Civil Disobedience Idea -- Feedback Wanted

[Michael Fisher]

You should know the consequences of what you are encouraging people to do.

It's the outlaw's responsibility to know the consequences.  That much is obvious.  Do not assume that responsibility is mine in any case but for my own event.

That said, thanks for the research.

[KBCraig]

Entirely apropos to the proposed action of giving a beer to a veteran under 21, these two articles appeared today:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,158455,00.html

Lowering the Drinking Age for Soldiers
Thursday, June 02, 2005
By Linda Vester

If a soldier is old enough to go to Iraq and shoot bad guys, should he/she be allowed to drink? That's the question right now in Wisconsin, where a state lawmaker is lobbying to get the drinking age for local soldiers lowered from 21 to 19.

And,

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,158417,00.html

Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered to 19 for Those Serving in the Military?
Thursday, June 02, 2005

This is a partial transcript of "The Big Story With John Gibson," June 1, 2005, that has been edited for clarity.

JOHN GIBSON, HOST: They are old enough to risk their lives for our country, but when it comes to cracking open a cold one, they are still not allowed. One Wisconsin lawmaker wants to change that. He's fighting now to lower the drinking age from 21 to 19 for those who are serving in the military.

Joining us now is the man behind this, Rep. Mark Pettis, R-Wis., and Jim Copple, director of the International Institute for Alcohol Awareness.

I see an excellent opportunity to raise more awareness here.

Kevin

[Michael Fisher]

I'm trying to put Sidney and Matt in touch with the reporter from the Concord Monitor, but Sidney's e-mail isn't working!

Help?!

Sidney?  Matt?  Are you here???

[Dreepa]

I was just talking about this issue with a soldier returning from Iraq at the airport.
I gave him this website and said that there are groups trying to fight it.

[John]

http://latimes.com/includes/ramirez/ramirez_20050528.gif

[Lloyd Danforth]

Entirely apropos to the proposed action of giving a beer to a veteran under 21, these two articles appeared today:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,158455,00.html

Lowering the Drinking Age for Soldiers
Thursday, June 02, 2005
By Linda Vester

If a soldier is old enough to go to Iraq and shoot bad guys, should he/she be allowed to drink? That's the question right now in Wisconsin, where a state lawmaker is lobbying to get the drinking age for local soldiers lowered from 21 to 19.

And,

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,158417,00.html

Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered to 19 for Those Serving in the Military?
Thursday, June 02, 2005

This is a partial transcript of "The Big Story With John Gibson," June 1, 2005, that has been edited for clarity.

JOHN GIBSON, HOST: They are old enough to risk their lives for our country, but when it comes to cracking open a cold one, they are still not allowed. One Wisconsin lawmaker wants to change that. He's fighting now to lower the drinking age from 21 to 19 for those who are serving in the military.

Joining us now is the man behind this, Rep. Mark Pettis, R-Wis., and Jim Copple, director of the International Institute for Alcohol Awareness.

I see an excellent opportunity to raise more awareness here.

Kevin

Oooooo, special  citizens, with special rights, now, there is an issue!

Actually, on military bases, I doubt they enforce minumum age laws.  When I was in Basic Training at Ft. Dix, we went to the Beer gardens and drank (real beer, not,3.2) and were never asked for ID.

[John]

Well I think that times may have changed that sort of thing.
Just a guess.

[KBCraig]

Actually, on military bases, I doubt they enforce minumum age laws.  When I was in Basic Training at Ft. Dix, we went to the Beer gardens and drank (real beer, not,3.2) and were never asked for ID.

Trust me, times have changed. When I first started Army training, the drinking age on base was 18, but if you were in the Army, you were presumed to be of age (very few made it to active duty at age 17, although it was possible). Soda machines in the barracks usually had one or two brands of beer in addition to Coke and Pepsi.

When I started active duty in 1986, DoD ordered all military bases to raise their drinking age to that of the surrounding state. At the same time, all states were coerced to raise their drinking age to 21, or lose their highway funding. Unlike the "G.I. dives" just off post, you can bet that the drinking age was rigorously enforced on base.

And so, our 17-20 year old soldiers who would previously drink at the EM club and walk back to their barracks, were now heading downtown where their age wouldn't be so carefully scrutinized. The number of DUIs shot up. Gee, I wonder why?

I understand your "special citizens with special rights" argument; obviously we wouldn't want to stop there. The point of the exercise, just like filing and buffing Kat's nails, is to use an extreme and sympathetic example to urge change. If it's silly to deny a drink to a veteran who has spent two years in combat, it's also silly to deny it to his classmate who is on active duty, but hasn't gone overseas yet. And to their classmate who joined the National Guard to help pay for college. And to their classmate who is taking the ROTC scholarship and is pre-med. And to their other classmates who are married, working, and raising children, but haven't hit the magic age of 21.

Kevin

[libertyhound]

ok guys sorry about all the not being on here. Its been crazy round these here parts. Matt has skipped town for a few weeks and i have been both busy and lazy. I am still searching for a willing vet for this aqtion and am getting a few leads here and there but nothing concrete so far. I dunno about my email it should be working. Try and of these lol    sidneycline@hotmail.com, sidneycline@yahoo.com, bubathemagicelf@hotmail.com or gods_own_prototype@msn.com if none of these work i am dead

[John]

I think you're living.

[Rocketman]

Sorry to all concerned for not making the penciled-in June 6 deadline.  My short visit to WV turned into an interesting business opportunity that it's taking all of my time to pursue (make money=move to NH!).

However, I have finally returned to KY for a couple days, and I just had lunch with Sid.  No vet yet, and he's gonna try a few other avenues.  If he doesn't find somebody right away, I suppose the event will be postponed until the right person is located.

[Dave Ridley]

Maybe I can make a press release of some kind indicating that you are looking for a vet to do this.... 

or maybe i could write an LTE to one or more KY papers listing your contact info?

[KBCraig]

Maybe I can make a press release of some kind indicating that you are looking for a vet to do this.... 

or maybe i could write an LTE to one or more KY papers listing your contact info?

Ft. Knox area:
Elizabethtown News-Enterprise
Frankfort State-Journal

Ft. Campbell area:
Hopkinsville (KY) New Era
Clarksville (TN) Leaf Chronicle
Nashville Tennessean