West Seattle Art Attack
This is a fun thread that seems to be stirring up some emotion. It amazes me how culturally different we can be without even knowing or recognizing it. While there are some cultures and religions that ban alcohol outright there are others that accept it and embrace it. After a couple of years of living in Italy I recognize that alcohol doesn’t have to be demonized. Come to think of it, kids don’t need to be demonized either. I enjoyed countless wonderful meals in Italy while kids ran around and behaved like. . . . . kids. Nobody batted an eye. Nobody cared. They realized that kids are. . . . . . kids. It’s part of the culture and when parents are enjoying a 3 to 4 hour meal it is much better for everyone to let the kids get up and move a little rather than restrict them to a chair (how would you like to be strapped to a chair for hours – you’d scream too). They also serve alcohol with meals and even (gasp!) sell it in ice cream parlors and coffee shops. My kids were able (at the age of 12) to buy a beer at the store. We had them do it – because they could. I don’t think they were traumatized (by the way, they bought it but didn’t drink it – they gave it to dad). But back to the issue at hand – the world is filled with people that are young, old and in between. If someone has an inability to deal with people they come in contact with (whether they are young or old) I would suggest that they might be the ones with the problem. Lighten up and enjoy your drink or drink at home where it is nice and quiet and you can control all the parameters of your drinking experience and swear at the Seahawks if you like.