Amethyst Initiative

sadistically_romantic · 09-13-2008, 05:49 PM

Has anyone heard anything else about the Amethyst Initiative?

For those who may not know what it is, Colleges are trying to pass a law to lower the us drinking age back to 18. It was everywhere for a while and then I heard nothing else. Anyone got any info?

$haDe · 09-13-2008, 10:47 PM

I don't see their point... No matter how hard they tried

I don't think this problem can JUST solve by law or rany kind of rule.

It's about internal intention and addicted that people gave to their children.

Trust me on that..

Minyaliel · 09-14-2008, 06:52 AM

We´ve got 18 as the age limit here in Norway, and in most parts of Europe. It doesn´t seem to be a problem at all.

LittleStrangeling · 09-14-2008, 07:06 AM

It makes sense to lower the drinking age, if they allow us to fight and die for our country, as well as vote at eighteen, and consider us legal adults at that time as well; why should we not be able to consume alcohol responsibly?
(Not that everyone does drink responsibly, no matter their age...)

Underwater Ophelia · 09-14-2008, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LittleStrangeling

It makes sense to lower the drinking age, if they allow us to fight and die for our country, as well as vote at eighteen, and consider us legal adults at that time as well; why should we not be able to consume alcohol responsibly?
(Not that everyone does drink responsibly, no matter their age...)

That's such a bullshit argument.
I fucking HATE IT when most kids say that.

You don't actually care about it being fair that way.
How do I know this?

Because you don't give a shit about renting a car.
Don't you think if you can die for your country you should be able to rent a car?
You can't until you're 25, but no one cares, because this argument isn't about proving your maturity and responsibility, this argument is about booze.

Which suggests that no, you're not ready to drink.

LittleStrangeling · 09-14-2008, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underwater Ophelia

That's such a bullshit argument.
I fucking HATE IT when most kids say that.

You don't actually care about it being fair that way.
How do I know this?

Because you don't give a shit about renting a car.
Don't you think if you can die for your country you should be able to rent a car?
You can't until you're 25, but no one cares, because this argument isn't about proving your maturity and responsibility, this argument is about booze.

Which suggests that no, you're not ready to drink.

I thought we could rent cars when we were eighteen...
My bad.
Twenty-five, that's ridiculous!
No one told me this!
I think it's because I don't have a license yet that I haven't looked into this.
Honestly, I'd have complained about that too if I had known.
I'm going to go look up all the things we can't do when we're eighteen, even though we're legally adults just so you can't ever use that against me. I don't really care about it being fair, I just care that it's rather stupid.
Seriously though... twenty-five! The idiocy!
-.-

Edit: I do have an occasional sip of my parents drinks, but it's only when they drink, and that's only on special occasions. I don't care too much for alcohol, really, a lot of it's just plain disgusting.

Underwater Ophelia · 09-14-2008, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LittleStrangeling

I thought we could rent cars when we were eighteen...
My bad.
Twenty-five, that's ridiculous!
No one told me this!
I think it's because I don't have a license yet that I haven't looked into this.
Honestly, I'd have complained about that too if I had known.
I'm going to go look up all the things we can't do when we're eighteen, even though we're legally adults just so you can't ever use that against me. I don't really care about it being fair, I just care that it's rather stupid.
Seriously though... twenty-five! The idiocy!
-.-

Edit: I do have an occasional sip of my parents drinks, but it's only when they drink, and that's only on special occasions. I don't care too much for alcohol, really, a lot of it's just plain disgusting.

It's not idiotic to restict car rental to those 25 and older.

YES, some younger adults could handle it, but the majority can't, and when you're a business, you can't take risks like that out of fairness.

MitsyMayhem · 09-14-2008, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underwater Ophelia

It's not idiotic to restict car rental to those 25 and older.

YES, some younger adults could handle it, but the majority can't, and when you're a business, you can't take risks like that out of fairness.

Yeah, because we all know running a business is about lying, cheating, and manipulating!

LittleStrangeling · 09-14-2008, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underwater Ophelia

It's not idiotic to restict car rental to those 25 and older.

YES, some younger adults could handle it, but the majority can't, and when you're a business, you can't take risks like that out of fairness.

Umm... that really doesn't make sense to me.
How is it we can have our own cars and licenses at sixteen, but not rent cars until we're twenty-five? They trust us enough to be on the road with our own cars, or our parents cars, or whatever, but it's such a liability to let a twenty year old rent a car? It's nonsensical!
Ridiculous.
Honestly.

Underwater Ophelia · 09-14-2008, 02:07 PM

Are you both idiots...?

If some idiot teenager rents a car and crashes it, he's just lost that company THOUSANDS of dollars.

It's not about being purposely manipulative, it's about not wanting to take that chance.

Mealla · 09-14-2008, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LittleStrangeling

Seriously though... twenty-five! The idiocy!

Actually, it's not idiotic. The reason car companies only rent to those over the age of 25 is due to statistics. They have actually taken the numbers from car accidents and figured up that at the age of 25, your likelihood of causing a car accident reduces drastically.

onedarkly1 · 09-14-2008, 03:35 PM

Underwater Ophelia is dead right about the insurance companies and their reasons and reasoning for not allowing individuals to rent a car until they are 25.

Now extend that logic to the Coalition of College Presidents who wish to lower the drinking age to 18. They don't like having two classes of students on their campuses. Those old enough to drink and those who are not. This issue often results in lawsuits for Colleges and Universitys because someone underage is injured or killed on or around campus.

