August 17, 2007
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Young Marriage
In the great state of Arkansas, you can now get married even if you are a toddler if you have the consent of your parents.
(The above girl is not currently married).
Here is the link: Link
What is the youngest that you think a young person should be allowed to get married with parent consent?
Comments (136)
ummm about 16 or 17……………
1st!
17. That is too young I think.
btw: if you want a grammatically correct sentence, take out the “that”.
I would go with 15.
fetus
I think 15 makes sense. My grandmother was married at that age, and she’s still with the man she married, 45 years later.
Hmmm…I lived in Arkansas for about 8 months. This news does not surprise me. I think maturity varies for each person, but no one who hasn’t reached puberty should be able to marry.
15 I guess.
zygote XD
if there’s grass on the field, play ball.
15-17?
lord. like, seventeen.
At least 14.
This makes me question exactly what the fuck was going through the minds (or lack thereof) in Arkansas.
Government shouldn’t define marriage; government should define contractual civil unions. Church and other social institution should decide marriage.
Barring that, I would say thirteen. And let first cousins get married, too.
And I feel obligated to admit that I live in Arkansas.
she should be old enouh to understand what that means………..
18. but it sucks not to be able to
drink the toast at your own wedding.
Well, depends on the society. In modern American society I can’t see any younger than 18 being appropriate. In other societies I could see it being as low as 14. But I dont’ know anything about other societies.
Any parent who has an answer below the age of 25 needs to go back to parent training school.
Of course, arranged marriages do have a significantly higher success rate and, here in America, our kids tend to stop listening to us when they get out of toddler-hood, so maybe Arkansas has the right of it.
Thirteen, if pregnant.
MAYBE 17. And that’s a big maybe. My uncle got married when he was 17 and he’s still married to this day to the same woman. They’ve been married for 22 years now.
Well a toddler is too young but it really is the choice of the parents. I don’t think there should be laws on the matter.
If I were a parent I wouldn’t let my kids get married at least until 22 or 23.
Possibly 17, but probably not. More like 18.
17 or 18.
I think 16.
WOW… I think that physically we are ready for things way efore mentally… I know, way to state the obvious… I’m going to go with 15… I don’t know why… I just am… I thought that could get married with parental consent… interesting… very, very interesting…
16
21
wow that won’t backfire into arranged marriages much…
I thought we were to be more understanding of different cultures. now in Islamic culture the age that a girl can be married off is 9 years old. ok then, lets all be tolerant and let them do it. nine is good
Common sense dictates that 18 should be the right age. By that age you’ve cleared high school, you know the way the world works from your classes, you have somewhat of a grip on where your future is going. You are legally prepared to embark on your own life. When you’re younger than that, typically you’re still thinking about only high school, or middle school, or whatever.
You might ask me, “but what about those kids who drop out and move away from their parents and potentially enter college?” and then I would point my finger at you with a pained grimace and say, “Touche, Dan! Touche!”
You know, maybe this is too hard to standardize. There are some 30 year olds who are clearly not capable of getting married and should be prevented from it. There are also some very well educated sixteen year olds who know what’s going in life and might be ready to marry the person of their dreams.
This was a good question. I’m going to freakin say 16. At that point you’re legal to start your own life.
-David
17.
Uhm… like 16 or 17. I mean, seriously, toddlers? I thought they only did that back with monarchies and nobility and such, for political reasons. What the hell kind of reason would Arkansas parents have to get their toddlers married??
Does this mean that 2 twelve year olds get married and then both thrown in jail for statutory rape? Would they then they have to register as sex offenders for the rest of their life?
You can get married, but no drinking till you are 21. Getting married at 12 would cause drinking amongst those around you though.
What a messed up world.
16 or 17 yrs old would be more ideal but prefer they get marry after 18 cuz more older and more wiser..
16 at the youngest
Well what age would fetch the highest price when you sell your daughter? That sounds about right…
16-ish, tops.
The drama of highschool comes to mind. If Arkansas is anything like Tennessee, teenage couples are getting together one day and breaking up a week or so later. Marriage should be a big commitment.
17. You can die driving a car at that age, so why not get married? However, at 17 years old myself.. it’s hard to imagine..
14 or 15 is THE youngest. really, you aren’t quite rational enough until 20 or so.
