>>THE TOPIC OF CHILD MARRIAGE HAS BEEN MAKING HEADLINES,
HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
KANSAS, TENNESSEE, AND NOW MISSOURI ARE FACING HEAT BECAUSE
OF THE FACT THAT THEY ALLOW FOR WOMEN OR KIDS AS YOUNG AS 14 OR
15 TO GET MARRIED TO INDIVIDUALS IN THEIR 20S, 30S, 40S,
AND EVEN 50S.
MISSOURI IS MAKING NEWS BECAUSE IT TURNS OUT THAT IT HAS A LAW
THAT ESSENTIALLY ALLOWS FOR UNDERAGE GIRLS TO GET MARRIED TO
OLDER MEN AS LONG AS ONE PARENT'S CONSENTS TO IT.
TO GIVE YOU SOME STATISTICS –
WHAT HAPPENS IS IN NEIGHBORING
STATES IF A 15-YEAR-OLD ENDS UP GETTING PREGNANT BY AN ADULTS
USUALLY THE FAMILY WILL FEEL DEEPLY EMBARRASSED THAT THAT
15-YEAR-OLD GOT DEEPLY EMBARRASSED OUT OF WEDLOCK
THOUGHT TO BRING HONOR BACK TO THE FAMILY THEY WILL GO AHEAD
IMPRESSION OF THE GIRL TO GET MARRIED AND IN SOME STATES YOU
CAN DO THAT SO WHAT THEY WILL DO AS THEY WILL TRAVEL TO THE STATE
OF MISSOURI TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
>> I GUESS MISSOURI IS THEIR MECCA FOR CHILD MARRIAGE.
I KNOW WHY THIS EXISTS, IT'S PART OF THE OLD CULTURE ALSO
BASED ON THE BIBLE OF YOU CAN'T HAVE SEX OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE SO
ONCE YOU HIT PUBERTY OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE WANT TO HAVE SEX SO THEY
GOT MARRIED REALLY YOUNG BACK IN THE DAY.
BUT THAT WAS BACK THEN, A LOT OF US EVOLVED AND SOME OF US
DID NOT.
SOME OF THE PROBLEMS WITH CONSERVATIVISM IS IT AS
OPPOSED TO CHANGE.
IT IS JUST NOT IN THEIR NATURE SO THEY BELIEVE THAT TRADITION
AND HONOR ARE IMPORTANT FOR THEIR OWN SAKE AND NOT
EVALUATING WHETHER IT IS A GOOD TRADITION OR AN HONORABLE
THING TO DO.
BUT HAVING SEX WITH A 15-YEAR-OLDS OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE
IF YOU ARE IN YOUR 20S OR 30S IS ILLEGAL AND WILL GET YOU DECADES
OF PRISON.
BUT IF YOU MARRY A 15-YEAR-OLD AND CONTINUE TO HAVE SEX WITH
THEM THAT SOMEHOW SANCTIFIES IT?
THAT MAKES NO LOGICAL SENSE BUT
FOR A CONSERVATIVE LOGIC IS OPTIONAL, TRADITION IS WHAT
MATTERS.
>>IS DEVASTATING WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE FACT THAT THE AGE
OF 15 NO ONE CAN REALLY MAKE A GOOD DECISION ABOUT WHETHER OR
NOT YOU SHOULD GET MARRIED.
A LOT OF THE YOUNG GIRLS THAT WERE INTERVIEWED FOR
STORIES ABOUT THIS SAID THAT.
THEY SAID THEY FELT PRESSURED BY THEIR FAMILY.
I WANTED TO READ HER QUOTE.
I JUST THINK IT'S SO INTERESTING BECAUSE FOR THE LONGEST
TIME WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING THESE BATTLES IN REGARD TO
ADULTS, SAME-SEX COUPLES WHO WANT TO GET MARRIED.
AND YOU HEAR SOME MEMBERS OF THE RIGHT WING SAY IT GOES AGAINST
THE SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE, IT'S TERRIBLE.
BUT PRESSURING A 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL TO MARRY A MAN IN HIS 30S,
40S, OR 50S BECAUSE SHE GOT PREGNANT BY HIM
IS NOT?
THE
INSTANCES OF CHILD MARRIAGES HAS DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY AND
I HOPE IT CONTINUES TO DO SO.
THE SAME REPORT STATED THAT A
CERTAIN NUMBER OF THOSE
15-YEAR-OLDS ACTUALLY ENDED UP MARRYING MEN IN THEIR 50S.
WHO WOULD SIGN OFF ON THAT?
>>BEWARE OF ANYONE COMING BEARING ON OR WHETHER IT'S HONOR
KILLINGS, AND PARTS OF AFRICA, WHETHER IT'S FAMILIES IN CENTRAL
ASIA WHO PRESSURE THEIR DAUGHTERS TO MARRY THEIR
ABDUCTORS, OR IF IT IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS COUNTRY WHERE
FAMILIES COME AND SAY A 14-YEAR-OLD HAD SEX WITH A
24-YEAR-OLD, SHE GETS PREGNANT, AND THEY PRESSURE HER INTO
GETTING MARRIED WITH SOMEONE WHO UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES
WOULD BE STATUTORY RAPE.
BUT IT IS OKAY MARRY YOUR STATUTORY RAPIST.
YOU CAN'T FATHOM HOW IRRATIONAL THAT IS TO SAY IF YOU ARE NOT
MARRIED TO THE PERSON AND YOU ARE HAVING SEX WITH A
15-YEAR-OLD WHEN YOU ARE IN YOUR 50S,
THAT IS RAPE AND WE ARE GOING TO PUT YOU AWAY FOR DECADES.
BUT IF THE 50-YEAR-OLD MARRIES THE 15-YEAR-OLD AND CONTINUES TO
RAPE HER DAY IN AND DAY OUT, CONGRATULATIONS.
IS A RAPE OR NOT?
IT DEPENDS ON THE BIBLICAL POINT OF VIEW I GUESS.
THAT IS PERHAPS WHY WE SHOULD BASE OUR LAWS ON LOGIC ON
REASON AND REASON NOT ANCIENT TEXT THAT MAKES NO SENSE.