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• Greenland 2009

Melting Ice in Vermont

The tension between teens and police brought on by underage drinking and the efforts to stop it periodically reaches a fevered pitch in our community. Teens go to great lengths to plan parties and elude detection by police. Police, mindful of their charge to enforce the laws, put great effort into breaking up these parties, either ahead of time or in the moment. Teens go to more remote places and, when the police arrive, often run into the woods - getting lost or banged up in the process. Some get caught and face consequences, many do not. Parents worry. The newspaper gets a story. People talk. School and City folk worry. Or, police don't arrive and kids get drunk, throw up, pass out, get banged up - or worse. Or not. Stories are passed around. Parents still worry. So do the others. Next weekend - same thing.

The Montpelier Community Justice Center in recognition of the conflict and the risk related to underage drinking, has invited Angaangaq to help us kick off a community conversation about this topic. He will bring his wisdom to bear by telling stories and demonstrating the power of talking in circles to solve problems together. When understanding and respect grows between teens, parents, law enforcement, lawmakers, school administrators, etc. then a little magic can happen.

Recent focus groups have shown that many teens have little respect for law enforcement. Some teens choose not to drink while others do and insist they are fine. Research shows that kids who drink at a young age are interfering with the development of important brain functions. Parents, school administrators, and others in the community are mixed in their approach. While not condoning or wanting to encourage underage drinking, some believe that the heavy enforcement approach is not working well and is actually creating other risks as kids go further into the woods to hold their parties and binge drink. There are some who believe that the drinking age should be lowered to18 and that more education would result in more moderate and responsible drinking behavior. Some community organizations focus on prevention aimed at encouraging alternative ways to have fun and take risks. Nobody really has the answer, though there is a strong common interest in keeping teens alive, safe from harm, and able to thrive.

The Montpelier Community Justice Center and others are hoping that this Town Meeting - Eskimo Style on September 2, 2008 will inspire those in attendance to want to continue to dialogue in circle over the course of a number of months to try to figure out the community values and response that makes sense regarding underage drinking and keeping young people alive and safe. If there is enough interest or reason to convene an ongoing and in-depth look at the issue of underage drinking, the Community Justice Center will take the lead in organizing a peacemaking / study circles process.

 

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EarthWalk Vermont

ARCUS: National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs through the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States - www.arcus.org

Montpelier Community Justice Center

Vermont Peace Academy's Peace Education Fund

Green Mountain Coffee

Anonymous Individuals, Ancestors, and Angels