up to Kansas beer bill” (1/29, Opinion) had some incorrect comments regarding Kansas liquor laws. Kansas liquor store owners are residents of Kansas and are sole proprietors, not part of a chain or corporation. All taxes stay in Kansas and are not sent out of state.

Why should strong beer not be in grocery and convenience stores? Do you want 18-year-olds in more that 3,700 additional stores selling strong beer (5 percent) with 36 percent more alcohol content than the current 3.2 percent cereal malt beverage? In addition, the State of Kansas Alcohol Beverage Control Division will not be controlling underage buying.

Per the 2008 Distilled Spirits Council Report, out of 730 Kansas liquor stores, more than 200 will close and 500 to 800 jobs will be lost in Kansas communities.

Contact your Kansas legislators now to vote “no” to keep strong beer out of grocery and convenience stores and help Kansas small businesses.

Larry G. Knackstedt
Knocky’s Liquors, LLC
Past president, Kansas Association of Beverage Retailers
Overland Park

Editor’s note: A correction to the editorial ran Jan. 30 on Page A-2.

Here’s why teens shouldn’t drink

As an 18-year-old, I am now able to sign up to die for the people of my country and vote to elect one of the most powerful leaders in the world. And yet, I am not legally allowed to have a glass of wine with my family at dinner.

But if you will trust me enough to fight for you and elect the president of the U.S., then why should you not trust me to buy and consume an alcoholic beverage?

I’ll tell you why. When you put an already inexperienced driver, who now comes equipped with a cell phone fit for text messaging and a stereo that plays music loud enough to blow an eardrum, who wants to add the extra temptation of driving under the influence of alcohol?

M.E. Tillmon
Kansas City

From drinking to plumbing

Did anyone else notice that in the final presidential debate, “Joe Six-Pack” had morphed into “Joe the Plumber?”

“Joe Six-Pack” was the moniker laid on common, working-class Americans. But I suspect Republicans dropped the six-pack reference after protests from groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving or other folks who don’t see boozing as a healthy lifestyle.

James Mercer
Kansas City

‘Joe Six-Pack’ isn’t funny

I am appalled that the possible next vice president of the United States is making light of the term “Joe Six-Pack” as if it were a badge of honor. Is Sarah Palin suggesting that it is wonderful if males drink a six pack of beer every day?

What message does this send young boys, male teenagers and young male adults? “Hey, it’s OK to drink a six-pack of beer a day, and if you do, you too can join my little group, ‘Joe Six-Pack?’.”

Where are the voices of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Students Against Destructive Decisions? Are we supposed to ignore this because simply because Ms. Palin is female, or that she is cute or that she winks at us?

I don’t know any form of media that would support any other mother spewing this garbage without rebuke. What about the children?

Tracy D. Darby
Raytown

Of late we have experienced “Joe Six-Pack” used in GOP speeches by Sarah Palin. This is a terrible phrase to use.

We are experiencing the effects of alcohol abuse in our homes, streets and highways, which can lead to domestic violence, child abuse, injuries and deaths.

Our hospitals, courts, jails, funeral homes and cemeteries are filled with “Joe Six-Packs” and their victims.

Alexis Barlows, R.N.
Kansas City

18 too young to fight and vote?

The most common argument in support of lowering the drinking age is that if society deems 18-year-olds mature enough to vote and to risk their lives defending their country, they should be considered old enough to consume alcohol legally.

To deny there’s a double standard in our current laws would be hypocritical. I propose we eliminate this double standard not by lowering the drinking age to 18, but by raising the minimum age for voting and serving in combat.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving opposes lowering the drinking age because brain development — particularly the area responsible for judgment and impulse — is not complete by age 18.

I find it curious that we give a segment of the population considered immature and prone to impulsive behavior the awesome responsibility of helping elect our officials. Worse yet, I find it abhorrent that a supposedly enlightened and caring society exposes its adolescents to the horrors of combat, turning them into cannon fodder or thrusting them into situations in which they may snap and use lethal force against innocent people.

Pablo La Rosa
Mission

Parents’ drinking sets example

The thrill of sneaking around those who forbid alcohol is a major reason to why minors drink, but it’s not the only one. The drinking habits of the parents, when under stress or celebrating, teach children to use alcohol the same way. So whether drinking is legal or not, youths will mimic their parents.

While lowering the drinking age may prevent instances of alcoholism, it can bring forth more problems. By lowering the age by two years, teenagers drinking for the first time are driving for the first time. Together alcohol and driving is a sure way to cause harm and even death. So while lowering the age may have positive effects, it may not beat the negatives unless other solutions can be reached.

Ben Schario
Overland Park

Raise a glass to the old days

The article “Schlitz becomes more than just a memory” (8/23, Business) led me to reflect back over my 82 years.

My conclusion is that the country was better off when we had more corner taverns than corner drug stores.

John L. Coakley Jr.
Kansas City

Keep teens out of bars

While it does seem unfair to deny an 18-year-old the right to drink at the same time they are allowed to join the military or vote in an election, there are strong arguments against it as well. Most of them are heady and backed by statistics about drunken driving and binge drinking.

My reason for supporting the drinking age at 21 is more selfish. I work in and frequent bars, and I don’t want a bunch of drunken infants ruining my night at work or on the town.

People in their early 20s are bad enough without allowing teenagers to invade the bar scene, too.

Leave the drinking age alone and focus on more important legislation.

Scott Beskow
Westwood

Forbidden booze sweeter?

When I was a child, my parents sold beer in their rural Missouri restaurant. No one ever told me I couldn’t help myself or that it was against the law for me to drink, yet I never did.

Why? Probably because there was no fun in sneaking beer behind my parents’ back since they didn’t seem to care if I did so. I have a hunch this is why I rarely consume alcoholic beverages today.

I wonder if we might experience less alcoholism in our society if the legal drinking age were lowered or possibly eliminated.

Charles Ballew
Kansas City