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Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Transgenderism and homosexuality in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq Essay Example for Free

Transgenderism and homosexuality in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq Essay Introduction In this paper I will address the issues of transgenderism and homosexuality. These issues are quite controversial and attitude to them is different in different countries of the world. It should be mentioned that attitude to sexual minorities is different in different countries of the world and varied though time. Brief Outline of the Homosexual and Transgender Issues The first question under discussion is the homosexual relations. We can observe a great number of laws, intended to regulate the relations between people of the same sex. In some countries this is considered quite acceptable. People of the same sex are even allowed to marry legally and even adopt children. In the other communities the attitude to the same-sex relations is completely different and homosexuals can even be punished with the death penalty for their homosexual conduct. The fist laws on same-sex relations date back to 600 BC in ancient Crete and Sparta. These were the first laws allowing adult men to participate in the same sex relations (Rothblatt, 1995). In the majority of the Western cultures same-sex relations are tolerated and calling a person a gay or a lesbian can be considered even sufficient enough for a libel lawsuit, like this happened in case of Jason Donovan and Liberace, who won the case against the newspaper calling them gays (Rothblatt, 1995). However, we can’t say that homosexual relations are always tolerated. The first laws against same-sex relations date back to 550 BC, when homosexuals were called Leviticus and punished with the death penalty. Many scholars attribute this difference in attitudes to a distinction between Judaism and Paganism. Pagan religions usually consider same-sex relations to be normal, while Judaism, Christianity and Islam blame people for the same-sex relations. One more issue under discussion in this paper is transgenderism, which can be briefly defined as a social movement, which is intended to support transgender rights and raise self-esteem of transgender people. One more definition, which I’d like to mention, is the one proposed by Martine Rothblatt in her book â€Å"Apartheid of Sex†, where she defines â€Å"transgenderism as a grassroots political movement seeking transgender rights and affirming transgender pride† (Rothblatt, 1995). On the other hand, transgenderism, is usually used to denote a phenomenon of gender identity disorder. This definition is supported by the International Journal of Transgenderism. Transsexualism is also a subject matter of the study in this paper. It is usually defined as a condition, when individuals identify themselves with the physical sex different from the one of their birth. After the sexual revolution in Western Europe, which took place in the end of 20th century transsexualism became a recognized notion, however, in many other countries of the world it is still a taboo due to the religious and cultural norms accepted in the definite country (Lang, 1997). Quite close to the notion of transsexualism is the notion of transvestism, which is defined as a practice of cross-dressing, when a person wears the cloths of the opposite sex and thus associates him/herself with the individual of the opposite sex. Transgenderism and Homosexuality in the Middle East It should be mentioned that attitude to homosexuals, transgender people and transvestites differ from country to country. While the attitude to them in the West European cultures is quite moderate, Eastern cultures usually do not accept them. This is greatly due to the great influence of religion on the lives of all people. Islam has stricter rules concerning the sexual life of individuals be it people with traditional sexual orientation, transgender people or homosexuals. A lot depends also on the position of the government and their attitude to sexual minorities. The issues of transgenderism and homosexuality are quite different, which leads even to different attitudes towards them based on the Quran interpretation. The Quran considers â€Å"approaching males in lust, as well as the castration of males, as the sin of the people of Lot† (Quran 7:81, 26:165-166, 27:55, 29:28-29). On the other hand it’s quite acceptable under the Quran to use as passive sex partners the ancient category of men who by nature lacked desire for women, since such men were not considered â€Å"male† due to the fact that they lacked of arousal for women. These kinds of men are often known as â€Å"gays† today, but in the ancient world they were identified as anatomically whole â€Å"natural eunuchs† (Malik, 2007). Also these men, who lack arousal for women, are called â€Å"ghair oolaa il-irbati min ar-rijaali† (Quran:24:31) which translates as â€Å"without the defining skill of males† (Malik, 2007). These men are by Islam allowed to see woman naked. Islam is extremely against a man seeing any part of a woman if they are not directly related or wed, to the extent where, in some translations, the woman has to even cover her hair with a scarf. This only proves the fact that Islam doesn’t consider these individuals as me. They belong to their own category, which is not is not regulated by the rules of the Quran. The reason of intolerable attitude of the Quran to homosexual relations lies in the interpretation of marriage. Muslim people strongly believe in heterosexual marriage, and do not accept sexual activity before marriage between a man and woman. Since there can’t be any marriage between the persons belonging to the same sex, sexual relations between a man and man or woman and woman are also prohibited. As a result many Muslim Middle Eastern nations consider LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) issues as a crime which is punished by fines or by imprisonment. In some countries homosexuality is even punished by the death penalty. Examples of such countries are Afghanistan, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Yemen (Brown, 2005). Some researchers explain why nations of the Middle East do not accept sexual minorities in the following way: â€Å"many Middle Eastern nations did not gain full independence until the 1960’s—1970’s and those nations that were unified and independent were focused on foreign policy conflicts and economic development†. (Brown, 2005). Moreover, â€Å"most Middle Eastern nations were authoritarian regimes based on Islamic fundamentalism. Thus gay citizens had little or no free democratic institutions to openly influence public policy. Political parties or organized were prohibited. ‘Moderate’ nations that allowed for some degree of political and social freedom never extended to any challenge to the laws and opinion regarding sexual orientation† (Brown, 2005). In this paper I will consider in more detail the issues associated with homosexuality and transgenderism in four countries of the Middle East, namely Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq. Transgender and Homosexual Issues in Kuwait The fist country, which I will analyze in regard with its attitude to LGBT issues, is Kuwait. It should be mentioned that the attitude of Kuwaiti people towards sexual minorities is generally shaped by Islam and the government. Kuwait is 85  % Muslim (Central Intelligence Agency, 2007). As it was already mentioned Islam does not tolerate homosexuality and in some cases transgenderism is associated as homosexual behavior as well. The other factor, which influences the attitude to LGBTs, is the government. Kuwait is a constitutional emirate, (Central Intelligence Agency, 2007) functioning under authoritative document that contains all the laws determining the operations and limits of that government. Also, the Kuwaiti government is a government where power and the final word belongs to the emir ( roughly translated as prince, but means the ruler of the state). Furthermore, the legal system is a civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters(Central Intelligence Agency, 2007). This technically