Educate, embrace young people before punishing them

This is in response to the letter to the editor from Steven Liga ("Supports Underage Drinking Ordinance") and the related article on page 8 ("Police Report Gives Brief Account of Investigation), both of which appeared in the Feb. 7 issue of the Sentinel.

As a parent, I do not in any way condone underage drinking. However, as a parent, I am very sympathetic toward Timothy Ayers. I would be furious if the police walked into my house without a knock or announcing themselves. Unless you dial 911 for a serious matter, no one should have the right to walk into your house.

I truly understand that underage drinking is becoming a widespread problem; however, I cannot understand the law or ordinance under which one's driver's license can be suspended or delayed if the activity did not take place in a motor vehicle - this makes absolutely no sense tome since one has nothing to do with the other. Aren't these youngsters already being punished by paying the fine? How about a mandatory drug/alcohol program or community service to teach them a lesson?

I also do not understand how, if I am driving and one my passengers, unbeknownst to me, has illegal drugs on him or her, I can get in as much trouble as the person possessing the drug. Are we, as a society, obligated to search each and every one of our passengers in our vehicles for illegal contraband? Shouldn't the person possessing the contraband be 100- percent liable for it?

We all would like to believe that all our friends and associates are on the up-and-up; however, many things we don't know about happen behind closed doors - things no one could foresee.

I am waiting for someone, hopefully Mr. Ayers, to take this issue to the mat, to take it as far as he possibly can to have this ordinance revamped and be more specific. I believe that there should be consequences for underage drinking; however, I do not and cannot comprehend how the driver's-license provision has anything

at all to do with underage consumption of alcohol. Motorvehicle violations are just that: violations that involve a motor vehicle. I cannot wait for that someone who is thinking just as I am to challenge this ordinance and take it to the Supreme Court and, hopefully, revise the ordinance.

Taking away their driver's license is not teaching them not to drink, it's just delaying their license. If the township is as concerned as it says it is with underage drinking, why not develop a program to educate our children and not unreasonably punish them?

Just think about it. We were all young at one time and did stupid things - it's all a part of growing up, living and learning. And these youngsters are just that, children. Let's embrace and help them before we punish them.

Deborah Carney Gumpper

East Brunswick