RB, it has nothing to do with being litvish, chasidish, mo, or anything. Alcohol is poison for minor children and for adults who have a tendency for the disease. Until a “body and brain” is fully matured alcohol is a very dangerous drug and it can affect the development of the child even to the point of being lethal. It is not something to be taken lightly nor to joke around about. It wasn’t funny in our neighborhood (and I am sure in others) when Dr. “W” was called in b’shtika Friday night because the other kids involved didn’t want a whole blow up, but they did have the common sense to at least run to his house and get him, when these young kids of 15 and 16 went back to shul for ONEG and got themselves drunk. One passed out and could not be revived. They realized that something was seriously wrong with him so they ran to Dr. W, who when he got there immediately called other members of Hatzolah and transported him high level emergency to the hospital. The child was diagnosed with alcohol poisoning which began shutting down his organs. Had the kids just left him there to “sleep it off” he would have been dead within a few hours.
It was such an eye opener that the shuls here went dry, grape juice only. WE rarely have wine at kidushim in shul. That is how seriously WE are taking it.
I can’t force anyone to understand what I am saying. You are going to choose to believe what you want to believe. I can tell you stories one after another, how I got called because a 15 year old was throwing up after consuming beer and mashke and he told his friends to call me because he was afraid to call is own parents. When I got there I had no choice but to call Hatzolah and have them call his father. They spent the night in the emergency room. It is a problem across the board whether they are rebellious kids or not as in the story with Dr. W. When you introduce alcohol to kids at any age YOU can never know how it will effect them. Will they enjoy the buzz, will they like the burn. Will they want more. Will their friends egg them on. Will they discuss it with their friends. Will they listen to their parents, will they sneak it behind their backs. Will they go from house to house when there is a shalom zachor and help themselves.
If you tell them that it is against the law and they are not allowed till a certain age, just like driving and other things that come with age, then they have to learn to deal with it. And you still pray that they will listen. If you tell them that it is dangerous for them because their bodies are still developing and it can have a serious effect on them, that is even better. Give them the facts and let them know the truth. But don’t be hypocritical. Be a good role mode.
RB, there is nothing more I can say. Again you didn’t relate what your father the Hatzolah member has to say about all this. I know what Hatzola’s view as an organization is on this subject. I would like to know what your father says their view is.