You're Legally an Adult at 18, but Not Really

It's very interesting here in the USA how some laws and rules seem to be passed without much thought either from the people who proposed the law or the people voting on the law.

Let's take for example who's considered an "adult" here in the USA. Once a person reaches 18 he or she is considered an "adult." Once reaching this age you can move out the confinements or protection (depending on your point of view) of your parent's home and live on your own. You are free to make your own decisions and do what you want (within legal limits) or are you "free"?

If you are under 21 you cannot buy any alcoholic beverages. If you are under 21 you cannot gamble or enter a casino gaming floor. If you are under 21 and still attending school full-time and still living at home, most medical insurance companies will let your parents keep you on their medical plan. If you are under 21, living at home and attending school full-time and your parents are divorced your father (in most cases) may be required to pay child support to your mother until your 21 or you cease being a full-time student. If you are under 21 there are actually hotels here in the USA that will **not** allow you to rent a room from them until you are 21 or you have a 21 year old in the room with you.

It's all very confusing. Didn't the law state that at 18 people are "adults"? The Webster Dictionary main definition for an adult is:

1: adult: fully developed and mature: Grown-Up

How interesting that the definition of "adult" is to be fully developed, mature and grown-up, yet there are laws in our country that seem to contradict this definition.

A person who turns 18 is legally allowed to participate in the political process and cast their vote. It's okay for an 18 year old to have a say in which person should be the leader of the free world, but this same 18 year is not allowed to buy a drink. It is Federal law that all 18-25 year old men register with the Selective Service (a nice way to say Draft Board). Granted there is no active draft at this time, but that's no guarantee it won't be enacted at some point in time. Even without the draft being in effect any person 18 or over can join the military. So, our Federal government has no problem handing an 18 year old a weapon and letting that person potentially kill another human being or possibly be killed themselves, but buying liquor or for that matter going to a casino and rolling the dice in Las Vegas is illegal.

Speaking of gambling and casinos, a person is who is 18 or older can "play" the stock market? Isn't the buy and selling of stocks a form of "gambling"? No one knows for sure if a stock will be successful. Stockbrokers constantly tell people "never risk more than you can afford to lose." Sounds like the same advice casinos tell their patrons. Yet for some reason risking money in the stock market is okay when you're 18, but not at a casino (or sport book or racetrack, take your pick).

It's surprising and shocking, using the above logic that "adults" under 21 are allowed are allowed to buy cough medicine in this country. Many cough medicines are 40% alcohol by volume aka 80 proof, which is the same strength as many hard liquors. Perhaps, this is the reason we have 18 year making "Robitussin cocktails." Legally it's the only alcohol they are allowed to purchase.

A person who is 18 is allowed to leave home, get married or cohabitate and bring "new" people into the world via procreation. Amazing! An 18 year old is trusted to be responsible enough to bring a new life into the world and raise this new person, but that same 18 year isn't trusted enough or deemed mature enough to buy liquor.

Once a person is 18 they can enter into legally binding contracts, but still cannot buy alcohol. Where is the logic in this line of thinking?

It's very perplexing because it seems the laws are very contradictory. How can an 18 year be called an "adult" for some things, but not others and yet some people who are under 18 can treated like adults in certain situations (not including emancipated minors). In our country a "child" can be considered an adult and tried as an adult if they commit a heinous enough act. Some murders for example, if committed by a child under 18 can end up with that child being treated as an adult. Why? Did his or her pulling of the trigger all of a sudden make him or her more "mature"? Does the taking of a human life mean that the perpetrator is somehow special and not allowed to be considered a "child" anymore?

If society is going to let a "child" be tried as an "adult" in certain circumstances than why can't a "child" be an adult in other circumstances? For example if a 13 year old girl has sex with a 20 year old, he's considered a sexual monster and she's a "victim." He can be tried for rape (even if the girl consented to the sex). If he's convicted he gets to register as a sex offender for the rest of life. How amazing. Have any of you talked or met some of the 13 year girls in today's society? Between their make-up and provocative clothing and their role-models like Brittany Spears, it's a fair bet some of this "children" could teach you some tricks in the bedroom.

Why are cases like these looked at on an individual basis? Better yet, if people are supposed to be adults at 18 then why aren't all people 18 and over allowed to do what someone of, let's say 50 years of age able to do? The same holds true for those under 18. If you're under 18 you're a minor. It's very plain, very simple. You are your parent's legal responsibility until you turn 18, no 20, 21 or 25, 18.

If society is so-dead set against letting an 18 year buy liquor, rent a hotel room, gamble or any other activity then raise the age of adulthood from 18 back to 21 the way it was years ago. Of course this would be mean all parents would be responsible for their little darlings until they reach 21 years of age, the government could not force anyone under 21 to register for the Selective Service nor would they be able to let anyone join the military while under 21. Problem solved.

Sources:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adult

http://www.sss.gov/

http://research.lawyers.com/Twenty-Sixth-Amendment---Right-to-Vote-at-Age-18.html