I am not stating my opinion on whether they should, or should not lower the age, merely attempting to shed some light on why said Presidents might want to move forward this issue.

________________________________________
"I died a long time ago."

MitsyMayhem · 09-14-2008, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underwater Ophelia

Are you both idiots...?

If some idiot teenager rents a car and crashes it, he's just lost that company THOUSANDS of dollars.

It's not about being purposely manipulative, it's about not wanting to take that chance.

Are you?

I'm not on either side of the car company business.
I was just making a joke.

Solumina · 09-14-2008, 03:45 PM

You can rent a car at 18, you just have to pay a very large insurance fee which is reduced to a smaller fee at 23 for most companies 25 at others. Just thought I would throw that out there.

Underwater Ophelia · 09-14-2008, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MitsyMayhem

Are you?

I'm not on either side of the car company business.
I was just making a joke.

If you were making a joke, it's still stupid because it made no sense.

Mealla · 09-14-2008, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solumina

You can rent a car at 18, you just have to pay a very large insurance fee which is reduced to a smaller fee at 23 for most companies 25 at others. Just thought I would throw that out there.

I remember checking to see if I could rent a car several years ago and finding that they didn't rent to anyone under the age of 25. Perhaps it varies by car rental company.

Beneath the Shadows · 09-14-2008, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underwater Ophelia

That's such a bullshit argument.
I fucking HATE IT when most kids say that.

You don't actually care about it being fair that way.
How do I know this?

Because you don't give a shit about renting a car.
Don't you think if you can die for your country you should be able to rent a car?
You can't until you're 25, but no one cares, because this argument isn't about proving your maturity and responsibility, this argument is about booze.

Which suggests that no, you're not ready to drink.

Your own argument is just as much bullshit as you claim LittleStrangeling's argument is. The age restriction on alcohol is the result of laws. The age restrictions on car rentals are the result of compay policies, and sometimes differ from company to company. You're trying to compare apples to oranges.

Solumina · 09-14-2008, 05:02 PM

I do believe that legally you cannot rent a car until the age of 18 (I believe the reasoning behind it is that you should be of a responsible age before having an item that could potently be a danger) but yes any restrictions beyond that are based on company policy

Underwater Ophelia · 09-14-2008, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beneath the Shadows

Your own argument is just as much bullshit as you claim LittleStrangeling's argument is. The age restriction on alcohol is the result of laws. The age restrictions on car rentals are the result of compay policies, and sometimes differ from company to company. You're trying to compare apples to oranges.

There's nothing bullshit about comparing them based on the fact that they are policies put in place based on statistics.

Solumina · 09-14-2008, 05:40 PM

...but you were making a fuss about people careing about lowering the drinking age to 18 who use the argument that they are legally adults but then they go and don't give a shit about not being able to rent a car until they are 25, which isn't true you can rent a car at 18

Underwater Ophelia · 09-14-2008, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solumina

...but you were making a fuss about people careing about lowering the drinking age to 18 who use the argument that they are legally adults but then they go and don't give a shit about not being able to rent a car until they are 25, which isn't true you can rent a car at 18

Yeah, you caught me.

Both things are, however, based on statistics.

Solumina · 09-14-2008, 09:19 PM

What stats are the drinking age based on. I have heard many times that they are based on stats but I have had no luck finding out what stats they are based on, not saying that I doubt that it is based on stats, just that I don't know what stats those would be.

Personally I'm all for lowering the drinking age to 18 but retaining a no tolerance policy for drivers under the age of 21, mainly because when you are new to a substance your body is more likely to be affected by it without you noticing and most of the fear of lowering the drinking age is that younger people will get into a lot of alcohol related crashes.

Underwater Ophelia · 09-14-2008, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solumina

What stats are the drinking age based on. I have heard many times that they are based on stats but I have had no luck finding out what stats they are based on, not saying that I doubt that it is based on stats, just that I don't know what stats those would be.

Personally I'm all for lowering the drinking age to 18 but retaining a no tolerance policy for drivers under the age of 21, mainly because when you are new to a substance your body is more likely to be affected by it without you noticing and most of the fear of lowering the drinking age is that younger people will get into a lot of alcohol related crashes.

Having a zero tolerance policy won't reverse the damage that could be done.

zebra · 09-14-2008, 10:21 PM

I think that the younger the drinking age, the younger the young'uns will start drinking. In other words, lowering it to 18 could make drinking look like less of a risk to underage kids. I didn't drink until I was 19, but probably would have at 16 or 17 if the drinking age was at 18. (I understand that lots of people started drinking in high school or before, I'm just stating an example.)

Tralis · 09-14-2008, 10:29 PM

My three strongest arguments in favor of lowering the drinking age are as such: First, people need experience to gain responsibility. People will always fail at first, and the longer they have to tadjust to a privilidge the better suited they are for it. Driving is much the same way. 16 year olds have the most accidents of any age group not because they are immature imps but becuase they have the least experience. While drinking isn't a skill per se, knowing tolerance can be. Secondly legal restrictions create an enviroment of scarcity. When things are scarse people psychologically want to consume it while its there. Finally people will drink no matter the law, but if its legal then it will be out in the open and people will be more likely to seek help in dire circumstances.

Now, I don't drink at all, but I still think the age limit is ineffective and futile. Living in a dorm as I do during the school year I can tell you people will drink now matter what. The colleges are resigned to this fact. The RAs ignored my roommates' alcohol and wrote me up for having an electric kettle. No joke.