Cracking down on irresponsible parents
May 21, 2009 In my humble opinion
There’s a new ordinance in our county that will penalize any adult who knowingly allows children to have a party with alcohol on their property. Guilty adults will receive a $750 fine for the first offense and a $1000 for the second or more offense. This has sparked a new controversy over what should be the legal limit to drink. Should it be 18? Should it be 21?
Personally I don’t think this new ordinance has anything to do with the drinking age. This new ordinance has to do with forcing adults to be responsible. It’s asking them to follow the law. Parents can still allow their child to drink in their own if he/she so chooses. But this law takes away an adult’s right to offer my child a drink.
I’m so tired of hearing this excuse that kids will get alcohol anyway. Teens will drink anyway. They’ll get it from somewhere. Fine. Then make them work for it. Maybe it will teach them some negotiation skills. Make them think critically to solve there “how will get I some beer” problem. Don’t make it easy for them.
Plus don’t you want to teach them to be law-abiding citizens? When your buying them beer and throwing parties with alcohol for your 17-year-old you aren’t exactly teaching them the best lesson.
But the biggest reason I agree with this ordinance is because of my teenagers. I don’t allow my teenagers to drink alcohol. I don’t buy them alcohol. Neither of them would have the balls to walk in to my house holding a beer until they turn 21. But other parents disagree. Other parents think it’s their place to make decisions regarding MY kids. Some parents think it’s ok to throw a high school graduation party with kegs of beer and buckets of vodka. Well now if they decide to be that irresponsible they will have to pay for it. Is being the cool parent worth $750 or $1000?
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Tags: allow teens to drink, drinking age, Linn County ordinance, penalize parents
May 24th, 2009 at 6:25 am
If you’re old enough to drink illegally, you’re old enough to go to jail or be fined.
I have no problem throwing the drinking kids in jail or fining them directly. If it can be proved the adults supplied the liquor, hang them under existing law. If not, hang the kids.
This law is a symptom of America’s desire to go after those who have the deepest pockets or most to lose instead of the party or parties responsible.</strong.
Hit a pothole on your bicycle and busted your ass? Suck it up and ride more carefully next time? Nope. Sue the county government for not keeping the road in better repair. Sue the bicycle company because they didn’t provide a warning not to ride into pot holes on their product.
I’m all for draconian punishment. Let’s just make sure we have squeezed all the vengeance out of our existing laws before we start making new laws.
Cheers,
Matt
Farmer Matts last blog post..Sunflowers in the Raised Vegetable Garden
May 29th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
As a parent ofa teen this concerns me.
A) my kid had a party and people snuck in alcohol. Would I be blamed for it if I didn’t know?
B)Why should the parents get in trouble? Let the kid deal with what they did wrong