I agree with you. Drinking should be introduced to people gradually, and in a responsible setting. If children are given watered down wine with dinner in the home, and later share a beer with dad at age 12, and then gradually learn the responsible way to drink it WILL prevent some binge drinking.
Not letting a person drink until they're 21, and then suddenly letting them go to bars, is like letting a person drive without any lessons - they won't be prepared.
Drinking alcohol is overrated and has been proven to be hazardous to young people's health, especially where drinking and driving are concerned as well as alcohol poisoning.
Lowering the drinking age will just get more young people killed.
Perhaps the issue is larger than just the drinking age. Young people tend to think they are bullet proof. To some extent they do need to be protected from their own ignorance and stupidity. Drinking alcohol is one of them. Many states are raising the legal driving ages too. Young people are killed in car accidents more than any other age group.