For decades now, the question of what age should be considered the right age to drink alcohol has been intensely debated. Since the 1980s, the legal drinking age nationwide has been 21 or older in the United States. However, this imposed age limit on alcohol consumption was controversial then, and continues to be so today. In 2008, John McCardell, leader of Choose Responsibility and former president of Middlebury College, joined a campaign known as the Amethyst Initiative, which proposed lowering the drinking age to an unspecified number (Amethyst Initiative). In conjunction with this initiative, McCardell wrote an article titled “Rethinking the Drinking Age at 21.” On the other hand, a Chicago Tribune article titled “Keep the drinking age at 21” argues why the drinking age should remain the same. Both of these contrasting essays take a personal stance on a long-debated issue. While McCardell explains his desire to lower the drinking age, the Chicago Tribune attempts to refute every possible reason why the legal drinking age should be lower than 21. One particular issue on which McCardell and the Chicago Tribune disagree is the question of statistics. In his essay, McCardell challenges the idea that statistics should be used to keep the legal drinking age at 21. He argues that "even when the results [of studies determining the connection between alcohol problems and the drinking age] are inconsistent... we have attempted to frame policies whose effects can be better measured by more data, statistics, graphs, correlations and formulas.” McCardell is frustrated that what he sees as unreliable statistics and data are being used as reasons to keep the legal drinking age at 21. He goes on to clarify why he believes statesmen… are at the heart of the paper. .. .effects that the drinking age has had on the safety of college students Meanwhile, the Chicago Tribune uses statistics to express its belief that the drinking age of 21 is safer than that of a. lower drinking age and that lowering the drinking age will only cause more harm to individuals, will not result in their safety. Both essays are primarily concerned with what drinking age will lead to the optimal safety of the individual. Perhaps this common ground can lead to a compromise within the debate regarding the legal drinking age. Works Cited “Amethyst Initiative.” Amethyst Initiative » Welcome to the Amethyst Initiative. Network. September 23, 2011. "Keep the drinking age at 21." Chicago Tribune. August 26, 2008. Web. September 23, 2011. McCardell, John. “Rethinking the Drinking Age at 21.” The Guardian. 22 August 2008. Web. 23 September. 2011.