Underage Drinking Sting at the Ralph

[Mike in Syracuse]

I personally don't care if people drink before they're 21. What I do care about is when people of any age get so stupid drunk that they become an annoyance to others. If your so purpose of going to a Bills game is to get so drunk you can't stand then you ought to take a look at your life.

 

Go to the game, have some drinks and have a good time. Just don't be a douche bag.

[NoSaint]

You want to give your kid a beer a fine, but the law is the law. The kids they are arresting I'm sure are wasted and making a scene and being generally stupid.

 

I read these were all 20 year old war veterans with wife and children enjoying a single craft brew after a long day at their job.

 

You mean it might have also been 17 year old drop outs chugging plastic bottle vodka?

 

Here in LA a Minor is allowed to drink with their parent/guardian present. Seems fair.

Edited August 11, 2012 by NoSaint

[HOUSE]

I hate to say this but this is just what the Bills want to eventually ban all drinking outside the stadium.

Edited August 11, 2012 by HOUSE

[bbb]

I hate to say this but this is just what the Bills want to eventually ban all drinking outside the stadium.

 

So, that nobody goes?

[The Avenger]

I don't have a problem with this at all. Sadly, most underage drinkers I've encountered in a public setting such as a game have been beyond wasted. It seems to be some sort of requirement that i you're too young to drink legally that when you do get your hands on something to drink you have to go completely overboard, make a total ass of yourself, cause problems, start fights and be a danger to yourself or those around you (if not a danger, a really anoying person to be around). I'd be ok if some of these kids could have a few pops and keep it under control, but that seems to be too much to ask from what I've seen. On top of all of this you figure a good number of these kids drove to the game and would be way too stupid to stop from getting behind the wheel completely blitzed, and I'm rooting for the cops on this one - go get 'em!

[MDH]

You want to give your kid a beer a fine, but the law is the law. The kids they are arresting I'm sure are wasted and making a scene and being generally stupid.

 

This. If these young adults where "enjoying their beer responsibly" they'd be smart enough to know that they're legally underage and they should drink at their homes or at a friend's. When I was 18 that's what I did. If you're underage how dumb do you have to be to drink in public? So how responsible are they when they go get piss drunk at a stadium and make such a ruckus as to attract the attention of cops...?

[Quester74]

Of course I think that obeying the law is important. However, I can't help but think that there is something absurd about a law that brings about a "sting" operation at the Ralph to nab 20 year olds for drinking what was probably a few beers. For heaven's sake, these are grown men and women who can and often do have families, full-time jobs, and can fight and die for their country. They can't enjoy a beer legally???? I'm sorry, but this law needs to change. We should clamp down on drunk driving--yes, but lower the drinking age for wine and beer. We need to teach teenagers how to enjoy beer responsibly (i.e., in our presence), not force them to drink cheep swill in private.

 

Well, if you wanted to make it right.. there shouldn't be an "Age Limit" for drinking.. there should be an "Intelligence Threshold".. i.e. "This person isn't smart enough to drink responsibly.. No beers fo' JOO!"

[Just in Atlanta]

With ya 100 percent. We have so many laws governing so many facets of our lives, it's nearly impossible not to break the law on a daily basis.

 

When I was in the Air Force, I couldn't drink legally for the first two years of my four year commitment. Every one I knew, however, did, and kids still got busted for it, even though everyone knew that everyone did it. If that's not insane, don't know what is.

 

Yet, you can die for your country, get the death penalty, be tried as an adult, drive, vote, and yada yada yada.

 

As for the Ralph, talk about a waste of resources. It's check the box policing.

 

Absurd law.

 

I don't have a problem with this at all. Sadly, most underage drinkers I've encountered in a public setting such as a game have been beyond wasted. It seems to be some sort of requirement that i you're too young to drink legally that when you do get your hands on something to drink you have to go completely overboard, make a total ass of yourself, cause problems, start fights and be a danger to yourself or those around you (if not a danger, a really anoying person to be around). I'd be ok if some of these kids could have a few pops and keep it under control, but that seems to be too much to ask from what I've seen. On top of all of this you figure a good number of these kids drove to the game and would be way too stupid to stop from getting behind the wheel completely blitzed, and I'm rooting for the cops on this one - go get 'em!

When you treat people like children they act like children. In many European countries, where kids drink with their parents openly, they don't have the same attitudes. This is what happens when a government treats its citizenry like kids. The law needs to change.

