Editorial for June 5, 2008 edition:


Make it a dry spell

Summer is nearly upon us, a time when too many youngsters have too much time on their hands.
The message at a special presentation at Delaware Valley High School last week was sobering indeed. It was enough to bring state Attorney General Tom Corbett to the Somerton school to tout a prevention program, Girl Talk: Choices and Consequences of Underage Drinking. The message is pertinent to girls, to be sure, but it’s just as relevant to boys as well.
Far too often, the blame for underage drinking can be placed squarely on the folks who are supposed to know better — the kids’ parents. It’s a problem that’s all too familiar. So many parents are unwilling or unable to be parents. They’re afraid of their kids. They’re afraid to say "no" to them. They’re afraid to stand up to them. They’re afraid to watch them like a hawk. Much to society’s detriment, they just don’t give a damn.
That’s where government comes in.
State lawmakers, including the "family values" conservatives, should use their power to crack down on parents and hold them accountable for the actions of their kids. Heavy fines should be imposed on minors AND their parents when the youngsters are found to have imbibed. Revoking the driver’s licenses of errant kids is not sufficient punishment.
Legislators, please don’t rush into your traditional three-month-long summer recess. Pass ultra-tough laws that target underage drinkers. While you’re at it, stiffen the penalties on merchants that sell alcohol to kids.
Booze in the wrong hands can be just as deadly as drugs and cigarettes. A young life is a terrible thing to waste. ••

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