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Banning
Teens From Nightclubs Won't Stop Violence |
Posted:
02.07.07
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As Washington, DC considers legislation that would ban underage
patrons from nightclubs following the death of a 17-year-old girl,
Maya Gibson-Reinemer argues that keeping teens out of venues with
live music will not stop the violence.
If you'd like to respond to Maya's editorial, e-mail
us.
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The tragic, untimely shooting death of a 17-year-old girl in
a Washington, DC nightclub has sparked a debate over whether minors
should be banned from nightclubs in the nation's capital.
 Taleshia
Ford was accidentally shot during a fight between a young man
and the club's bouncer.
First and foremost I would like to extend my deepest sympathy
to her family and friends.
A young life was taken that night; however it was not caused
by the presence of minors in the same club as adults consuming
alcohol.
The cause of Ford's death was a bullet and the fact that a man
was carrying a loaded handgun inside the club in the first place.
To try and blame this incident on the presence of minors in a
club that serves alcohol makes absolutely no sense.
To place a general ban on minors in DC nightclubs would do nothing
to prevent another such tragedy from occurring.
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Don't punish
law abiding businesses |
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Banning minors from any nightclub that serves alcohol would greatly
harm businesses that have done nothing wrong, and to teens who
want to see live music.
According to testimonies presented before the Washington, DC
City Council on Jan. 25, the club in which Ford was shot did not
take the proper precautions that many clubs do take in order to
prevent minors from consuming alcohol on the premises. At that
club, young people testified that the bouncers would charge minors
an extra five dollars at the door to let them in as adults.
The alleged corrupt practices of this venue do not accurately
represent the night club community as a whole.
Other local venues such as the Black Cat and the 9:30 Club have
been extraordinarily efficient in preventing underage drinking
for years.
It isn't fair to take away business from these clubs that have
done nothing wrong.
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Shutting
young people out of the local music scene |
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It is not just the business that would suffer from this ban,
but also the people and the culture of DC.
Banning underage people from clubs would significantly reduce
the amount of culturally diverse experiences that young people
could participate in.
The tradition of all-age shows would no longer exist, shutting
minors out from the live local music scene.
A live performance for a band is akin to a public reading or
book signing for an author. Live shows connect the artists to
their fan base. The energy inside a club when an artist is performing
is incomparable to hearing a recording of the same song.
These shows provide one-of-a kind experiences that have been
enjoyed by several generations.
And if they can't go hear music, where would they go -- hanging
out on the streets, which could lead to more crime or unsafe situations.
The other activities that were available to minors before such
as shopping, dining, and seeing movies are still there, but this
does not leave a location to hear music.
Unless funding is increased, the recreation centers and other
facilities sponsored by the government will be strained to accommodate
larger numbers should teens choose use them.
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Alternatives |
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Instead of banning minors from clubs, the city should take steps
to ensure that underage drinking does not take place.
Guidelines could be implemented to ensure that underage people
are clearly marked with hand stamps or bracelets. Monthly evaluations
or investigations could be performed at each individual venue
to ensure that the laws are being followed. Harsher punishments
for those who are caught either serving minors or minors attempting
to be served could also be enforced.
Or maybe all of this time and media coverage could be put towards
removing guns from the streets. Handguns have been banned in DC
since 1976, however the firearm death rate is 80.6 per 100,000
-- higher than Iraq's, at 60 per 100,000.
If the ban of minors from nightclubs is passed, other cities
around the country may consider doing the same thing.
Teens can help solve the problem by choosing to go to venues
that follow the rules, and stay away from the clubs that do not.
Your music, or your life, may depend on doing so.
--Music
lover Maya Gibso-Reinemer is a senior at Yorktown High School
in Arlington, Virginia. She's the president of her school's Habitat
For Humanity chapter and her hobbies include swimming, photography
and soccer.
Something to say on this topic? E-mail
us!
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Joplin was able to rise from the ashes because of help from everyone. And I am eternally grateful to anyone who made that possible.