means that Islamic laws would interfere with personal issues such as a person’s sexual orientation. Homosexuality in Kuwait is illegal and punished (International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, 2002). An example of such an incident where homosexuality was punished and discriminated against occurred in February 2005, where the police charged a group of 28 alleged homosexuals with creating a public disturbance after they met outside a fast-food restaurant. On October 27, police raided a party where homosexuals were allegedly celebrating a wedding. On December 10, the legislative committee of the National Assembly unanimously approved a law to impose a fine of $3,450 (1,000 dinars) and/or one year’s imprisonment for those imitating the opposite sex (Reports and Musings from the Veteran Gay and AIDS Human Rights Advocate, 2007). In the case of transgender, however, the attitude is a bit milder. Thus, the legal stand is that it is appropriate to treat transgender people medically if it possible. But in some cases the problem of a transgender person is simply denied. The Kuwaiti court recently had a case where a 25 year old man who underwent a sex change operation wanted to be regarded as a woman. This ruling was overturned by the court under the belief that God decides gender and humans have no right to change it. â€Å"Ahmed is still a man, and the operation he had does not change the way he was created, even if it changed the way he looks to others†, said Mohammed al-Tabtabai, the dean of Kuwaits Sharia College (Kuwait: transsexual fighting for recognition, 2004) Transgenderism is still unclear and uncertain when it comes to the law and the government, in society, however, it is clearly unaccepted. An example of this can be seen from an interview with a cross dressing kuwaiti male. In reference to his family, this cross dressing kuwaiti male says that, â€Å"They (his parents) tolerated me as a child, thinking it was a result of growing up in an all-girls family. Eventually as I got older, they kicked me out of the house, but agreed to pay for my education abroad. They said what I’m doing is extremely shameful, and while they love and care about me, they can no longer be seen with me. They don’t like the embarrassment. I left right away, it was very hurtful. I was very dependent on my mother. I was also hurt because my sisters didn’t help me when I thought they would. They are also embarrassed with me because students used to make fun of them at school, when they would pick me up from class† (Interview with a Kuwaiti transsexual, 2007). Furthermore, in reference to teachers, he said â€Å"They never helped me when others teased me. They treated me like I was a mentally ill child whenever I’d request their help. I would play with the girls in the playground and the girls used to complain that it’s a â€Å"just for girls† game. Teachers would pick me up and throw me out† (Interview with a Kuwaiti transsexual, 2007). Finally, In reference to his peers, they were the harshest. He stated â€Å"I wish it was just teasing. I was beaten and very humiliated. After I came home with a broken arm and nose, it was too dangerous for me to go to public school, so my parents forced me to switch to home schooling† (Interview with a Kuwaiti transsexual, 2007). Although they are treated badly by society and the government, homosexuals and transsexuals actually take a stand and fight for their rights. Kuwaiti transsexuals and homosexuals have applied for a permit to form their own association. They are hoping to get some protection from Kuwait law especially after the Kuwaiti parliament (Majles al Umma) decreed laws that criminalize changing to the `third sex.` (Improvisations: Arab Woman Progressive Voice, 2007) Transgender and Homosexual Issues in Saudi Arabia The other country under discussion is Saudi Arabia, which is 100  % Muslim. Its government type is a monarchy, under which all the power belongs to the monarch who controls the entire state. This monarchy is very strict and very harsh. Furthermore, the legal system in Saudi Arabia is based on the Sharia law, which is all based on a very strict version of Islam (Central Intelligence Agency, 2007). Saudi Arabia takes Islam to the extreme, to the point where the position of a woman is almost illegal. They are not allowed to walk out of the house without covering up, so one can only imagine the lack of tolerance Saudi Arabia would have for homosexuals. Homosexuality is severely punished, in some cases even with the death penalty. Moreover, the death penalty is carried out in a barbaric manner. In Saudi Arabia it is still accepted to stone homosexuals to death. An example of such a barbaric incidence occurred 7 years ago when the Saudi government imprisoned nine Saudi men and lashed them for engaging in cross-dressing and homosexual acts. Moreover, they executed three Yemeni male workers for homosexuality and child molestation. In addition, in April 2005, the government imprisoned a hundred men because they were at a private party that was most probably a same-sex wedding ceremony or a birthday party. Yet, not long after a gay foreign couple was sentenced to death for homosexuality and allegedly killing a man who was blackmailing them for homosexuality (Reports, stories and information for gay men in Saudi Arabia, 2007).   The other accident of the death penalty for homosexual behavior happened in 1996, when one Saudi man was beheaded for homosexual behavior (Gay Marriage†¦in Saudi Arabia? 2007). The attitude to transgenderism in Saudi Arabia is a bit different. The government also does not tolerate it, however, permits surgery for intersex people in case it is proven that this is a mental disorder. â€Å"Saudi Arabia does not allow surgery for transsexuals, but permits operations on people with an intersex condition† (Usher, 2007). An extreme example of such surgeries took place to five sisters who wanted to change their sex to male. The doctor carrying out the surgery stressed that he just made â€Å"gender correction† rather than sex change operations. This doctor, Dr Jamal has preformed has performed over 200 sex change operations. However, as he states most of the operations were performed were on androgynous babies. Saudi Arabian, Dr Jamal, emphasized that these five girls were actually inter-sexed, and he would never perform surgery on people with normal genitalia but wanted to belong to the opposite sex, because as he states â€Å"Islam did not allow people to change what God had created† (Usher, 2007). Transvestism is severely punished. For example, Saudi man was given 200 lashes and 6 months in prison for cross dressing at a wedding party (Saudis Arrest 5 Pakistani TGs, 1998). Transgender and Homosexual Issues in Iran The other country, which is would like to describe regarding its attitude to LGBT issues, is Iran. The attitude to sexual minorities here is ambiguous. On the one hand homosexuality is punished by death; on the other hand, Iran is the country, which legally performs sex change operations in the word. Iran is 98  % Muslim (Central Intelligence Agency, 2007). Its legal system is based on Sharia law, and its government is a theocratic republic, which is a form of government controlled by religious authority. Moreover, there is a Deity who is considered the supreme civil ruler, and his laws interpreted by the mullahs (Central Intelligence Agency, 2007) Basically Iran is an extremely Muslim state, which explains completely the intolerable attitude of people and government to homosexuality. â€Å"All sexual relations that occur outside of a traditional, heterosexual marriage (i.e. sodomy or adultery) are illegal and no legal distinction is made between consensual or non-consensual sexual activity. Homosexual relations that occur between consenting adults in private are a crime and carry a maximum punishment of death† (LGBT Rights in Iran, 2007). In addition, there are no civil rights legislation that exist in that disallow discrimination against homosexuals, and only negative depictions of homosexuality are allowed in the press. The concept of sexual orientation is not recognized in Iran, nor does the judiciary acknowledge the existence of LGBT people and instead believes that all people are