Citing 13-year-old groom, Florida lawmaker proposes bill to outlaw child marriage

[LiberalEsto]

From RawStory
By Tom Boggioni
Wednesday, March 19, 2014 9:32 EDT

"A Florida lawmaker has proposed a new bill that would make it illegal for youths under the age of 16 to marry in the state, according to the Sun-Sentinel.

“Marriage is an adult responsibility,” said Rep. Cynthia Stafford, (D-Miami). “We don’t want them to vote, we don’t want them to drink alcohol, they can’t drive a car, and we allow them to marry under 16?”

Under current Florida law, minors are allowed to get married after obtaining parental permission and court approval if the couple are expecting or already have a baby."

(snip)

"“You may say, ‘this does not happen nowadays,’ but in 2012 we had a 13-year-old groom in the state of Florida,” Stafford told the House Civil Justice Subcommittee on Tuesday."

More:

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/03/19/citing-13-year-old-groom-florida-lawmaker-proposes-bill-to-outlaw-child-marriage/

[patricia92243]

1. Hmm - I don't know what to think about this.

Under current Florida law, minors are allowed to get married after obtaining parental permission and court approval if the couple are expecting or already have a baby."

Old enough to make a baby, old enough to be married - IF THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT.

[LiberalEsto]

2. Well, it's a way to ensure a steady supply of new Floridians

[cyberswede]

3. Kids that young knowing what they want? More like the parents deciding for them, if you ask me. nt

[steve2470]

4. precisely

When I was 13, getting married never entered my brain.

[Blue_Tires]

5. what the fucking hell?

Attorney Stafford said she was motivated to pass the bill by a 1972 case out of Pinellas County, in which Sherry Johnson, now of Tallahassee, was raped at 10, pregnant and married by 11.

Johnson’s mother gave consent for her daughter “to marry the 20-year-old who raped her,” Stafford said.

Johnson recently wrote a book about the experience called “Forgiving the Unforgivable.”

[avebury]

6. That was just plain child abuse! nt

[demigoddess]

7. many, many years ago we

had a neighbor whose daughter was 14 and a mother, the father was living with them, was 15 or so and within 4 months of the birth, they had broken up and the guy was gone. At that age you just aren't ready for long term commitment. Good thing they weren't married. But tell that to some religious folk.