17
I’ve seen high school musical 2 already troy and gabriella (or whatever) break up and troy almost goes out with sharpay. and sharpay’s brother doesnt do whatever she says
gabriella quits her job near the middle of the story and at the end troy and gabriella kiss 3 times in a row withing 40 seconds
I got it 2 days before today so yah just wanted to spoil it for everyone
Haha, I’m amused.
I don’t know, nor do I care
16 should be the earliest
With parental consent, I would say 17, without, I’d say 18.
16 – 18
Eighteen year olds should be free to make adult choices. However my hope is that most will wait until they are secure with the concept.
Twenty-one.
I feel obligated to say that it was a typographical error in the bill that no one caught — our legislators are daff at times but not quite that daff —
18
18…though I really think you need to be older to really know what you want in a person and its only when you are older that you have matured a lot…I have strong opinions on this subject
whenever they fully understand the value of the dollar
how to look after themselves
& how to live with others
otherwise
they.re jst playing house
14 sounds reasonable.
If there was parental support, and not just consent, I’d say 16. If they are going to be on their own, 18.
18. I had a friend get married who needed parent consent and I think she was WAY too young even at 18. I think a good age for anyone should be 22
16.
Sixteen.
That’s a heckuva cute baby, though. Oh, she is precious. She’ll be married soon, I’m sure.
18.
I think fifteen is the youngest anyone should legally be allowed to get married. However, that does not mean I think marrying at that age is a good idea for the vast majority of people.
Parent consent? Sometimes it is tough to say “no.” Our daughter married when she was 20. We thought she was too young… but there is no talking her out of anything. A couple years later she said. “No one should be allowed to marry until they are 25!”
16. At least they will be able to drive themselves around
16, but barely!
I don’t think you should be able to get married before you’re 18, even if you have parental consent.
It was a typographical error in the bill! Granted, they should have rechecked it several times before actually passing it, but we here IN ARKANSAS are not all idiots.
Eh, 18.
55
16, though I see no reason to get married any younger than 20.
Im addicted to this blog already!
No one under age 18 should get married. It’s a difficult thing and I don’t think anyone under 25 is ready for marriage.
I was married @ 19 yrs old ~ my opinion on the matter varies, however. I married a Marine, so I’m in a town full of young marriages, and I’d say 9 out of 10 should have thought twice about it. But, depending on the circumstances, the very youngest I’d say is 16 ~ and that’s with parental consent, income, and *of course* mutual feelings.
18!
Yck, people just shouldn’t get married in general til they’re at least 30!
Thanks for the news Dan! I’m an Arkansan and I didn’t know that!
15.
everyone who is saying 18. you are an adult by then and don’t need parental consent.
I would say not until at least 18 but I’m going to encourage my daughter not to marry till her mid 20′s.
i think it depends… but i’d say 18.
I think 25 would be about right.
If you are young enough that parents should be consenting you have no business being married. Kids shouldn’t get married.
16
.. That’s ridiculous.
16 maybe. But even then… it’s such a big decision. I guess 18.. ?
at Least 14
I don’t know, sometimes I do think younger people are naive. I myself being a youngster, wouldn’t consider getting married until my mid-20′s. I think in the teenage years it should be about learning what love is and making mistakes to actually understand what love is and what it means to be in love.
then again, that’s just me.
Wow, I’m so glad I live in Arkansas. *shudders*
And I think the whole thing is so completely individual…no way to put an age on it.
17
Okay… so since I live in Arkansas… and im seeing some of the comments people are saying… its offensive! Yes we do have some messed up weirdos here… but we indeed do NOT marry our cousins, go without shoes, wear overalls all the time…. Get my drift?
So on the counter of the stupid people… look at the great success that we did get! Bill Clinton!
Take that as you will!
It differs for people. I’m 20, and I still don’t think I’m ready. I’d say 18.
Fetuses are obviously equal to adults, they should be allowed to marry.
um….15?….with parents consent of course
I guess 16…but even that’s pushing it.
16?
14.
18, or graduated from high school.
16
Unless its MY daughter. Then 25.
26.
Yet another opportunity to state how much I hate the state of Arkansas.
i don’t think anyone under eighteen should be allowed to get married. sixteen-year-olds don’t know what they’re doing. they don’t understand about lifetime commitment.
Whenever they feel like it.