normally heterosexual. Thus, they claim that `homosexuality is a violation of the supreme will of their God. As a result, no laws exist that protect LGBT Iranians from discrimination, harassment, or bias-motivated violence, and as a theocratic political system, no such laws are permitted to exist. Most Iranian LGBT people remain in the closet about their sexual orientation for fear of being the victims of discrimination, hate crimes, government sanctions, corporal punishment, and/or capital punishment. Male homosexuality is a crime punished by death, The way they are killed is usually barbaric, but ultimately decided by the Sharia judge. All homosexuals are punished by death unless they are not sane or are not adult. Juveniles who are accused and proved to have engaged in homosexual behavior are punishment with 74 lashes. (Articles 108 to 113) This is proved by confession or by the testimony of four righteous men only and not women. Different homosexuals acts have different levels of punishment. For instance â€Å"Tafhiz†, which is the rubbing of the thighs or buttocks, done by two men is punished with 100 lashes. If this act is repeated four times then they will be punished with the death penalty. (Articles 121 and 122). Furthermore If two men simply stand naked under one cover together without touching or anything, they are punished with up to 99 lashes. If one man kisses another in a sexual way they are punishment with 60 lashes. (Articles 123 and 124). As for adolescents, in 2007 two teenagers have been executed for homosexual behavior, (LGBT Rights in Iran, 2007) even is this goes against the law stated earlier. Female homosexuality is punished less severely. Thus, women are usually punished with 100 lashes. However if the act is repeated more than three times then they will be punished with death. Women who stand naked under one cover without touching or any farther acts of lust and are not relatives are punished with 100 lashes. (Article 134)` (LGBT Rights in Iran, 2007). Real life examples that occurred in Iran of punishing homosexual behavior according to The Boroumand Foundation exceed 107 executions between 1979 and 1990. Moreover according to Amnesty International, at least 5 people convicted of `homosexual tendencies`, three men and two women, were executed in January 1990, as a result of the Iranian governments policy of calling for the execution of those who practice homosexuality. However, transsexuals are considered completely normal, greatly due to the fact that since 1980s transexuality is considered an illness that can be corrected by surgery (LGBT Rights in Iran, 2007). Iran has between 15,000 and 20,000 transsexuals, according to official statistics. In addition Iran has more sex change operations than any country in the world next to Thailand. These operations have been legal since Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, leader of the Islamic revolution, passed a fatwa legalizing them nearly 25 years ago, under the fact that the Quran says nothing about sex change operations for those who need them. Transsexuality is considered an illness, while an operation is the cure. Furthermore, not only does the government allow sex change operations, they fund it as well as the hormone therapy needed. An example of a transgendered person in Iran Mahyar. As a small child Mahyar liked dressing up in womens clothes and playing with make-up. This obsession did not die, in fact it only increased over time, and as she got older she stated that `I badly needed to do it but it had to be in secret,` and now she wants to have a sex-change operation. Transgender and Homosexual Issues in Iraq Finally, I’d like to discuss one more country – Iraq. It should be mentioned that homosexuality was considered legal in Iraq under Saddam Hussein until late 2001. However, later the attitude towards it changed and became stricter due to the pressure from religious conservatives. Under the law passed in 2001 homosexuality was punished by imprisonment, and repeated convictions were defined to be punishable even by death. However, there were still no cases when homosexuals were punished with the death penalty. Hussein did not consider homosexuality to be a crime due to the fact that it was against the Secular Socialist beliefs of the Baath Party. Now the legal status of homosexuality is still a matter of severe dispute. Thus, we can see that homosexuality is not illegal in Iraq de jure, but still remains a taboo (Brown, 2005) The legal basis of Iraq concerning homosexual and transgender issues is quite controversial. On the one hand Iraq does not have a definite criminal or penal code concerning these issues. On the other hand this does not mean that sexual minorities have the same rights as people with traditional sexual orientation. This controversy arises from the inner controversy in the country. Thus, Iraq was a secular socialist dictatorship, but its life is generally ruled by the fundamentalist Islam. One prove of the intolerable attitude of the public towards sexual minorities can be seen in the event, which took place in 1993. Then Iraq’s United Nations representatives opposed the International Lesbian Gay Associations application, when the latter tried to apply for consultative status as a non-governmental organization. The explanation of this act was simple: â€Å"based on our firm belief that the work of this organization runs counter to the beliefs of all divine religions.† (Brown, 2005). Conclusions So, as we can see the attitude to sexual minorities in Iraq is milder than in the other countries of the Middle East but still it is quite severe if compared with the Western Europe. Still the problem of treating homosexual and transgender issues exists. This is greatly because of the strong influence of the religion on the public and political life of the country. As Islam is quite a strict religion concerning the sexual life of the people, it makes the situation of the sexual minorities really hard. However, as we can see little by little homosexuals and transgender people still gain their rights and probably in the future their position in the Middle East will not be that dangerous. References Brown, Edward TJ. (2005). Iraq: Sexual Orientation, Human Rights and the Law. Online. Available from: http://www.sodomylaws.org/world/iraq/iqnews003.htm 30 November 2007.    Central intelligence agency. The world factbook. Online. Available from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ku.html#People 30 November 2007. Improvisations: Arab Woman Progressive Voice. News and Commentary on Arab Women, Palestine, Cultural Politics, and Everything in Between. Online. Available from: http://arabwomanprogressivevoice.blogspot.com/2007/09/kuwaiti-boyaats-seek-to-unite.html 30 November 2007. International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (2002). Kuwait. Status of Sexual Minorities. Amnesty International Report. Middle East and North Africa. Interview with a Kuwaiti transsexual. Online. Available from: http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/07/21/interview-with-a-kuwaiti-transsexual 30 November 2007. Kuwait: transsexual fighting for recognition. (2004). Online. Available from: http://mostlyafrica.blogspot.com/2004/11/kuwait-transsexual-fighting-for.html 30 November 2007. Lang, Sabine. (1997). Two-Spirit People: Native American Gender Identity, Sexuality, and Spirituality. University of Illinois Press. LGBT Rights in Iran. Online. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Iran#_note-7 30 December 2007. Malik, Faris. Queer Sexuality and Identity in the Quran and Hadith. Online. Available from: http://www.well.com/user/aquarius/Qurannotes.htm 30 December 2007. Reports and Musings from the Veteran Gay and AIDS Human Rights Advocate. Online. Available from: http://mpetrelis.blogspot.com/ 30 November 2007. Reports, stories and information for gay men in Saudi Arabia Online. Available from: http://www.gaymiddleeast/country/saudiarabia 30 November 2007. Rothblatt, Martine (1995). Apartheid of Sex. Westview Press. Saudis Arrest 5 Pakistani TGs. (1998). PlanetOut Corporation. Usher, Sebastian. Gender correction for Saudi girls. Online. Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3814041.stm 30 November 2007.

