I begin this article with a story that some readers may find disturbing, but it gives context to this issue.
This is the story of three young men — I’ll call them B, D and L — from a small rural Midwestern town. They’re all athletes who know each other from various high school teams. They are also unified by a love of “partying,” which most of you will recognize as a euphemism for drinking.
In fact, on this particular Saturday night, the three of them are at B’s house getting hammered. It’s not an unusual pastime where I’m from — find a friend whose parents are out for the evening, sit in their basement and drink whatever’s available until time becomes blurry.