[kasper13]

I think MORE people would go. I think more people would bring their kids to games. It's not the responsible people that ruin it for everyone else. It's the out of control drunk and obnoxious, more than likely underage people that ruin it for others. Where is it written that to enjoy a football game you have to get wasted and act obnoxious? People think it's a right to pound a 12 pack, drop f-bombs and puke all over themselves because they are at a football game. They need to change the culture and mentality or they will lose an entire generation of potential fans plus the older responsible fans that don't want to put up with that garbage anymore. You want to go the game, have a few beers and yell and scream. Go ahead. That's what it is supposed to be like. There are laws- right or wrong- whatever- they are there. Don't smoke pot in public, no underage drinking in public, don't get drunk and drive a vehicle. There is an open container law too. Just because you go to a football game doesn't make those things disappear. I don't understand why you would spend all that money on a ticket and parking and get wrecked to the point you don't remember the game, piss yourself or get in a fight and then drive home. It's crazy.

[shoretalk]

Of course I think that obeying the law is important. However, I can't help but think that there is something absurd about a law that brings about a "sting" operation at the Ralph to nab 20 year olds for drinking what was probably a few beers. For heaven's sake, these are grown men and women who can and often do have families, full-time jobs, and can fight and die for their country. They can't enjoy a beer legally???? I'm sorry, but this law needs to change. We should clamp down on drunk driving--yes, but lower the drinking age for wine and beer. We need to teach teenagers how to enjoy beer responsibly (i.e., in our presence), not force them to drink cheep swill in private.

 

There are a couple of issues here ... first, shouldn't we be encouraging young people to obey the law? When a large group of individuals come together in violation of the laws that have been established then it is the obligation of law enforcement officials to take actions otherwise what does that say to the rest of us who are teaching our young people to be civil to each other, to obey laws, and to not get intoxicated. The age 21 drinking law was put into place after a major campaign by MADD to reduce the number of drunk driving accidents because statistics indicated that there were more DWI/DUI's amongst the 18 to 21 age group in comparison to older ages (Perhaps, it is because when we were young and foolish we also thought we had control of our abilities while drinking but most of us have since realized that a few too many means we do not react in key situations like we do.).

 

I write that while also believing that the increase in age has led to more drinking parties that are not supervised in comparison to the era when I was 18 and could drink. If someone can vote and go to war then they should be able to have a beer or two but also law enforcement should be there to make sure they are not driving while impaired.

 

Another thread was addressing the foul language and fights at THE RALPH; frankly when I look around the stadium it is almost always young drunken faces in the middle of any fights that occur. And, that thread also talked about roaving groups of young people cursing, etc..

 

So, I want to say thanks to the Bills and to the Orchard Park Police for attempting to make the roads safer and the game experience more pleasant.

 

I think MORE people would go. I think more people would bring their kids to games. It's not the responsible people that ruin it for everyone else. It's the out of control drunk and obnoxious, more than likely underage people that ruin it for others. Where is it written that to enjoy a football game you have to get wasted and act obnoxious? People think it's a right to pound a 12 pack, drop f-bombs and puke all over themselves because they are at a football game. They need to change the culture and mentality or they will lose an entire generation of potential fans plus the older responsible fans that don't want to put up with that garbage anymore. You want to go the game, have a few beers and yell and scream. Go ahead. That's what it is supposed to be like. There are laws- right or wrong- whatever- they are there. Don't smoke pot in public, no underage drinking in public, don't get drunk and drive a vehicle. There is an open container law too. Just because you go to a football game doesn't make those things disappear. I don't understand why you would spend all that money on a ticket and parking and get wrecked to the point you don't remember the game, piss yourself or get in a fight and then drive home. It's crazy.

 

Someone posted recently that anyone who said that they didn't go to games to get drunk when they were young was a liar. Isn't it absurd that anyone would state that a professional sporting event was designed for drunks and those who could most creatively curse out other fans, the opposing team members or the referees.

[Johnny Hammersticks]

Certainly, it was an over generalization. In my mind's eye I had a picture of an 18 year old kid just back from a long day at work who comes home and kisses the wife and kids, and sits down to "enjoy a cold beer". This picture was completely contrary to my personal experiences of 18 year olds drinking beer, which usually involves fighting, vomiting, naked women, and jail (not necessarily in that order).

 

Ahhh.....to be young again

[Just in Atlanta]

Sig1Hunter, per your part about the list not necessarily being in that order, if the naked women came after being jailed, I'm afraid to tell you those weren't women.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Well, if you wanted to make it right.. there shouldn't be an "Age Limit" for drinking.. there should be an "Intelligence Threshold".. i.e. "This person isn't smart enough to drink responsibly.. No beers fo' JOO!"

 

It's not only intelligence of course but also things like maturity, common sense, cultural mores, upbringing, etc.

 

I'm not for more laws but I am for better laws.

