News Flash IC - Bars are for Drinking

Ah, this renewed debate over who should and should not be allowed to carouse, responsibly of course, in Iowa City bars sure brings back fond memories.

Of my blurry college days? No.

Actually, it takes me back to the heady autumn of 2007, when I joined this outfit. My fourth column printed in The Gazette addressed the then-brewing ballot battle to make Iowa City bars off-limits to folks under age 21, the legal tippling threshold in these parts.

My opinion at that time was written BB, Before Blog, on parchment with a quill pen, so here's the conclusion I came to in those days:

My libertarian streak is with opponents (of 21-only). Students targeted/protected by this plan are adults, old enough to vote, fight, smoke and make their own choices. And unlike laws that punish illegal drinkers and irresponsible barkeepers, this ordinance also would affect non-drinking, non-lawbreaking patrons who have a Coke and hear a band.

But the realist in me prevails on this one. It's really pretty simple.

Bars are for drinking.

They may have video games and pool tables and big screens and obnoxious cover bands. They may have soda pop and frozen pizzas and those eggs in a jar, but drinking is the main event, especially after 10 p.m.

Fair or not, the drinking age is 21. I happen to think it's unfair. But until that changes, the bar age also should be 21.

Rarely, have I written a clearer, more authoritative opinion. Two plus years later, that's still where I'm at. And I'm still wary of those eggs.

As long as this state continues to maintain that you must be 21 years old to legally drink, there's no reason for people younger than that to be in taverns, bars, lounges, dives, gin joints, watering holes, tap rooms etc., late at night when imbibing is job one.

So if the Iowa City Council wants to make it 21-only, fine. And if the Iowa Legislature ever wants to lower the drinking age, great, although that's not going to happen.

I don't know whether the worries about house parties, lost business, etc, will happen if 21-only becomes law. And I'm don't know whether 21-only will help solve Iowa City's underage drinking problem.

But, trust me, I do know what happens in bars. Drinking.

These are simply the crucial debates that must be settled here, in the

"Beer Belly of America."  I just want to help.