Drinking Culture and American Social Norms

SPEECH #3 – PERSUASIVE SPEECH Name: DANIEL C. DILIGENT Title: Lowering the Legal Drinking Age Specific Purpose: To argue in favor of lowering the minimum legal drinking age in the United States. Thesis Statement: I will discuss 1) the current legal drinking age, 2) the effect that this drinking age has upon American social norms, and 3) the potential benefits of a lower drinking age. I. INTRODUCTION A. Hook: Alcohol is ever-present in today’s American society. Television viewers are constantly bombarded with advertisements promoting its consumption. Social events rarely take place without their attendees drinking some alcoholic beverage or another. However, young people in America are told by society that they are not allowed to participate in the common social activity of drinking until they reach the age of 21. Thus, when they find ways around this stipulation – and most of them do – young men and women often engage in irresponsible drinking. Ultimately, the most effective way to cure this social imperfection is to lower the minimum legal drinking age and to begin educating young men and women about responsible alcohol use sooner. B. Rapport: Most of you are either at or near the current legal drinking age of 21. Undoubtedly, each of you has been affected by the minimum drinking age in one way or another. Whether you have been turned away from a bar or compelled to partake in clandestine drinking practices, you have all been impacted by this age restriction. C. Credibility: Good evening, my name is Danny Modafferi. I too have felt the impact of the age restriction on alcohol consumption. For example, I have been confined in my ability to cultivate my love for craft beers. I have researched the laws of California extensively in search of a way around these rules, but I have been unsuccessful. As I am now nearing my twenty-first birthday, I am turning my focus to advocating for the reduction of the drinking age for the sake of future generations. D. Bridge: This

Bibliography: 1. Tway, Kelley. “The Benefits of the Drinking Age.” Mothers Against Drunk Driving. 2004. 2. Seaman, Barrett. Binge. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2005, Pages 17-26. 3. Kiesbye, Stefan. Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered? Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008, Pages 36-43. 4. Wechsler, Henry. Dying to Drink. Rodale: St. Martin’s Press, 2002, Pages 73-117. 5. Helzer, John E. Alcoholism in North America, Europe, and Asia. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992, Pages 102-121. 5. Vines, Joe. “Push to lower drinking age faces tough climb up Capitol Hill.” Keene Sentinel. [Keene, NH] 8 December 2008, Page 5. 7. Manzardo, Ann. Alcoholism: The Facts. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008, Pages 101-124. Appeals in Order Logical Appeal – “The current legal drinking age of 21 is not working and instead has resulted in the unintended consequence of creating a clandestine college culture of binge drinking that is often conducted off campus, where the school is powerless to control it.” Seaman, Barrett. Binge. Emotional Appeal – “Our country’s young men and women are thrust into independence, particularly in the college setting, without the knowledge necessary to keep themselves healthy and safe.” Kiesbye, Stefan. Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered? Emotional Appeal – “90 percent of the alcohol consumed by those under 21 in the United States is during binge drinking. And binge drinking is most prevalent among people ages 18 to 20. Thus, those who typically partake in the most dangerous drinking practices most often are those who do so secretly.” Weschsler, Henry. Dying to Drink Logical Appeal – “According to the most recent national household survey, approximately 7.5 percent of the U.S. population abuse and/or are dependent on alcohol.” Helzer, John E. Alcoholism in North America, Europe, and Asia. Emotional Appeal – “The organization Choose Responsibility advocates a national licensing program in which high school graduates obtain a license that entitles them to all the privileges and responsibilities of adult alcohol purchase, possession, and consumption. However, if a license-holder violates the law in any way, then the license is revoked.” Vines, Joe. “Push to lower drinking age faces tough climb up Capitol Hill”. Logical Appeal – “Alcoholics tend to be physically ill, mentally depressed, and generally unproductive. A program which educates the public about proper, responsible alcohol use would improve the nation’s well-being as a whole by first improving the lives of its individual citizens.” Manzardo, Ann. Alcoholism: The Facts.