Keeping The New Law : Michael 's Law

In 1969, Massachusetts fashioned the law 40B, famously referred to as the “Anti-Snob Zoning Act”, which allows developers to bypass land use restrictions in towns where less than ten percent of the housing meets the state definition of affordable. There are multiple positions and solutions to friction in Massachusetts largely inspired by controversy surrounding the State's affordable housing law, Massachusetts General Laws chapter 40B between housing advocates and open space advocates. This thesis reviews and critiques the current law, and diagnoses various legislative proposals for the progressive feud.

One side to this debate is that the legal drinking age should be lowered from 21 to around 18 or 19 years old, and that young adults should be allowed to drink in controlled environments. This idea is presented by Ruth Engs, a professor of Applied Sciences at Indiana University. She states that environments such as taverns, pubs, restaurants and official university functions can be considered to be controlled environments. “In these situations responsible drinking could be taught through role modeling and educational programs. Mature and sensible drinking behavior would be expected” (Engs). In her article, Engs uses phrases such as “forbidden fruit,” and “a badge of rebellion against authority” to describe how teens view drinking. In her opinion, if the drinking age were to be lowered, young adults would no longer feel the pressure to drink in order to “be cool.”

Young people have been attracted to alcohol since the early 1820’s, and it “...has rattled authorities around the world for centuries” (Clark 5). Through the 1800’s and into the 1900’s, “...anti-saloon activists helped to pass Prohibition in 1919 by circulating pictures of children sneaking alcohol out of taverns” (Clark 5). Teen drinking, however, climbed quickly after World War II and proceeded in an upward motion up into, “...the early 1970’s…[where there was a] successful movement to give 18-year-olds the right to vote” (Clark 6). And with

On February 3, 2017, Tim Piazza, a sophomore here at Penn State, tragically lost his life at the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house. This horrific event was a result of irresponsible consumption of alcohol and binge drinking. Sadly, this is not an isolated incident. Around the nation, countless young adults have lost their life due to the thoughtless consumption of alcohol. Unfortunately, the common census between the majority of the average day Americans is that the most effective way to make drinking safer for young adults is enforcing a minimum drinking age of twenty one. This law, as well as the common census, are a direct result from the efforts of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) more than thirty years ago (“Drinking Culture”). MADD’s objective and goal is quite understandable; they want the young adults of today’s world to be safe and not put themselves into dangerous situations with alcohol, but they doing more harm than good. (“The Problem”). Safety is the single objective from each side in this argument, but MADD’s flawed logic and ignorance to reality has formed a belief that results in an unsafe drinking culture, resulting in more deaths, such as the tragic passing of Tim Piazza, unless the drinking age is lowered to eighteen, as well as establishing an open dialogue about drinking itself.

Every year, thousands of deaths occur as a result of drunk driving, and every day people are facing the consequences of irresponsible drinking. Because of the issues caused by irresponsible drinking, the US government passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act in 1984 which raised the minimum drinking age to twenty-one to prevent drinking-related accidents and violence. Despite the intent of its passing, it was a counterproductive decision. Because of the higher age restriction, high school upperclassmen and college underclassmen see drinking as an exciting, rebellious act. Consequentially, the National Minimum Drinking Age Act resulted in an increase in dangerous and irresponsible drinking which continues to this day. Not only does the

Underage drinking now classified as illegal triggers a barrier and a limitation to what and how one allows their selves to think and outsmart the laws creating the rebellious underage drinker. For example college, “the 21-year-old drinking age has created a climate in which terms like "binge" and "pregame" have come to describe young peoples ' choices about alcohol; in which the law is habitually and thoughtlessly ignored by adolescents and adults alike; in which colleges and communities across the nation are plagued with out-of-control parties, property damage, and belligerent drunks” a main source (Choose Responsibly). The behavior of a person under the age of 21 is in no doubt the irresponsible crazy typical

Changes are taking place to prevent and minimize binge drinking. Colleges, Mothers Against Drunk Driving program, community and even parents are now realizing how crucial their involvement is in order to improve the situation. Law enforcement has also stepped up their game by ensuring local establishments, especially those around college campuses and high schools, abide by the rules, and punishing those adults who are willing to break them. They constantly patrol areas known to be used for “breaking the law” to create a safer environment for those around (4).

