2008 Woodie Awards
Downtown Businesses Benefit From Underage Patrons
Nate Taylor/Muleskinner
Issue date: 2/1/07 Section: Opinion
For most underclassmen, college means freedom away from home. You're able to be an adult, and there's no more listening to mom and dad. You know what that means: partying all the time, and there is no better place to party in Warrensburg than downtown on Pine Street.
Warrensburg's nightlife has always had a reputation as being one of the best in Missouri. That's all I heard from family and friends when I told them I was coming to Central last summer. Therefore, when I went downtown for the first time, I was not surprised at what downtown did to a freshman like me.
Other than having a good time downtown, there are many traps and pitfalls for students who are minors. This is because underage students can party and have a good time with students who are legal adults. There is no barrier between minors and adults downtown, which means bars and clubs that serve alcohol are accessible to minors. For minors, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights downtown are an adventure filled with the joy of partying and avoiding police.
Let's face it: the bars and clubs want students to drink alcohol to make money. The important thing to remember is that the bars and clubs don't care if students are underage. Money is money whether it comes from an adult or a minor. Do you really think a bartender is going to worry about a person's age when they're asking him or her for a drink? Therefore, it's not hard for minors to get alcohol.
By looking at the police reports in this newspaper, it is easy to see how many students are charged with minor in possession. This problem will persist as long as establishments downtown allow minors inside.
All that downtown is doing (besides showing minors a little bit of fun) is putting them in legal danger of arrest. Minors can be arrested downtown for entering a bar under the age of 19, minor in possession, possession of an open container in public and driving while intoxicated.
What I'm trying to say is the philosophy of downtown Warrensburg is a bit wacky. They tell minors it's not acceptable to drink, but it's okay to be around adults who drink. I'm not suggesting not allowing minors in clubs, but they should not be in bars if the legal drinking age is 21. By doing this, bar owners are only encouraging minors to drink. Warrensburg police not only have to worry about adults drinking, but minors as well.
It seems reasonable to think that when you invite minors into the same place as adults, the minors will try to be like adults. It's true that minors want the same rights and privileges as adults, and it seems that downtown Warrensburg gives minors what they want: the opportunity to have those same rights and privileges.
Warrensburg's nightlife has always had a reputation as being one of the best in Missouri. That's all I heard from family and friends when I told them I was coming to Central last summer. Therefore, when I went downtown for the first time, I was not surprised at what downtown did to a freshman like me.
Other than having a good time downtown, there are many traps and pitfalls for students who are minors. This is because underage students can party and have a good time with students who are legal adults. There is no barrier between minors and adults downtown, which means bars and clubs that serve alcohol are accessible to minors. For minors, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights downtown are an adventure filled with the joy of partying and avoiding police.
Let's face it: the bars and clubs want students to drink alcohol to make money. The important thing to remember is that the bars and clubs don't care if students are underage. Money is money whether it comes from an adult or a minor. Do you really think a bartender is going to worry about a person's age when they're asking him or her for a drink? Therefore, it's not hard for minors to get alcohol.
By looking at the police reports in this newspaper, it is easy to see how many students are charged with minor in possession. This problem will persist as long as establishments downtown allow minors inside.
All that downtown is doing (besides showing minors a little bit of fun) is putting them in legal danger of arrest. Minors can be arrested downtown for entering a bar under the age of 19, minor in possession, possession of an open container in public and driving while intoxicated.
What I'm trying to say is the philosophy of downtown Warrensburg is a bit wacky. They tell minors it's not acceptable to drink, but it's okay to be around adults who drink. I'm not suggesting not allowing minors in clubs, but they should not be in bars if the legal drinking age is 21. By doing this, bar owners are only encouraging minors to drink. Warrensburg police not only have to worry about adults drinking, but minors as well.
It seems reasonable to think that when you invite minors into the same place as adults, the minors will try to be like adults. It's true that minors want the same rights and privileges as adults, and it seems that downtown Warrensburg gives minors what they want: the opportunity to have those same rights and privileges.
Be the first to comment on this story