You can blame politicians, liberal legislation or the desire for a night-time buzz on our city streets for increasing alcohol-related violence, but I suggest there is a far more profound issue underlying this concern-why do people, the young, need to drink to the level where violence is part of their behaviour? There is a real malaise, even a deep pathological problem for people who transcend social interaction with violent outbursts and assaults.
Simply to attribute this violence to the law is to ignore fundamental and underlying personal problems. We as a society need to address the psychological needs of these troubled young people and recognise their drinking problems for what they really are-people aren’t happy with themselves without a drink in their hand. Limiting the number of bars in the city or harking back to an era past isn’t the answer. Rather, we should be attentive to nurturing and developing respectful and content young people who aren’t at war with themselves or others.