Can you ever be so "smart" that you miss the obvious?

I was reading an article today in a trade publication for churches. The article notes an AP Story where the "Amethyst Initiative," a group of 100 college presidents believe that the best way to curb binge drinking by college students is to reduce the drinking age from 21 to 18. The argument goes that since people can drive, vote, serve in the military...and so forth...they must have the responsibility necessary to drink responsibly at age 18.

I find it interesting that these education experts have determined that the cause of binge drinking by college students under the age of 21 is not the irresponsible actions of the students under 21; rather, the cause is the government making it illegal for irresponsible young people to do it because it is dangerous!

These poor young people would be able to drink "moderately and responsibly" (is the implication) if they were allowed to do it outside their dorms or at the park with all of the older students. The government is at fault for forcing these kids to act irresponsibly at parties at off campus locations, rather than allowing them to do it in the open.

This sounds EXACTLY like the logic that was used to legalize abortion procedures. "Women are going to do it anyway" the argument goes. "This will allow us to regulate the practice and insure it is safer."

Yes...once again it seems that those well-educated individuals leading the greatest higher learning institutions in our land have figured out for us what we were unable to discern for ourselves. That by allowing people to be irresponsible in public, we reduce the incidents of irresponsibility that occurs in private.

This ALMOST never happens...so make a note of this: I agree with the President of the University of Miami and former Secretary of Health and Human Services under the Clinton Presidency, Donna Shalala, "I remember college campuses when we had 18-year old drinking ages, and I honestly believe we've made some progress." (commenting on the action by the government 24 years ago to up the legal age for drinking.) She further states, "To just shift it back down to the high schools makes no sense at all."

Christians would do well to be discerning when considering a college for your student. Think carefully about the impressions made. Personally, I do not advocate a "withdrawal" response to this kind of conduct. Christians do not necessarily need to pull out of the campuses where such errant thinking as this occurs. In fact, thinking like Jesus, we should seek to permeate every area of such campuses for OBVIOUSLY, the fields are ripe for the harvest. What Christian parents must do is teach their students critical thinking skills so that they will know how to approach circumstances like this. The problem here is not the government's attempt to protect students from their own irresponsible conduct...it is the poor choices of the students themselves. The poor choices don't necessarily go away just because they are legalized. It just become harder to protect the students and all those they will ultimately hurt...from the consequences of irresponsible thinking.