Georgia's Peachy Marriage Laws
Georgians wasted no time enacting a bigot amendment in 2004 constitutionalizing a ban on same-sex marriage (which was already illegal by statute anyway).
Yet they can’t seem to do anything about heterosexual statutory rape marriages:
Lisa Lynnette Clark, 37, was charged last week in Gainesville with child molestation for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old friend of her teenage son. Just days before her arrest, she wed the boy under a Georgia law that allows pregnant couples to marry regardless of age and without consent.
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[L]eaders in the Republican-controlled Georgia legislature stopped short of endorsing a change to the state’s marital requirements.
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Karla Drenner [the only openly gay elected official in Georgia's state government] said she plans to author a bill that would bar children under age 16 from marrying regardless of the circumstances.
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“We’re protecting society from the perceived threat of homosexual marriage, which was already illegal,” she said. “But yet if you’re pregnant, you can get married — and it doesn’t matter if you’re 9 years old or 10 years old.”
No response yet from James Dobson, Mike S. Adams or Maggie Gallagher to this attack on “traditional marriage” (Drenner’s, that is, not the heterosexual child molester’s).
So perhaps someone else can remind me again how it’s “all about the children” and about the urgent need to “defend traditional marriage”?
The bigots may have momentum on their side (for now), but they will never have consistency in their position, common sense, or the moral high ground on their side.
Meanwhile, hopefully some way can be found to “defend” this 15-year old victim’s “traditional” childhood from this disturbed heterosexual child molester and predator. And bravo to Representative Drenner’s efforts to defend “traditional marriages” (i.e., those between competent, consenting adults).
Similar Posts:
- Does “Traditional Marriage” Include Spousal Rape?
- Why is Georgia in Such a Rush Over Gay Marriage?
- Georgia Gay Marriage Ruling: Not Thrilling, But Nice
- New York High Court Rejects Same-Sex Marriage
- How Traditional is “Traditional Marriage”?
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Competent adults?
South of the Mason-Dixon line?
I don't think so.
Wow, what bias against the South! Well, I guess the moral issue is at what point can someone give informed consent? 15 is acceptable for marriage in other cultures, and even other states! Regarding the gay marriage thing, you are right to point out the inherent bigotry in their arguments. The STATE has no compelling interest to disallow it. I wonder what do you think of the ruling by the judges recently in NY to disallow gay marriage due to rational basis reasons? As I review that philosophy more, it could be an error of perspective based on an appeal to tradition! Good post, with your permission, I will blogroll you:)