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Continential Congress :: essays research papers

1775 Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  May 10. Second Continental Congress convenes in Philadelphia. Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  June 14. Continental Congress creates Continental Army Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  June 17. Battle of Bunker Hill. Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  July. Congress offers the Olive Branch Petition in attempt at reconciliation with king. Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  American armies march on Montreal and Quebec. 1776 Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  January1. Americans lose assault on Quebec. Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  January. Thomas Paine’s Common Sense published. Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  March. British evacuate Boston Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  July 4. Declaration of independence adopted. The British defeated the French and their Indian allies in the French and Indian War (1754-1763). The result was British control over much of North America. But the war had cost England a great deal of money and Parliament decided it was time for the Colonies to pay a share for their own defense. The American Revolution became inevitable as far back as 1643 when the New England Confederation of Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, and New Haven were formed for defense against Indians and the Dutch. In 1754 representatives of seven northern colonies met at Albany, N.Y. to consider plans for a permanent union of all colonies for defense against the French and Indians and for other purposes, however, the time was not right for a union. After England won the French and Indian war in 1763, England turned its attention to ways of increasing government revenues to pay the war debt. England believed that the best way to increase funds was to further tax the colonies. It imposed Navigation Acts of 1651, 1660, 1672, 1696, the Molasses Act of 1733 and the Sugar Act of 1764. It required that most of the trade of the British colonies be carried on in British or colonial ships so that all tax collection could be controlled. The frontiersmen found that a Royal Proclamation of 1763 halted their expansion westward stopping them at a line created at the Appalachians. Open opposition to all of these acts became serious when the Stamp Act of 1765 was passed. Parliament passed it with no thought that any colony would object. But the slogan â€Å"no taxation without representation† swept over the land and unofficial delegates of nine colonies met in New York City in September 1765 and drew up declarations of rights and grievances. Although the hated stamp act never went into effect and was repealed in less than a year, trouble continued. In 1767, Parliament, reasserting its sovereign power, passed an act levying duties on tea, glass, paper, and a few other articles, only to arouse new opposition from the Colonies.

Monday, January 13, 2020

The Return: Midnight Chapter 22

â€Å"Ma ma said not in Fel ‘s Church,†Mrs. Flowers repeated to Stefan. â€Å"And that means not the thicket.† â€Å"All right,†Stefan said. â€Å"If he's not there, then where else?† â€Å"Well,†Elena said slowly, â€Å"it's the police, isn't it? They've caught him.†Her heart felt as if it were in her stomach. Mrs. Flowers sighed. â€Å"I suppose so. Ma ma should have told me that, but the atmosphere is ful of strange influences.† â€Å"But the sheriff's department is in Fel ‘s Church. What there is of it,†Elena objected. â€Å"Then,†Mrs. Flowers said, â€Å"what about the police in another city close by? The ones who came looking for him before – â€Å" â€Å"Ridgemont,†Elena said heavily. â€Å"That's where those police that searched the boardinghouse were from. That's where that Mossberg guy came from, Meredith said.†She looked at Meredith, who didn't even murmur. â€Å"That's where Caroline's dad has al his big-shot friends – and Tyler Smal wood's dad does too. They belong to al those no-women clubs with does too. They belong to al those no-women clubs with secret handshakes and stuff.† â€Å"And do we have anything like a plan for when we get there?†Stefan asked. â€Å"I have a sort of Plan A,†Elena admitted. â€Å"But I don't know that it wil work – you may know better than I do.† â€Å"Tell me.† Elena told him. Stefan listened and had to stifle a laugh. â€Å"I think,†he said soberly afterward, â€Å"that it just might work.† Elena immediately began to think about Plans B and C so that they wouldn't be stuck if Plan A should fail. They had to drive through Fel ‘s Church to get to Ridgemont. Elena saw the burnt-out houses and the blackened trees through tears. This was her town, the town which, as a spirit, she had watched over and protected. How could it have come to this? And, worse, how could it ever possibly be put back together again? Elena began to shiver uncontrol ably. Matt sat grimly in the jury conference room. He had explored it long ago, and had found that the windows were boarded over from the outside. He wasn't surprised, as al the windows he knew back in Fel ‘s Church were boarded up, and besides, he had tried these boards and knew that he could break out if he cared to. He didn't care to. It was time to face his personal crisis. He would have faced it back before Damon had taken the three girls to the Dark Dimension, but Meredith had talked him out of it. Matt knew that Mr. Forbes, Caroline's father, had al his cronies in the police and legal system here. And so did Mr. Smal wood, the father of the real culprit. They were unlikely to give him a fair trial. But in any kind of trial, at some point they would at least have to listen to him. And what they would hear was the plain truth. They might not believe it now. But later, when Caroline's twins had as little control as werewolf babies were reputed to have over their shapes – Well, then they'd think of Matt, and what he'd said. He was doing the right thing, he assured himself. Even if, right now, his insides felt as if they were made of lead. What's the worst they can do to me? he wondered, and was unhappy to hear the echo of Meredith's voice come back. â€Å"They can put you in jail, Matt. Real jail; you're over eighteen. And while that may be good news for some genuine, vicious, tough old felons with homemade tattoos and biceps like tree branches, it is not going to be good news for you.