Opinion

 Laws are designed to protect people, and therefore in this regard when they apply to age they should only restrict rights based on age-related factors that in some way inhibit the questioned activity. In terms of the following three laws I disagree            http://www.itzalist.com/sho/police-car-pictures.html      with  the voting law, and somewhat disagree with the drinking and gambling laws. I think the voting should be an activity open to all people that will be affected by the election that is being voted on. It is unjust to put laws and other responsibilities on young adults without giving them the privilege of getting to vote on who will affect these laws that will ultimately affect them. The Constitution of the U.S. which we have discussed in class was founded on principles such as no taxation without representation, yet we place income taxes on teens from the age of 15 and don't let them vote for 3 years until they are 18. Many people feel as if dropping the voting age would be bad for the country since they feel as if young adults/teens aren't informed enough to make mature decisions about politics. However many kids take government classes at this age and are required to learn about the system our government uses to run, which probably gives them a stronger political awareness than the average american. For these reasons I find it only reasonable and appropriate to drop the voting age at least 1-2 years.
When it comes to drinking laws I also think that the drinking age should be lowered. However I do not think this should be done blindly as drinking can definitely have a negative impact on younger drinkers. Many precautions and steps should be taken to crack down on DUI’s and other drinking offences before the drinking age is lowered. I feel as if the safest way to coexist with alcohol in a society is to be open about it yet stern when individuals abuse it. Most countries around the world have lower drinking ages than the U.S. and also experience less negative side affects from this. The laws need to be set up in the right orientation to protect individuals from problems that go with alcohol abuse and not persecute responsible drinkers from the ages from 18-21. Laws are meant to be there to protect citizens not discriminate based on age.
The last age related issue that I examined was the age of gambling. I think that it just makes sense to have a universal age for gambling regardless of the type of gambling. I think Wollstonecraft would also agree that the age of gambling shouldn't be lower for the lottery. Being the true advocate of republicanism and personal rights that she was, she would see this as a blatant abuse of the states power to enforce a law that contradicts their other laws for the benefit of the state. Just as with the other laws I feel as if the age restriction should be there only when age is a factor that could put the individual at risk, otherwise their personal rights shouldn't be infringed on due to age discrimination.