From the adults don't have a clue file, it's House Party V

"Make 'House Parties' Illegal!" screams the editorial in today's Hartford Courant. "According to a survey reported by the Connecticut Coalition to Stop Underage Drinking, 61 percent of Connecticut middle school and high school students reported that they drank alcohol at house parties."

One can imagine that number approaching the 80-90 percent range if 19 and 20 year-olds were included. Even the 61% tells a story. 'House Parties' are common, and a majority of kids are going to them. According to the Courant, we should be concerned because "[d]ozens of teens are killed every year in alcohol-related accidents in the state. House parties encourage binge drinking. The all-too-predictable results are car crashes, sexual assaults and other forms of violence, property damage and alcohol poisoning."

Of course, no numbers are cited- And given how many kids go to these parties, striking at real alcohol related problems with laws aimed specifically at such parties seems to be attacking a relatively small problem with a very large brush.

The real issue is the media hysteria over kids today. Every incident is overblown, and putting the legal clamps down on 16-17-18 year olds is somehow seen as a solution. As always, the real issue is as simple as parents and parenting.