† And then after a session on the Internet, â€Å"Matt, in Virginia, it can be for life. And the minimum is five years. Matt, please; I beg you, don't let them do this to you! Sometimes it's true that discretion is the better part of valor. They hold all the cards and we're walking blindfolded in the dark†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She had gotten surprisingly worked up about it, mixing her metaphors and al , Matt thought dejectedly. But it's not exactly as if I volunteered for this. And I bet they know those boards are pretty flimsy and if I break out, I'l be chased from here to who-knows-where. And if I stay put at least I'l get to tel the truth. For a very long time nothing happened. Matt could tel from the sun through the cracks in the boards that it was afternoon. A man came in and offered a visit to the bathroom and a Coke. Matt accepted both, but also demanded an attorney and his phone cal . â€Å"You'l have an attorney,†the man grumbled at him as Matt came out of the bathroom. â€Å"One'l be appointed for you.† â€Å"I don't want that. I want a real attorney. One that I pick.† The man looked disgusted. â€Å"Kid like you can't have any money. You'l take the attorney appointed to you.† â€Å"My mom has money. She'd want me to have the attorney we hire, not some kid out of law school.† â€Å"Aw,†the man said, â€Å"how sweet. You want Mommy to take care of you. And her al the way out in Clydesdale by now, I bet, with the black lady doctor.† Matt froze. Shut back in the jury room he tried frantical y to think. How did they know where his mom and Dr. Alpert had gone? He tried the sound of â€Å"black lady doctor† on his tongue and found it tasted bad, sort of old-time-ish and just plain bad. If the doctor had been Caucasian and male, it would've sounded sil y to say â€Å"†¦gone with the white man doctor.† Sort of like an old Tarzan film. A great anger was rising in Matt. And along with it a great fear. Words slithered around his mind: surveillance and spying and conspiracy and cover-up. And outwitted. He guessed it was after five o'clock, after everybody who normal y worked at court had left, that they took him to the interrogation room. They were just playing, he figured, the two officers who tried to talk to him in a cramped little room with a video camera in one corner of the wal , perfectly obvious even though it was smal . They took turns, one yel ing at him that he might as well confess everything, the other acting sympathetic and saying things like, â€Å"Things just got out of hand, right? We have a picture of the hickey she gave you. She was hot stuff, right?†Wink, wink. â€Å"I understand. But then she started to give you mixed signals†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Matt reached his snapping point. â€Å"No, we were not on a date, no, she did not give me a hickey, and when I tel Mr. Forbes you cal ed Caroline hot stuff, winkey winkey, he's gonna get you fired, mister. And I've heard of mixed signals, but I've never seen them. I can hear ‘no'as well as you can, and I figure one ‘no'means ‘no'!† After that they beat him up a little bit. Matt was surprised, but considering the way he had just threatened and sassed them, not too surprised. And then they seemed to give up on him, leaving him alone in the interrogation room, which, unlike the jury room, had no windows. Matt said over and over, for the benefit of the video camera, â€Å"I'm innocent and I'm being denied my phone cal and my attorney. I'm innocent†¦Ã¢â‚¬  At last they came and got him. He was hustled between the good and bad cops into a completely empty courtroom. No, not empty, he realized. In the first row were a few reporters, one or two with sketchbooks ready. When Matt saw that, just like a real trial, and imagined the pictures they'd sketch – just like he'd seen on TV, the lead in his stomach turned into a fluttering feeling of panic. But this was what he wanted, wasn't it, to get the story out? He was led to an empty table. There was another table, with several well-dressed men, al with piles of papers in front of them. But the thing that held Matt's attention at that table was Caroline. He didn't recognize her at first. She was wearing a dove gray cotton dress. Gray! With no jewelry on at all, and subtle makeup. The only color was in her hair – a brazen auburn. It looked like her old hair, not the brindled color it had been when she was starting to become a werewolf. Had she learned to control her form at last? That was bad news. Very bad. And final y, with an air of walking on eggshel s, in came the jury. They had to know how irregular this was, but they kept coming in, just twelve of them, just enough to fil the jury seats. Matt suddenly realized that there was a judge sitting at the desk high above him. Had he been there al along? No†¦ â€Å"Al rise for Justice Thomas Hol oway,†boomed a bailiff. Matt stood and wondered if the trial was real y going to start without his lawyer. But before everyone could sit, there was a crash of opening doors, and a tal bundle of papers on legs hurried into the courtroom, became a woman in her early twenties, and dumped the papers on the table beside him. â€Å"Gwen Sawicki here – present,†the young woman gasped. Judge Hol oway's neck shot out like a tortoise's, to bring her into his realm of sight. â€Å"You have been appointed on behalf of the defense?† â€Å"If it pleases Your Honor, yes, Your Honor – al of thirty minutes ago. I had no idea we had gone to night sessions, Your Honor.† â€Å"Don't you be pert with me!†Judge Hol oway snapped. As he went on to al ow the prosecution attorneys to introduce themselves, Matt pondered on the word â€Å"pert.†It was another of those words, he thought, that was never used toward males. A pert man was a joke. While a pert girl or woman sounded just fine. But why? â€Å"Cal me Gwen,†a voice whispered beside him, and Matt looked to see a girl with brown eyes and brown hair back in a ponytail. She wasn't exactly pretty, but she looked honest and straightforward, which made her the prettiest thing in the room. â€Å"I'm Matt – Well, obviously,†Matt said. â€Å"Is this your girl, Carolyn?†Gwen was whispering, showing a picture of the old Caroline at some dance, wearing stilts, and with tanned legs that went up and up to almost meet before a miniskirt took over, black and lacy. She had on a white blouse so tight at the bust that it hardly seemed able to contain her natural assets. Her makeup was exactly the opposite of subtle. â€Å"Her name's Caroline and she's never been my girl, but that's her – the real her,†Matt whispered. â€Å"Before Klaus came and did something to her boyfriend, Tyler Smal wood. But I have to tel you what happened when she found out she was pregnant – â€Å" She'd gone nuts, was what had happened. No one knew where Tyler was – dead after the final fight against Klaus, turned into a ful wolf in hiding; whatever. So Caroline had tried to pin it on Matt – until Shinichi appeared and became her boyfriend. But Shinichi and Misao were playing a cruel joke on her, pretending that Shinichi would marry her. It was after she realized that Shinichi didn't care at allthat Caroline had gone total y bal istic, and had real y tried to make Matt fit the gaping hole in her life. Matt did his best to explain this to Gwen so she could explain it to the jury, until the judge's voice interrupted him. â€Å"We wil dispense with opening arguments,†said Judge Hol oway, â€Å"since the hour is so late. Wil the prosecution cal its first witness?