The American Spectator

Reader Mail

Us and Them

9.17.08 @ 12:01AM

(Page 3 of 5)

I found it quite interesting that you ran articles on American maturity (or lack thereof) on consecutive days; thank you.

Honestly, I'm not concerned with whether the driving age should be 16, 18 or (insert your favorite number here). I believe the more important point is that the age for voting, drinking, driving, and eligibility to join the armed forces should be the same. One thing our society presently lacks is a clear rite of passage to adulthood -- a line drawn in the calendar which, once crossed, changes life forever. If the privileges of adulthood come together at once, one can hope that it will bring a sober sense of responsibility to some and a smack-in-the-face wakeup call to others. This by itself will not magically clear up all the problems spelled out in either article -- some boys really will always be boys. But if we can impress the difference between childhood and adulthood on our young people at their last truly impressionable age, I'm at a loss to imagine anything bad coming from this.

Politically, I'm describing a nightmare. I'm basically calling for federalization of the age of maturity, in pretty much the same way the uniform highway speed limit was imposed. (So it's not a nightmare because it's unworkable, but because it's all too workable.) In a way, I'm calling for the impossible, because growing up is a process, not an event; there is no magic number, no line in the sand. But the nature of the human animal is such that there will come a time, somewhere between 16 and 21, where the society we live in can be justified in saying, "You are your own problem now -- rise up and take care of yourself."

What we have today is a system -- lack of system, actually -- in which adulthood is something you ease into, with several milestones along the way. Again, this reflects the reality of human life. But, too many 20-50 year old boys seem to feel that they can keep easing into adulthood indefinitely, without the necessity to ever achieve it. (But watch them yell when they cross the milestone to getting Social Security payments and the money doesn't come.) There are several moments where we can say, "Yoohoo! I get another privilege today!" There is none where we say "Today I became a man. I will live up to manhood the rest of my days."

Again, I am totally at a loss to say how we, as an American society, could peg voting, driving, drinking and military service together short of federal fiat. But I throw the idea out in case someone can see a way.
-- Byron Keith

A mediating position would be to require that parents post a financial bond that would be subject to possible forfeit in the event that their teenage offspring violated traffic safety laws. This would give parents a clearer financial incentive in favor of taking responsibility for making sure that their youths drove safely. Alternatively, a bond would be required in cases when a teenager had already been found responsible for violating a traffic law, as a precondition for his or her return to the road. Financial sponsorship is required for the family member of an American to come to the U.S.; why should it not be required in some other cases in American law?
-- John Cavanaugh

Yes, the author is right, too much government oversight, and maybe youngsters need better driving training. But, none of that will change the primary cause of accidents of young people, distractions, usually caused by numerous people in the car, and speed. As that is the nature of young people and parents are using their children more and more as deliverers, and kids use texting and ipods, and phones more and more, there will be more accidents. Due to immaturity, no matter the training, multiple kids in the car, loud music, and technological distractions will not cease, so raising the legal age, even by a year, is a great idea.
-- Stacey Greene

FIVE DICTATORS CAN'T BE WRONG
Re: Hal G. P. Colebatch's Britain Regresses Into Socialist Ideology:

The 20th century abounded with evolved socialist leaders who successfully controlled the means of production: Stalin, Hitler, Hirohito, Mussolini, Mao. Don't see why socialism wouldn't work in 21st-century Britain.
-- David Govett
Davis, California

If memory serves it was that revered American political philosopher, Charles Barkley, who observed "Poor folks been votin' Democrat for fifty years, and they still poor."

The British must get their ideas -- a permanent poor underclass -- from Democrats. Democrats have tied people to the public apron string by providing them housing in the most violence plagued areas (which came first violence or "free" housing); a subsistence living all the while telling them there is no need to go to school or learn a skill.

"No need to work -- we'll take care of you and save you from those bad old Republicans. Those awful, racist, fascists want you to know the dignity of work and providing for your family. Republicans want you to be proud of achievement gained by the sweat of your brow and power of your brain."

I think Democrats have taught Britain well!
-- Jay W. Molyneaux
Denver , North Carolina

This is a picture of America if the community organizer and messiah of Big Brother fascism wins. It is also one more reason conservatives should reject the mind set of 2006 that empowered Democrats and move heaven and earth to help the GOP retain the White House and retake Congress. No matter how flawed they are they're not Democrats.
-- Michael Tomlinson

GORACULAR
Re: Peter Hannaford's Henny Penny Goes Carbon-Free:

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