Tonight I attended a "tradition" of my township, The Newtown Rock Festival. This large concert/beer free-for-all would more aptly been nicknamed the "Drunk Festival".

I just wanted to check it out (we're relatively new to the neighborhood). A local band, 40lb. head played. They were good. I was actually beginning to have a good time.

I was with my boyfriend, his friend, four of my cousins and my cousins boyfriend. My boyfriend and his friend left relatively early because they live pretty far away. I should have gone with them.

Instead, I stayed to enjoy the concert. Soon enough my cousin, the only other girl there, decided that she too had enough. Her along with her boyfriend and I decided to leave. We left my three male cousins there. Two are 21 and the other is 15. Obviously from what I've all ready told you, this place is not a good environment for a 15 year old.

Let me give you some background to this so called festival that I found out from my agitated neighbors today. The festival has been banned for ten years and has been brought back within the last four years. I have found out first hand why it had been banned. They basically sell beer to anyone who will buy it. There are people who cannot even walk, stumbling around my neighborhood. Tried to talk to a police officer, wouldn't even listen to me. Standing right in front of this rowdy crowd all he said was, "I didn't see it, so you can't prove it." Great law enforcement.

Anyway, the reason why I was so upset was that my cousin had to drive his younger brother (15) back home. When I was there I felt that he was in no condition to drive. I told my mom. She told his father. I cried the entire time in fear that my cousin would get into an accident. I knew that if anything happened to him it would be my fault for 2 reasons: 1) I was one of them who talked him into going. 2) I didn't offer for him to come back to my house and spend the night.

We did catch up to them eventually. My cousin had sobered up and my uncle allowed him to drive my cousin home. Thank God.

Now, for anyone who has made it this far I have 2 questions.

1) How could they get away with something like this LEGALLY?  

2) In all honesty, what is the allure of alchohol? You not only put your self at risk (through damaging your liver, kidneys and brain cells, not to mention getting in to and accident) but you risk the lives of any innocent person you may be around that night. All of this for a simple buzz? I DON'T GET IT? No one so far has been able to answer this for me, so if you can it will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for listening once again. I had to get that off my chest.

~Susie

~*~Born to Blossom and Bloom to Perish~*~

hush,
I never said I found anything wrong with using it responsibly. These people were not. Some drank four, five or six pitchers. I do not consider that responsible. Not only that, but they also got behind the wheel to drive. I admit that I was not thinking clearly when I wrote this, as I felt my cousin was in danger. I do not want you to think that I blame every social drinker in the world for the actions of drunk drivers. It is just that alchoholism has had it's way with my family more than once and I didn't not want my cousin to drive home with someone who I felt was not drinking responsibly. Thank God it turned out that he was, but I did not want to take that chance. Thanks for your thoughts and opinion.

~Susie

~*~Born to Blossom and Bloom to Perish~*~

" I walked beside the evening sea And dreamed a dream that could not be" George William Curtis"

Kay