I don’t think under the age of 16… but that’s really only if they pass some sort of maturity test and prove that they are capable of such responsibility, which, on rare occasions, is possible. Otherwise I think 17 maybe.
Or if the girl is 14-15 and pregnant and she and boy want to keep the baby and raise it, then I think marriage should be allowed. I dunno… it’s hard to say because every instance is different, and it depends on what kind of people they are, and how mature they are for their age.
90 :::::grin::::::: Hey.. it’s been a rough week. I’m pessemistic. (think I spelled that wrong)
18.
Whatever the legal age of consent for sex is… which I think should be 15.
On second thought, make it 18 for sex or marriage, with a grace period of two years age difference on the sex. (16 + 18 could not get married, but 18-year-old wouldn’t get punished for sex.)
16. Anything before that is crazy as their minds and bodies are still developing.
Never! Getting married too young only guarantees a hard life and early divorce.
17?
<LI class=itemsubmitter>Drakonskyr there’s a lot going through my mind here in Arkansas, things like why do you use the N word so freely on your site? Are you a bigot? You also dog out Christians. I think a white man using that word has a lot to learn when it comes to judging the thoughts of others.
It’s really…just because I can, you know?
18
In my opinion there is None !
I got married at 20 and think now that was too young !
17 or 18
17, but even that is too young.
I would think that a law that allows kids to get married with parental consent might actually condone fixed marriages. Kids are now much more prone to mom and dad pressure to get married. I think putting an age cap on the whole thing might help with that kind of dilemma. I would probably set that cap at 16. When you are old enough to decide where to drive, it is your choice whether or not you want to get married.
Plus, it’s super hard for parents to peer pressure 16-year-olds anyways.
23 should be old. ah, 16-17 is way too young! 23-24, right after you usually finish undergrad studies.
It creates greater questions, not so much the “what if” of a couple of sixteen year olds getting married, but rather, what if parents turn their thirteen year old daughter over to some fifty-ish child molester? Legal now, so long as the daughter can be coerced into it? Dangerous territory, this. I am no longer a great believer in human nature… there are those who would probably sell their daughters on ebay if they were given half a chance.
Where did you hear that from? I live in Arkansas and I haven’t heard anything like that.
-Amber
that’s sick. 16 maybe.
As soon as puberty hits. By that point someone is physicly an adult, and in older cultures they would be married then.
if you are relying on parental consent, the government shouldn’t need to impose an age requirement.
in the US? once they have a highschool diploma. in Europe? once they’ve passed their final exams before college. same w/ Japan. Everywhere else? 14.
I think you shouldn’t be able to get married untill your a legal adult. 18. When you’re young you are nieve and vonerable. You think your first love is the one you should marry. I think if you love someone you can wait years to get married I mean it’s only a label.
People believe it is inherent for them to get marriage eventually. By simply believing that someone who shows them kindness is in fact the ‘one’ some young people jump into something they don’t know much about, usually resulting in hurt feelings and divorce. This lowering of marriageage is something that those people from Arkansas can obscure so those with pedophilic interests may get what they want without interfering with the law. The age to which an individual is supposedly capable of making long term decisions is eighteen, however kids these days are marrying younger and younger without fully exploring their own selves.
maybe 16, but that’s pushing it already.
40. By that age you MIGHT just be smart enough to listen to your parents advice when they tell you that he is the wrong chap!
twenty three.
Love knows no numbers..
that being said not before 16
After they graduate from high school. No sooner.
14 or 15.
Our society “expects” that you have all your school done, debts paid off, and likely own a house first. 25 is about right
!
In an ideal society with all maturity factors taken into account, and kids being treated as “young, immature adults” intstead of hormone-crazed irresponsible fiends…. 14 – societies in which people marry at that age, but are supported through their education/trade and the other transitions into adulthood used to be the norm.
With the current culture, with parental consent? 16… though VERY few would be ready at that time!
I think 21… At least out of high school with a good paying job. If a toddler got married, they would have no income and no insurance, because once you are married, you are not a dependent of the parent. My mom was married at 19 and 30 years later my parents are still married, but she still to this day says 19 is way to young to be married. I think you should be out of college and have finances under control and a good paying job.
18
Just watch, drugged up parents are going to kid their children married when they are 2 years old. o-o
18
18.
Eighteen
Four years old was too young in my case. I would say 7.
I think you should have to be at least 18 before you can get married, no matter what.