Kaitlyn Hunt Case Prompts Florida State Sen. Thad Altman To Call For Changes To Law

[dlwickham]

A Florida state senator says he wants changes made to laws in the wake of the felony charges against Kaitlyn Hunt, an 18-year-old high school senior who was arrested for her relationship with a 15-year-old girl.

In an interview with NBC affiliate WPTV on Tuesday, Sen. Thad Altman, a Republican who represents Sebastian, Fla., where Hunt is from, said he empathizes with both families involved in the case but called the situation "tragic" and said that the laws need to change.

"You would like to think this wouldn't happen in this country, two teenagers in a moment of passion do something consensual and suddenly one is facing fifteen years in prison," Altman told the station, adding that he will propose a dealing with age limits in Florida sex laws next year.

Under Florida's consent laws, it is illegal for an 18-year-old to engage in sexual relations with anyone under the age of 16. According to TCPalm, other Indian River County lawmakers said that the laws protect children as they stand.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/29/kaitlyn-hunt-florida-senator-thad-altman_n_3354088.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices

[FreakinDJ]

1. Change the law because a FEMALE could be punished

This whole conversation wreaks of a double standard most feminist refuse to admitt

[we can do it]

2. Disgusting, ignorant hateful comment

[FreakinDJ]

3. Really - which part - the truth

[Orrex]

4. I'm not up on Florida's legal system, but...

Is there typically a similar rush to change the law when an 18 year old male has sex with a 14 year old girl?


For all I know, it could happen twice a week.

[dlwickham]

6. I'd say no

[dlwickham]

5. where does it say that the state senator wants to change the law because a female could be punished

I must have missed that part of the article

[Orrex]

8. Well...

I can't say for sure, but it seems that the headline indicates something to the effect of "Kaitlyn Hunt Case Prompts Florida State Sen. Thad Altman To Call For Changes To Law."

.

[dlwickham]

12. in other words

you pulled your comment out of your rear orifice

[Orrex]

13. In other words, you've got nothing to contribute.

The headline clearly indicates that the Senator acted in response to this particular case rather than in response to others; therefore it is not too much of a stretch to infer that the Senator is acting in response to this particular case rather than in response to others.

Would you mind explaining how this is an unresonable response?

[justiceischeap]

15. It could be he's not reacting because of the gender but the public outcry

Politicians live by the polls and a change in the law must be polling well. It just so happens this case involved two females. Some of the public may have a gender bias where this is concerned but I doubt the politician does.

[Orrex]

16. That's possible, but gender is still the substantive difference here

And if he's acting in response to poll-driven gender bias, then that's substantively the same as being driven by gender bias.

[davidpdx]

9. It's called projecting

The article or none of the ones linked to it said that.

[FreakinDJ]

10. Boy accused of statutory rape may be victim of sex discrimination

Boy accused of statutory rape may be victim of sex discrimination

By John R. Ellement and Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff

A sharply divided Supreme Judicial Court said today that a teenage boy accused of statutory rape may have been a victim of gender discrimination because authorities did not charge the three preteen girls with whom he allegedly had consensual sex.

The case, which originated in Plymouth County, involved a 14-year-old high school freshman football player who is accused of engaging in various sex acts from August to October 2007 with three girls. Two of them were 12 years old and one was 11.

“None of the complainants reported being afraid of the boy's behavior,’’ Chief Justice Margaret Marshall wrote for the majority. “Indeed, sexual behavior seemed to melt seamlessly into games of 'manhunt,' 'truth or dare,' and 'making out.' Some of it occurred with more than one complainant present.’’

In its 3-2 ruling, the majority emphasized that statutory rape laws, which once exclusively protected girls, are now gender-neutral. The boy, the court said, has a constitutional right to see whether Plymouth District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz’s office discriminates against boys when prosecuting statutory rape cases.


http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/02/boy_accused_of.html

But yet he was charged by the local police, and convicted in the lower courts

and ultimately his life ruined

[Orrex]

14. Clearly he's a sex predator

But an 18-year-old woman engaged in non-consensual sex with a 14-year-old girl is an innocent victim.

[davidpdx]

17. He was charged as a minor

which means he will have his record expunged at 18. Of course more males are going to be prosecuted because of statutory rape because it happens most of the time the males are older. Discrimination hasn't been proven yet, they are alleging it. If that is true then something should be done.

However none of this has anything to do with the Hunt case.

[Sheldon Cooper]

11. lol

[NaturalHigh]

21. If this case had involved an 18-year-old male and a 14-year-old female...

I doubt that it would have caught anybody's attention. Certainly we wouldn't see politicians falling all over themselves to intervene.

[liberal_at_heart]

7. 14 year olds should be protected against statutory rape. I don't care if they were in love. I don't

care if they went to the same school 14 year olds should be protected against statutory rape.

[frilled2b]

18. Sounds to me like Florida State Sen. Thad Altman has Kinsey syndrome.

At what age should our children be subjected to adults?

[hrmjustin]

19. welcome to DU my friend!

Last edited Sat Jun 1, 2013, 08:28 PM - Edit history (1)

[dballance]

20. So you're okay with the 18 year-old facing 15 years & labeling as a sex offender?

Our children are subjected to adults and the adults' opinions, actions and attitudes from a very young age. Adults begin teaching children to be racists, and teach them a religion just as soon as the children can start to be indoctrinated. That's long before the person is an "adult."

There is a huge difference between a "Romeo & Juliet" romance like the one between high-school kids and a relationship with a much older person who is a predator or pedophile. It seems very unlikely the older girl in this situation was a predator. There is no reason she should have to live with the label "sex offender" for the relationship she had.

I don't believe there is enough evidence to diagnose Altman with "Kinsey Syndrome." Did you get that idea directly from the Bible-Thumpers or was it original?