† â€Å"Wait! Objection!†Matt shouted, ignoring Gwen's tugging at his arm and her hissing: â€Å"You can't object to the judge's rulings!† â€Å"And the judge can't do this to me,†Matt said, twitching his T-shirt back from between her fingers. â€Å"I haven't even had a chance to meet with my public defender yet!† â€Å"Maybe you should have accepted a public defender earlier,†replied the judge, sipping from a glass of water. He suddenly thrust his head at Matt and snapped, â€Å"Eh?† â€Å"That's ridiculous,†cried Matt. â€Å"You wouldn't give me my phone cal to get a lawyer!† â€Å"Did he ever ask for a phone cal ?†Judge Hol oway snapped, his eyes traveling around the room. The two officers who had beat Matt up solemnly shook their heads. At this, the bailiff, whom Matt suddenly recognized as the guy who'd kept him in the jury room for around four hours, began wagging his head back and forth in the negative. They al three wagged, almost in unison. â€Å"Then you forfeited that right by not asking for it,†the judge snapped. It seemed to be his only way of speaking. â€Å"You can't demand it in the middle of a trial. Now, as I was saying – â€Å" â€Å"I object!† Matt shouted even louder. â€Å"They're al lying! Look at your own tapes of them interrogating me. Al I kept saying – â€Å" â€Å"Counselor,†the judge snarled at Gwen, â€Å"control your client or you wil be held in contempt of court!† â€Å"You have to shut up,†Gwen hissed at Matt. â€Å"You can't make me shut up! You can't have this trial while you're breaking al the rules!† â€Å"Shut your trap!† The judge belted out the words at a surprising volume. He then added, â€Å"The next person to make a remark without my express permission shal be held in contempt of court to the tune of a night in jail and five hundred dol ars.† He paused to look around to see if this had sunk in. â€Å"Now,†he said. â€Å"Prosecution, cal your first witness.† â€Å"We cal Caroline Beulah Forbes to the stand.† Caroline's figure had changed. Her stomach was sort of upside-down-avocado-shaped now. Matt heard murmurs. â€Å"Caroline Beula Forbes, do you swear that the testimony you shal give wil be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?† Somewhere deep inside, Matt was shaking. He didn't know if it was mostly anger or mostly fear or an equal combination of both. But he felt like a geyser ready to blow – not necessarily because he wanted to, but because forces beyond his control were taking hold of him. Gentle Matt, Quiet Matt, Obedient Matt – he had left al those behind somewhere. Raging Matt, Rampaging Matt, that was about al he could be. From a dim outside world, voices came filtering into his reverie. And one voice pricked and stung like a nettle. â€Å"Do you recognize the boy you have named as your former boyfriend Matthew Jeffrey Honeycutt here in this room?† â€Å"Yes,†the prickly nettle voice said softly. â€Å"He's sitting at the defense table, in the gray T-shirt.† Matt's head flew up. He looked Caroline straight in the eye. â€Å"You know that's a lie,†he said. â€Å"We never went on one date together. Ever.† The judge, who had seemed to be asleep, now woke up. â€Å"Bailiff!†he snapped. â€Å"Restrain the defendant immediately.† Matt tensed. As Gwen Sawicki moaned, Matt suddenly found himself being held while duct tape was wrapped round and round his mouth. He fought. He tried to get up. So they duct-taped him around his waist to the chair. As they final y left him alone, the judge said, â€Å"If he runs off with that chair, you wil pay it out of your own salary, Miz Sawicki.† Matt could feel Gwen Sawicki trembling beside him. Not with fear. He could recognize the about-to-explode expression and realized that she was going to be next. And then the judge would hold her in contempt and who would speak up for him? He met her eyes and shook his head firmly at her. But he also shook his head at every lie Caroline came up with. â€Å"We had to keep it a secret, our relationship,†Caroline was saying demurely, straightening the gray dress. â€Å"Because Tyler Smal wood, my previous boyfriend, might have found out. Then he would have – I mean, I didn't want any trouble between them.† Yeah, Matt thought bitterly: you'd better walk careful y – because Tyler's dad probably has as many good friends in here as yours does. More. Matt tuned out until he heard the prosecutor say, â€Å"And did anything unusual happen on the night in question?† â€Å"Well, we went out together in his car. We went over near the boardinghouse†¦no one would see us there†¦Yes, I – I'm afraid I did give him a†¦a love-bite. But after that I wanted to leave, but he didn't stop. I had to try to fight him off. I scratched him with my nails – â€Å" â€Å"The prosecution offers Peoples'Exhibit 2 – a picture of the deep fingernail scores on the defendant's arm – â€Å" Gwen's eyes, meeting Matt's, looked dul . Beaten. She showed Matt a picture of what he remembered: the deep marks made by the huge malach's teeth when he had pul ed his arm out of its mouth. â€Å"The defense wil stipulate†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"So admitted.† â€Å"But no matter how I screamed and fought†¦Well, he was too strong, and I – I couldn't – â€Å"Caroline tossed her head in agony of remembered shame. Tears flooded from her eyes. â€Å"Your Honor, perhaps the defendant needs a break to freshen her makeup,†Gwen suggested bitterly. â€Å"Young lady, you are getting on my nerves. The prosecution can care for its own clients – I mean witnesses – â€Å" â€Å"Your witness†¦Ã¢â‚¬  – from the prosecution. Matt had scribbled as much of the real story as he could onto a blank sheet of paper while Caroline's theatrics had gone on. Gwen was now reading this. â€Å"So,†she said, â€Å"your ex, Tyler Smal wood, is not and has never been a† – she swal owed – â€Å"a werewolf.† Through her tears of shame Caroline laughed lightly. â€Å"Of course not. Werewolves aren't real.† â€Å"Like vampires.† â€Å"Vampires aren't real either, if that's what you mean. How could they be?†Caroline was looking into every shadow of the room as she said this. Gwen was doing a good job, Matt realized. Caroline's demure patina was beginning to chip. â€Å"And people never come back from the dead – in these modern times, I mean,†Gwen said. â€Å"Well, as to that† – malice had crept into Caroline's voice – â€Å"if you just go to the boardinghouse in Fel ‘s Church, you can see that there's a girl cal ed Elena Gilbert, who was supposed to have drowned last year. On Founder's Day, after the parade. She was Miss Fel ‘s Church, of course.† There was a murmur among the reporters. Supernatural stuff sold better than anything else, especial y if a pretty girl was involved. Matt could see a smirk making the rounds. â€Å"Order! Miz Sawicki, you wil keep to the facts in this case!