I remember leaving for our honeymoon on that hot July day. Friends for 12 years, the year before the wedding was full of anticipation and planning. As we left the church, my father gave us a gift box consisting of a bottle of wine and two goblets.

Sometime later that evening, I went downstairs in our hotel to purchase another small bottle of wine. "I’m sorry, young man" the clerk said, "but you must be at least 21." Disappointed, I returned to my bride with the news.

Recently, a friend of mine, here in Carrollton, was cited for serving to a minor. I have known her for five years and believe she has to be one of the most conscientious waiters/waitresses in town when it comes to checking identification. She just happened to be charged after a police undercover "sting" operation. She has paid her fine now, but still believes they charged the wrong person. The price of a vigorous defense against this type of charge is beyond the reach of most waiters/waitresses. Who would the judge most likely believe anyway?

I doubt if any of you would object to an active program to reduce underage drinking. I wonder though if we’re not taking the wrong approach. I’ve always liked the police motto "To Serve and Protect." Who are we "protecting" here? Surely we’re not trying to protect the underage kids from unscrupulous business owners and waiters just waiting to force them to drink alcohol against their will? Why not instead emphasize protecting the owners and employees from clever teens? Fake ID’s, and the purchase of drinks passed on to underage friends would seem to be a much bigger problem. If you’ve ever been to The Mansion, Mello Mushroom, The Border, 302 South, or Spyro Gyro on a truly busy night, you know it can become a madhouse. Even after checking identification, it would realistically be an impossibility to keep track of who was drinking what.

Few of our businesses, if any, knowingly serve alcohol to minors. Yet on any given night there could be hundreds of teens attempting to be served. Why not an active partnership between the business owners and the local police attacking the real problem? Let’s spend the "undercover" budget on prosecuting those who, by hook or crook, are finding evermore-ingenious ways to deceive our local businesses. I hope you have a great week!