Vestiges for Peter B.

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Originally posted by John:

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This is about an article on your web site about lowering the age of consent.

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Actually, it is about the chaos and irrationality of US age of consent legislation. But I bet you didn't read it.

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I happen to fully agree with John's article. Maturity is the deciding factor and it's a state of mind, not a number.I also have a friend who was found guilty of stat rape. The judge said he would have thrown the case out if the law permitted. Unfortuantely she was 6 weeks underage and her parents had layed charges, legally he was guilty. He did get the minimum though (a fine), but the record stays with him for live.------------------
compmage

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Originally posted by nos482:

There is a big difference between the age of majority (Adult responsibility) and the age of consent. Are you going to allow the average 14 year old to drive, vote, drink, or smoke just because some of them may act more mature then the rest?

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I never said anything about the average 14 year old. My point (and John's) is that assigning an age is arbitrairy. However, I understand that given something like drinking or smoking, the person behind the counter often does not know if the child is or isn't mature enough to make an informed choice. I don't think there is an easy solution that is completely fair.

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Originally posted by nos482:

Underage is underage even if it is by one day.

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Legally yes, but as a person are you really significantly different today than what you were yesterday?

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Originally posted by nos482:

Incidently the age of majority in Canada is 19 and I think, I'm not sure, but the age of concent is 14. Though, there is some talk of rising it to 16 again.

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In South Africa it is 16 for concent. You may drink, smoke and drive at 18, but can't sing a legal document before 21. This just shows exactly how arbitrairy it really is.------------------
compmage

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Originally posted by nos482:

There has to be a line drawn somewhere. It is not like it was in the past when it was important to reproduce as soon as one was able to. Having a higher age of consent is also a sound means of population control as well.

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Yes the line has to be drawn. However, it might be better if age was not used as a criteria. An option (though maybe not very praticle) could work along the lines of a drivers licence (excluding the age requirement). Pass the test and you are considered 'adult'.

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Originally posted by nos482:

Each culture has its own standards and tries to adhere to them.

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Yes, I just think that the standards are arbitrairy. Age is not a good indicator of maturity.

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Originally posted by nos482:

BTW, how does one "sign" a legal document?

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Signing it is pretty easy, singing it is the hard part

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Originally posted by nos482:
Also, maybe you should re-read my previous reply. I was editing it while you were replying to it.

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Or is it just that he wanted to have sex with little girls and not get in trouble for it? John made a very poor choice of titles "When ought the cops let me bonk her?" and this shows what his true intents are.

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Poor choice of title? Sure, although it is a little funny in a sick sort of way. I don't think it is enough to label him though.------------------
compmage

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Originally posted by nos482:

What happens if a smart preteen takes this test and passes it? Are they to be consider an adult as well? Would you want someone that young and physically weak to be driving around?

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I would hope that any such tests would be design to avoid situations like this. Afterall, the whole purpose of any such test would be to determine if a person is mature/responsible/(any other requirement) enough. I am not, and was not, saying that if you are mature you should be allowed to drive. Just as age is not always a good indicator of maturity, so maturity is not a good indicator of driving ability.

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Originally posted by nos482:

For most it is a good indicator. There is much to be said for experience.

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And experiance is gained by living, not being alive (if you understand what I am getting at).

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Originally posted by nos482:

He labeled himself.

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Excuse me? I say that one comment is not enough to label him, and your reply boils down to "The comment labels him"?------------------
compmage

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Originally posted by nos482:

But passing the test is suppose to be the indicator of being mature enough. There are examples of pre-teens going to university as well.

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Ah, I think I see were we are missing each other. I am not speaking of a single test that would suddenly allow you to partake in all things 'adult', but rather different tests for different situations. This is also why I said that while this might be an option it is not terribly practicle.

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Originally posted by nos482:

As I had said this is not the past where all a person had to do to be considered an adult was to pass some rite of passage.

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No it isn't. But how is it better to say, "You are now 16 and therefore adult" compared to "You are now 16 and if you pass this test you are an adult"? Forgetting for the moment that many of the rites of passage included questionable practises.

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Originally posted by nos482:

And how much experience can a child gain, especially for something as important as sex?

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How would a person that is 14 with no experiance be different from a person that is 16, given a similar level of maturity? How is an inexperianced, immature 18 year old any better able to make an informed choice than an inexperianced, mature 16 year old?------------------
compmage

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Originally posted by nos482:

We already have something like that. That is why we only allow a certain level of responsibility for certain ages.

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We are going around in circles. We allow a certain level of responsibility for a certain age without knowing if the person is mature enough to handle that responsibility.

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Originally posted by nos482:

We don't say you're 16 and you're now an adult. What we say is that you're now 16 and have reached a certain level of experience to be allowed to do this thing.

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Let see. Assuming sex to be illegal before the age of 16. You follow the law, how exactly would you have any experiance what-so-ever in regards to sex when you turn 16?

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Originally posted by nos482:

Two years extra experience to work with.

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And if you have no experience?

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Originally posted by nos482:

If one hasn't learn responsibility by age 18 than it is too late. My mother use to call it idiot hill (She had 5 sons, I'm number 5, and 1 daughter (#6)) and she said that if they hadn't gotten over it by then it was too late.

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Too late or not. What is the difference?

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Originally posted by nos482:

BTW, before the age of First Maturity (Mid 20's) a person doesn't actually age, it is more accurate to say that they have so many years of growth instead. If you continued to grow you would never age. Aging is dying.

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Is this true for the entire body or just most of it?------------------
compmage