† â€Å"Yes, Your Honor.†Gwen looked thwarted. â€Å"Okay, Caroline, let's go back to the day of the al eged assault. After the events you have narrated, did you cal the police at once?† â€Å"I was†¦too ashamed. But then I realized I might be pregnant or have some horrid disease, and I knew I had to tel .† â€Å"But that horrid disease wasn't lycanthropy – being a werewolf, right? Because that couldn't be true.† Gwen looked anxiously down at Matt and Matt looked bleakly up at her. He'd hoped that if Caroline were forced to keep talking about werewolves she would eventual y start to twitch. But she seemed to have complete control over herself now. The judge seemed furious. â€Å"Young lady, I won't have my court made a joke with any more supernatural nonsense!† Matt stared at the ceiling. He was going to jail. For a long time. For something he hadn't done. For something he would never do. And besides, now, there might be reporters going over to the boardinghouse to bother Elena and Stefan. Damn! Caroline had managed to get that in despite the blood oath she'd made never to give their secret away. Damon had signed that oath as well. For a moment Matt wished that Damon were back and right here, to take revenge on her. Matt didn't care how many times he got cal ed â€Å"Mutt†if Damon would just appear. But Damon didn't. Matt realized that the duct tape around his middle was low enough that he could slam his head against the defense table. He did this, making a smal boom. â€Å"If your client wishes to be completely immobilized, Miz Sawicki, it can be – â€Å" But then they al heard it. Like an echo, but delayed. And much louder than the sound of a head striking a table. BOOM! And again. BOOM! And then the distant, disturbing sound of doors slamming open as if they had been hit by a battering ram. At this point the people in the courtroom Stillcould have scattered. But where was there to go? BOOM! Another, closer door slamming open. â€Å"Order! Order in the courtroom!† Footsteps sounded down the wooden floor of the corridor. â€Å"Order! Order!† But no one, not even a judge, could stop this many people from muttering. And late in the evening, in a locked courthouse, after al that talk of vampires and werewolves†¦ Footsteps coming closer. A door, quite near, crashing and creaking. A ripple of†¦something†¦went through the courtroom. Caroline gasped, clutching at her bulging stomach. â€Å"Bar those doors! Bailiff! Lock them!† â€Å"Bar them how, Your Honor? And they only lock from the outside!† Whatever it was, it was very close – The doors to the courtroom opened, creaking. Matt put a calming hand on Gwen's wrist, twisting his neck to see behind him. Standing in the doorway was Saber, looking, as always, as big as a smal pony. Mrs. Flowers walked beside him; Stefan and Elena drew up the rear. Heavy clicking footsteps as Saber, alone, went up to Caroline, who was gasping and quivering. Utter silence as everyone took in the sight of the giant beast, his coat ebony black, his eyes dark and moist as he took a leisurely look around the courtroom. Then, deep in his chest, Saber went hmmf. Around Matt people were gasping and writhing, as if they itched al over. He stared and saw Gwen staring along with him as the gasping became a panting. Final y Saber tilted his nose to the ceiling and howled. What happened after that wasn't pretty from Matt's point of view. Not seeing Caroline's nose and mouth jut out to make a muzzle. Not seeing her eyes recede into smal , deep, fur-lined holes. And her hands, fingers shrinking into helplessly waving paws, widespread, with black claws. That wasn't pretty. But the animal at the end was beautiful. Matt didn't know if she'd absorbed her gray dress or shucked it off or what. He did know that a handsome gray wolf leaped from the defendant's chair to lick up at Saber's chops, rol ing al the way on the floor to frolic around the huge animal, who was so obviously the alpha wolf. Saber made another deep hmmf sound. The wolf that had been Caroline rubbed her snout lovingly against his neck. And it was happening in other places in the room. Both of the prosecutors, three of the jurors†¦the judge himself†¦ They were al changing, not to attack, but to forge their social bonds with this huge wolf, an alpha if ever there was one. â€Å"We talked to him al the way,†Elena explained in between cursing the duct tape in Matt's hair. â€Å"About not being aggressive and snapping off heads – Damon told me he did that once.† â€Å"We didn't want a bunch of murders,†Stefan agreed. â€Å"And we knew no animal would be as big as he was. So we concentrated on bringing out al the wolf in him we could – wait, Elena – I've got the tape on this side. Sorry about this, Matt.† A sting as tape ripped free – and Matt put a hand to his mouth. Mrs. Flowers was snipping the duct tape that held him to the chair. Suddenly he was entirely free and he felt like shouting. He hugged Stefan, Elena, and Mrs. Flowers, saying, â€Å"Thank you!† Gwen, unfortunately, was being sick in a trash can. Actual y, Matt thought, she was lucky in having secured one. A juror was being sick over the railing. â€Å"This is Ms. Sawicki,†Matt said proudly. â€Å"She came in after the trial had begun, and did a real y good job for me.† â€Å"He said ‘Elena,'†Gwen whispered when she could speak. She was staring at a smal wolf, with patches of thinning hair, that came limping down from the judge's chair to cavort around Saber, who was accepting al such gestures with dignity. â€Å"I'm Elena,†said Elena, in between giving Matt mighty hugs. â€Å"The one who's†¦supposed to be dead?† Elena took a moment out to hug Gwen. â€Å"Do I feel dead?† â€Å"I – I don't know. No. But – â€Å" â€Å"But I have a pretty little headstone in the Fel ‘s Church cemetery,†Elena assured her – then suddenly, with a change in countenance, â€Å"Did Caroline tel you that?† â€Å"She told the whole room that. Especial y the reporters.† Stefan looked at Matt and smiled wryly. â€Å"You may just live to have your revenge on Caroline.† â€Å"I don't want revenge anymore. I just want to go home. I mean – â€Å"He looked at Mrs. Flowers in consternation. â€Å"If you can think of my house as ‘home'while your dear mother is away, I am very happy,†said Mrs. Flowers. â€Å"Thank you,†Matt said quietly. â€Å"I real y mean that. But Stefan†¦what are the reporters going to write?† â€Å"If they're smart, they won't write anything at all.†

Sunday, January 5, 2020

Underage Drinking The Best Years Of Your Life - 1596 Words