All organizations are expected to comply with local, state and governmental laws. If an organization experiences non-compliance to

Several states like Michigan, Massachusetts, and Maine in the United States of America lowered their drinking ages to 18. As a direct result there was increase in alcohol related clashes. This clearly shows that the teenagers are not ready to be left to drink freely. This situation can be attributed to the fact that the

High school is over and it is your first time away form home, what are you going to do? The typical college student wants to party! Of the people that were surveyed over half believed that the legal drinking age should be lowered. [O’Kane 1] The legal age to drink in the United States is now 21 years old; college freshman, sophomores, and some juniors are not of the legal age to drink. This causes a problem on many campuses; several students are experiencing their first time away from parental care in a setting sinonomus with drinking and clubbing. Some feel pressure from family and friends to receive excellent grades while attending school, sometimes the pressure is too much and going out and

An article written by Sophie Defaix, a staff member of Millersville University, writes an article in The Snapper the University's paper called “The drinking age in America: what’s there to fuss about.” Defaix argues that the drinking age in the United States should be lowered to eighteen, and if so the amount of underage binge drinking incidents would decrease. Defaix writes this paper with the intended audience most likely being staff and students of the university or even parents of students that attend the university. Defaix uses examples and draws on her past to relate to her readers and give them other perspectives, but she has nothing that backs her strengths her argument limiting its effect.

“Do you want to go out with us on Mill tonight?” I begrudgingly shake my head no, since I am twenty years old that means I truly have no business being on Mill Ave on a Friday night. Mill Ave offers a movie theater, restaurants, clothing stores, and plenty other places people can spend money, but on a weekend night, Mill Ave is cluttered with booze, and college students. It has somehow become a rite of passage for ASU students to head over to Mill and get as drunk as you can, for the cheapest amount of money. The street is filled with people, some drunk, some loud, and the brave souls that were trying to go to Mill for something other than the bars, people like me. The further into Mill, the drunker people seemed to be. Women were wearing short

This era of teen indulgences has become an issue across the country. The problem is the bizarre and reckless drinking habits of the young adults in America. Focusing on college campuses, this is where many mishaps with alcohol takes place. When some young adults in the age range of eighteen to twenty-one think of the word "college," the word "party" also comes to mind. Partying in college is like a general tradition which is being depicted in many movies; although, they usually end with incidents regarding an irresponsible, intoxicated teen. With all of these real life and terrifying events, some U.S. states want to lower the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) anyhow. Missouri, South Dakota, Vermont, and Minnesota would still like their MLDA lowered. As reported from the Guardian Unlimited, there are bills in Missouri, South Dakota, Minnesota and Vermont that would lower the drinking age for the general public; Kentucky, Wisconsin and South Carolina have introduced bills that would make alcohol available to those under-twenty-one that are serving in the military. Although, there are several organizations that support the Country’s decision on the MLDA of twenty-one. These organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), and the Gallup Organization try to develop smart ways to empower the movement of lowering the risk of unsafe drinking. All we simply have to do is keep the legal drinking age, for all states, at twenty-one.

For countless young adults after high school the next stepping stone is college, however, students are not only learning from the classes they attend, but also from the parties. Consequently, they are being introduced to alcohol and plenty of it; learning how to shotgun a beer or attempt a keg stand is all the rage. Suddenly, people are viewing college binge drinking as a right of passage for even their youngest students. Thus, demands the questioning of lowering the drinking age to counteract college binge drinking. “The reality is that at age 18 in this country, one is a legal adult. Young people view 21 as utterly arbitrary—which it is. And because the explanation given them is so condescending—that they lack maturity and judgment,

For I have been a witness to actions like this, because in the year of 2012, my friend went to a concert with a bunch of friends; they was all partying, having a great time together, and consuming a lot of alcohol. It was all a bunch of teenagers that had just