I have all sorts of issues with the way ages are randomly set for all sorts of activity.

For example, why can someone vote and enroll in the military at age 18, but not consume alcohol until 21? That has always baffled me.

I instill (or have attempted to....my eldest is 12, so I really have no evidence that what I'm doing is working because it's too early) some Judeo-Christian values in my children with regards to sexuality (and drugs as well). With the 12 year old almost year into puberty, it was time to start (several months ago). We have had excellent communication thus far.

That aside, with understanding that Judeo-Christian morality is not what governs the law, I would keep the the statutory limit for consent at 18, with the an exception of a two year age separation exception. Like a 19-17 year old relationship. Personally, I'd like to ban 50-20 year old relationships, but that's just because I find it icky. :)

Natural law and societal law, to agree with GD, should not be in a position to be forced to line up.

Sorry, but I'm not buying that murder is natural law. Animals generally don't kill members of their own species. In fact, I'd say it's much more an abberation among animals than it is among men.


In any event, I find zero correlation between consensual sex and unconsenual violence. In wanting to de-criminalize the natural, I am not supporting de-criminalizing everything under the sun simply because everything happens in nature.

Perhaps that leads us back to when people can "consent" to sex. I say the science makes that 25, and I say that's absurd. Any other age limit is arbitrary. I'm not comfortable with criminalization based on arbitrariness.

Not true about the animals, iSm. Male cats often kill litters, as do the larger wildcats. Dogs will fight to the death, not to eat, but to establish their ranking in the pack. (Or to protect, etc). Animals kill often for no apparent reason, just like people, and within their own species. We had a murderous zebra finch we had to get rid of not too long ago.

I'm far more comfortable with an arbitrary age of consent than with none at all. A child, by your own statement, cannot make an informed decision and an adult can. Until we come up with a better way of determining the age of consent we're stuck with societal rules. Part of the social contract, whether one likes it or not. I understand the rules are far more relaxed in other countries, but that is changing- just ask Gary Glitter.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/517604.stm

So, I had to look up Gary Glitters chargers and history.



As opposed to the better type of child porn?

:rolleyes:

I believe he is now in a Vietnam jail, having been convicted on child molestation charges.

Sorry to quote myself, but after rereading my post, I didn't want to offend MBC, so I will retract it. :)

Gee, thanks for adding 10 years to my age. :) And, by the way, I wouldn't be the only one you were offending on the board.

You probably don't want to see my list of what I would ban due to my own "ickyness" factor.