vanblah

Have you actually joined the military? If you haven't then this argument is moot.

Actually, I agree with that platitude though ... if you are a responsible citizen you should have all the liberties and privileges of every other citizen (of course, then we get into the argument about what constitutes a "responsible citizen").

The problem here is MOST kids don't get any experience with alcohol until after they are out of their parents house. Then all hell breaks loose and they spend the first part of college drinking every night. IF this country had a more relaxed attitude about alcohol and other "taboo" subjects it would lose it's appeal. But again, I'm using yet another cliché ... and that's not the focus of this thread.

Will is right ... the part where you (all of you) screwed up is when you ran. Had you NOT run you MIGHT have had the chance where the cop just confiscated the beer and told you to be "good kids." I say "MIGHT" because we'll never really know for sure now.

When you ran, you made the cop have to work. I'm not saying that cops are lazy; but that you made a potentially easy situation into a potentially dangerous situation in the eyes of the cop. This made the cop enter into a different mode of thinking--one that is less lenient.

Fight it in court if you want, and you have every right to do so, but be aware that it's going to cost you a lot more; you're right that a judge is not going to appoint a defender for this ... you'll have to hire an attorney if you want representation.

You could always remember this incident as you get older and work to change those laws that you don't agree with ...