In both the July 8, 2008, Daily Globe and another article I read a year ago, I notice that the drinking deaths of college students has doubled since the war started.
Drinking for the sake of getting drunk is on the rise both at college and spring break. The chickens of war are coming home to roost. During the Vietnam War, drug use made a significant rise. The chickens came home to roost then, also.
But this war is also affecting the attitudes of those that do not drink so much. The South Dakota State University mascot Jackrabbit now is a Lean Mean Fighting Machine. Who ever heard of a mean rabbit? Augustana College's Ole has twice as long a sword, it is drawn and is a shiny new one. Our youth are turning meaner.
This generation was taught to tolerate race and diversity of many kinds. Now they are being taught to be aggressive. What was called the Me Generation is now also getting mean. This will not work well.
This generation can not be judged by the mistakes of some. They are called the Me Generation since some notice some selfishness, but they also have done more volunteer work at a young age than any generation we have ever seen. So do not judge them all by these problems, but when the drinking death rate doubles, we do need to address a problem that is emotionally being hidden under alcohol.