 

I don't subscribe to the dogma that all laws are bad or that government becomes like "Communism" or "Big Brother" every time they enact a law or some kind of legislation.

 

I don't believe those things because I'm not a moron and I don't have my opinions force fed into me by media outlets. But I digress.

 

As Just in Atlanta stated, the difference between the way Europeans and Americans indoctrinate their youth is a very interesting difference in cultures. As Shoretalk starts to suggest, there is something to the "taboo-izing" of certain behaviors which seem to make young people want to revolt in an extreme way.

 

I like No Saints mention of the Louisiana law which allows young people to drink in the presence of their parents, just as I like the laws in many states which allow youngsters below legal driving age to operate a tractor or farm machine during harvest time.

 

Basically it would be great to live in a smarter culture which values common sense and wisdom instead of lawyers and insurance companies when making policy.

[Delete This Account]

shouldn't charges have been laid for a misrepresentation of facts? because from my vantage point, for much of that night, it didn't really resemble much of a football game, eh?

 

jw

[Fan in San Diego]

This. If these young adults where "enjoying their beer responsibly" they'd be smart enough to know that they're legally underage and they should drink at their homes or at a friend's. When I was 18 that's what I did. If you're underage how dumb do you have to be to drink in public? So how responsible are they when they go get piss drunk at a stadium and make such a ruckus as to attract the attention of cops...?

 

You can't even do that here in California. Nosy neighbors are determined to spoil what should be a legit right in your own home.

[bbb]

Alcohol laws are B.S., and are all about raising $$$. Politicians don't give a rat's ass about safety, or the public. We've been brainwashed about this crap, and for too long.

Somebody who drinks a qt. of 'Jack', and gets behind a wheel deserves to be locked up. No doubt.

When people go out and have a few drinks, they should not be treated like criminals, or have to live in fear.

The 18 year old drinking age should be reinstated.If you are old enough to get your nuts shot off in a war, you should be able to buy a drink.

If raising the age to 21 was really all about safety, then I say raise the drinking age to 65. Only people of retirement age should be allowed to drink.

We'll all be "safer" then. Right??

 

Who is making the $$$ on this?

[Tolstoy]

I agree that the real problem with lowering the drinking age is the possibility of more drunk drivers. However, there is a cost. Young people now drink secretly, and lose the opportunity to learn how to drink responsibly in the company of mature adults; our legal system spends our resources prosecuting young people who drink illegally; college campuses are overrun with the problem of binge drinking; etc. I also think it is just silly to deny a 20 year old a bottle of beer. However, all of this is a price I am willing to pay to stop more drunk drivers.

 

Still, I wonder if there could be another way.

 

For example, I was in the Netherlands recently, and their drinking age is 16 for wine and beer, but 21 for a driver's license. I don't think we could do this here, because we don't have the train system that they do (or the bike-riding culture), but I wonder sometimes. I was struck by how many 17 and 18 year olds were sitting at cafes and restaurants quietly enjoying a beer or a bottle of wine with their meals. I am sure young people get plastered there too, but there was at least a hint of maturity in this regard that I rarely see here.

[Garion]

If it was a bust of folks using weed (or crack . . .recognizing arguable differences) would it be any different?

 

It's illegal and they busted folks. We could argue if those who were partaking were lieky the kind of fans who were detracting from other fans experience.

 

I drank under legal age but I didn't do it in a public place. As a dad of two young kids we just had a family discussion about whether we could take the, to the game (that's a mother discussion). Sloppy drunks was one factor in my wife's answer.

 

[The Avenger]

The problem is really the place of alcohol in society. Alcohol is a drug - one with mind-altering effects, but it is socially acceptable. What's more, abuse of alcohol is or has become socially aceptable. Getting drunk isn't viewed as having a drug problem, it's seen as something everyone does - heck, it's seen as a right of passage. If you're someone who binge drinks in college you're not a person with a drug problem, you're just someone who parties and has a rep like Belushi in Animal House - people might even admire you for that. Truth is, if you look at almost any form of problem in society - crime, violence, accidents - you'll see that alcohol is a magnifying factor. Given society's view of alcohol and its use/abuse, it's no wonder many people don't have the maturity to use it responsibly. Until society changes its views on alcohol I believe lowering the drinking age will make the problem worse, not better - too many immature people using a legal drug.

Edited August 11, 2012 by The Avenger

[Sammyboy]

I was around when the drinking age was 18. One thing I've got to say about the kids now as opposed to us back then is that they're much more aware about having a designated driver. The young people I'm around now actively ask who's going to stay sober to drive. And the bars provide free Cokes to DD's. So, I figure if you're old enough to fight and die for your country you should be old enough to go into a bar and have a beer.