When it comes to protecting the unborn our state’s Republican legislators have no problems enacting laws. When it comes to protecting our youth from transgender sports participants, and the discussion of sexuality in our schools, our Republican legislators have no problems with restrictive legislation. When it comes to regulating which books are available in our libraries and checked out by our kids, once again our esteemed legislators rise to the occasion and have no problems enacting regulatory laws at the state and local levels about a non-issue.
However, when it comes to protecting our youth from underage drinking, our Baton Rouge Republican legislators balk and claim any changes in raising the legal age to 21 for entering bars would, “not be in the best interest of our young people and, frankly this is not in the best interest of the state.” At least this is what Sen Beth Mizell was told by the Senate Judiciary B Committee when they killed her bill aimed at protecting our youth from unscrupulous bars engaging in underage serving of alcohol. Presently in Louisiana you can enter a bar at 18 but must be 21 to purchase alcohol in a bar.
Am I missing something? Maybe too much illegal money would be lost if the bar entry age was aligned with the alcohol purchase law, for it seems that such a change would be embraced by bar owners because enforcement of underage drinking would be a great deal easier. But they vehemently opposed the change which makes them all suspects in the illegal monetary benefits that presently exist. Additionally, one has to wonder how many legislators own bars or have relatives or friends who own bars, or better yet, receive large campaign donations from alcohol lobby groups or owners of such establishments.
The hypocrisy in Baton Rouge never ceases to amaze me when the ‘almighty dollar’ is involved even when it may lead to harm.
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