In response to the accidental Jan. 20 shooting of a 17-year-old at Club 1919 on U Street, a member of the D.C. city council has proposed several new security measures, including barring those under 18 from clubs that serve alcohol. Although security measures obviously need to be improved (in the past three years, three other clubs on U Street have been closed due to killings), a blanket ban on minors seems like an unnecessarily strong reaction.
Banning minors won't reduce the total number of murders. Would the situation be any less tragic if a 35-year-old were killed? Banning those under 21 in all clubs would change the entire culture of D.C. club life. Almost all college students would be banned, and as the ban would include venues like the Black Cat and the 9:30 club, those under 21 could only hear live music at overpriced arena venues. Many AU students enjoy seeing live music at local clubs, and have no interest in trying to drink there illegally.
Those between 18 and 21 can be drafted into the military, but under the new plan they could be prohibited from making their own decisions about their nightlife. Why does it take less maturity to shoot a gun at a foreign enemy than decide what to do with your weekend? If the city council is truly concerned about the safety of its residents, security measures like metal detectors would make more sense. Everyone who goes to clubs, whether they are of age or not, should take the personal responsibility to investigate potential night spots and only patronize those at which they feel comfortable. A healthy dose of common sense would do everyone some good.
