I recently turned 19, and when I got home from my upstate university, a jury duty summons was waiting for me. I sat in a room with no windows for two entire days, awaiting my assignment to a trial. I was never assigned to a trial, as many others in the room, therefore we were just given our proof of service, and sent on our way.
Although the experience was completely miserable, and a horrible way to begin my summer, I felt important for those two days. If chosen as a juror, I would have a say in someone's future. A portion of an individual's fate would be completely mine! I would have to judge evidence presented to me, and mold my own personal opinion regarding an individual's potential punishment.
Then, I suddenly got angry, because it brings up a constantly argued law in this country. The drinking age. Due to my jury duty experience, I could not bring myself to understand WHY I was allowed to drive, vote, serve on jury duty, serve in the army, travel outside the country on my own, yet I am not allowed to drink. Drinking is not something as vital as the aforementioned rights, yet it has become a part of humanity. Personally, I do not need alcohol to enjoy myself, or heavily make use of it. Being allowed to drink deems an individual 'responsible', does it not?
If this country deems me responsible enough to drive alongside various other individuals, choose the leader of the United States, determine someone's fate, risk my life in the name of America, and travel elsewhere completely on my own, why can't I be responsible enough to intake a casual and social drink?
