Okay, let me point out a few things wrong with this post:

1. If you're worried about minors being safe then maybe, just maybe you would think to let the minor ut to go to his or her friend's house.

2. I get that you're worried about "non-peaceful" gatherings, but what about peaceful gatherings such as I don't know... A study group? Every person I know does a bit of last minute studying the night before a test or quiz even if they've been studying for weeks prior to that test. Studying with a group has proven to be better for me and all of my friends and studying via video chat isn't as good of an option as some might think. My friends and I have gotten better grades and higher scores when studying together and yeah, I'll be the first one to admit that we tend to screw around a lot when we're all put together in the same room, but we also tend to get more things accomplished as well.

3. No, minors aren't prosecuted as adults, but that has nothing to do with experience. Their parents or guardians are responsible for them because they want to be and most kids that "cause damages" are often punished by parents or guardians. Whether it be a grounding or making them work to "pay off" what they did. And not EVERY kid defaces another person's property.

4. Yes, minors are expected to abide by a curfew. One that is given to them by THEIR PARENTS OR GUARDIANS NOT THE GOVERNMENT. In complete and total honesty if neighbors wanted peace then maybe they shouldn't be living next to a family with rambunctious kids. Most kids enjoy being outside and when they're outside they tend to be loud because they're having FUN.

5. Not every parent micromanages their kids lives by telling them they can't be out after dark. Age 16 or not. My parents let my friends and I sit outside at night and have bon fires and talk until the boys have to go home. We all sit out there and have a good time. That's called making memories because whether it be college that pulls us apart or god forbid an untimely death or maybe one of us has to move away, we will ALWAYS have those memories and I know that I'll be glad I have them.

6. You had no right saying that MY parents had no common-sense for letting me do what I want, when I want to (within the realm of reason of course) because they TRUST me. They trust me because I'm 14 and more responsible than my 17 year old brother.

7. My 17 year old brother has a job and doesn't only work on weekends. He also works on school nights and usually doesn't get off until 20:30 and then he has to walk home. What exactly is "old enough to date"? I'm sure my boyfriend would love to know. And before you start jumping to conclusions, I'm not saying all of this because I want to spend time with him. I'm saying this because I strongly disagree with a town curfew and when believe in something I let everyone know.

8. The majority of my friends are under 16 and we're all night-people. But you can't be a night-person indoors because you can't smell it through walls nor can you hear the different sounds. Sitting next to a window isn't the same as being outside. Especially at night. We don't just like the night because it's dark and hard for people to witness anything... We like it because it's serene not because we're goth and or emo criminals or junkies.

9. You definitely have it backwords by the way. Fewer pivileges means fewer responsibilities. You have to have the privilige of owning a dog to be responsible for it.

Send the cute little darling children to me.  I live in the dilapidated old witches cottage in the greenbelt.  I have hard candies, bubble gum, yo-yos for the boys and knitting needles for the girls.  We'll have a grand old time, hold on I've got to warm up my oven.

There are some misconceptions out there regarding why curfews exist.

First of all, public curfews do not exist to insturct when children or anyone else should be in bed.  Nor does it mean you absolutely must be in your house and cannot be in your own yard.  Nor does it mean parents can't allow organized activity between their children and the friends of their children.  

Yes, the government has every right to make curfew.  Curfews can be set up as a general ordinance and they can be set up temporarily if something has been happeneing around town that causes a public safety concern.  A general ordinance curfew is usually reasonable, requiring kids to be off the streets by 10 or 11pm, depending on the community.  Again, this has nothing to do with bed times.  Earlier ordinances can be set up if, for example, a rash a serial killings is taking place, kidnappings, rapes, or other violent crimes.  These are usually temporary until the police manage to eliminate the problem.  So, yes...  the governement has every right to make these kinds of decisions.

Telling a child they cannot be out after dark is a parent decision and NOT micromanaging.  I hear a lot of kids use this term to descirbe their parents' rules.  Micromanaging is not having your child wash dishes.  Micromanaging is standing over their shoulder and telling them exactly how to wash every fork and spoon and pot and pan, how to dry it off and where to put it away.  That's micromanaging.  

On the bonfire note...  I will asume this is a summer activity that is not often taking place during school nights.  That being said, such organized activity is not a curfew violation becasue it is being supervised by adults to some degree and is not taking place out in public.