College is often referred to as the best years of your life. During these years you get to be more independent, finally have a say in what you want to learn about, and more commonly than not indulge in risky behavior. The definition of risky behavior in the case means underage drinking. Alcohol is a big part of the college experience for many, and for others they do not want anything to do with alcohol. Whether college students choose to indulge in drinking alcohol or not it still can affect them. A student may choose to not go to a party if there is drinking, or they may not choose to go watch a football game at a certain restaurant because it happens to be on one dollar beer night. One place that alcohol is almost guaranteed to be at those is college parties. Many students choose to relax after a long week by going to a party. At these parties alcohol is in abundance, drinking games are played, and for many bad decisions are made. The bad decisions can be costly for the student fro m a ticket for deciding to drive home, getting a minor in possession if the student is of age to have alcohol, or even getting kicked out of the dorms for being a repeat offender of alcohol in the dorm hall. The root of the majority of parties is always rumored to start in one particular place. That place being fraternities. Fraternities have been seen as the root of all college parties for ages. There are T.V. shows and movies that portray fraternities as just that, the root of college parties.Show MoreRelatedShould People Underage The 21 Drink? No942 Words   |  4 PagesShould people underage the 21 drink ? No,the effects on the body are horrible . www.Teenalcoholabuse.us/content/underage-drinking-consequernces.html, say that some long terms effects of underage drinking include brain damage psychologica, dependent on alcohol,memory and learning problems . And besides that there s a law that says you have to be at least 21 to drink . First there are the horrible physical affects of alcohol.Ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/welcom.reatures/20090902-teen-drinking/inc â€Å"AlcoholRead MoreUnderage Drinking Essays1216 Words   |  5 Pageswho is under the legal alcohol drinking age. Fewer situations are more life threatening than when an underage driver has been illegally consuming alcohol, yet persists in the belief that he or she retains the ability to drive safely. Thoughts along this line are foolish at best and deadly at worst. Unfortunately the worst case scenario is all to often a common occurance among intoxicated teenage drivers. Obataining a complete grasp of the effects of underage drinking and driving require not only simpleRead MoreEssay on Alcohol and Teens: The Effects of Teenage Drinking1520 Words   |  7 Pages When at a party, a student sees another teenager drinking a beer. Thinking nothing of it, the teenager picks up a large bottle labeled Vodka and beings to chug the contents of the bottle. The alcohol rushes through her body and she suddenly has a sense of feeling free and letting loose. The next thing the teena ge girl remembers is waking up in a hospital bed to her mother crying by her bed side. The only thing her mom could say was â€Å"Honey, please wake up. Please be okay, I want you to beRead MoreThe Debate Of The Drinking Age959 Words   |  4 PagesThe drinking age has always been twenty-one in the United States, whenever it has been questioned on why twenty-one and not eighteen. The scientific answer has always been because the eighteen-year-old brain is not fully developed yet. See what I have a hard time understanding is why eighteen-year-olds are considered adults at the age of eighteen, but we can’t have a drink. At eighteen you are allowed to buy cigarettes, join the army, change your name. I just don’t understand why at eighteen youRead MoreThe Use of Alcohol905 Words   |  4 Pagesmedical purposes. It can kill thousands of lives or if used responsibly it can make your life longer and healthier. Underage drinking is debated now a days, for these reasons and it is the government’s decision on whether or not teenagers are mature enough to use alcohol responsibly or abuse it. From the cringing feeling as you take a shot of your favorite liquor to the satisfying buzz you get while drinking your favorite beer or wine cooler, alcohol comes in many varieties. The more alcohol theRead MorePersuasive Essay On Underage Drinking1580 Words   |  7 Pages Underage drinking has been a huge problem in the United States of America. Underage drinking need to be regulated more closely so it can be stopped. Unfortunately, minors tend to see drinking as an adult thing which makes it fall into the category of being â€Å"cool†. More teenagers are giving into peer pressure and are getting involved in the consumption of alcohol. A study done in 2003 by the U.S Department of Health and Human Resources shows that most teenagers start drinking at the age of fourteenRead More Under Age? Essay example605 Words   |  3 Pages Eighteen year old people should be allowed to drink alcohol. When our 18th birthday roles around we become of legal age. We sign for the draft and become eligible to fight for our country. Its possible now to be charged as an adult and spend life in prison and we can now purchase tobacco products and all other drug paraphernalia. I cant drink beer though, I must wait till my 21st birthday. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;As a teenager who recently turned 18 and is now of legal age my point is validRead MoreThe Smoking Age Should Be Legal Drinking Age1517 Words   |  7 Pageswhile the drinking age remains 21. Parents make a big difference and can prevent this from happening and I have to agree 100% that the drinking age has saved hundreds of young peoples lives. As stated in Minimum Legal Drinking Age 21 and why it should stay there, â€Å"People who drink before they are 21 are also more likely to take part in risky behavior such as having unprotected sex.† The result of this is just numerous amounts of accidental pregnancies and STD’s being between many underage young humanRead MoreDo not Lower the Legal Drinking Age825 Words   |  3 Pages Through the years of Prohibition halting the sale, shipping, and ingestion of alcohol and the constitutional acts delegating who is accurately fit to drink. Today’s controversy is a lot less infringing on personal rights. It’s regarding whether the legal drinking age should be lowered from twenty-one to eighteen. This has been a huge controversy geared exclusively towards college students due to the fact that alcohol consumption at universities is the definitive part of campus life even though theRead MoreWhy The Drinking Age Should Be Lowered908 Words   |  4 PagesWhy the Drinking Age should be lowered to 18? At the age of 18, American Citizens gain the immense responsibility of becoming an adult. When you turn 18 you gain a sense of adulthood and many things that were illegal for you before are now legal. Object lessons are the right to sign a contract, vote in elections, attend on a jury, make a will, get married without parental permission and the list goes on. For what reason is it that you aren t old enough to purchase and consume alcohol. The passage