America's Child Marriage Problem

“Michelle DeMello walked into the clerk’s office in Colorado thinking for sure someone would save her.

She was 16 and pregnant. Her Christian community in Green Mountain Falls was pressuring her family to marry her off to her 19-year-old boyfriend. She didn’t think she had the right to say no to the marriage after the mess she felt she’d made. “I could be the example of the shining whore in town, or I could be what everybody wanted me to be at that moment and save my family a lot of honor,” DeMello said. She assumed that the clerk would refuse to approve the marriage. The law wouldn’t allow a minor to marry, right?

Wrong, as DeMello, now 42, learned.

While most states set 18 as the minimum marriage age, exceptions in every state allow children younger than 18 to marry, typically with parental consent or judicial approval. How much younger? Laws in 27 states do not specify an age below which a child cannot marry.”

Hosts: Cenk Uygur, Ana Kasparian

Cast: Cenk Uygur, Ana Kasparian

***

Young Turk (n), 1. Young progressive or insurgent member of an institution, movement, or political party. 2. A young person who rebels against authority or societal expectations.(American Heritage Dictionary)

Get The Young Turks Mobile App Today!

[THX]

So consensual sex between a 15 year old and an 18 year old outside of marriage earns the 18 year old 30 years in prison. But a non consensual sexual agreement (marriage) between a 15 year old and an 18 year old arranged by the parents is perfectly legal? Mmmm....something's wrong here.

[FinalFantasyAerith]

I've been saying for years that America needs to sort out its own backyard out before invading other backyards with the intent of "cleaning them up"

[micable]

What about America's child PRESIDENT problem?

[beepboop]

I got married when I was 17, after months of being threatened by my Christian parents. I was pregnant, and the options they gave me were to get married or go to a home for troubled women in Tennessee. They gave their consent, my husbands mom gave them a letter of consent to take to the court and the deed was done. We're still married 6 1/2 years later, and we've been talking about divorce for a whie now, but from what I've read the marriage itself can be voided without much trouble. Also, yes I have experienced severe depression and other health issues as a result of the pressure and stress of being a wife and mother rather than a 17 year old girl.

[kyleemedina]

Around 1970 my grandma who was 12 or 13 got married to my grandpa who was in his mid 20's. They had to go to Baltimore bc NY wouldn't allow it. My dad was born soon after and they had two more sons the next two years. Their marriage only lasted about 5 years and by the time my grandma was 18 she had four kids, ex abusive boyfriends and she abandoned my dad and two of his brothers. It's sad how she had to grow up fast.

[evalore]

Parents giving consent for marriage is such a weird concept. If we recognize that the child is too young to make the decision to GET married, how can we not recognize that the child is too young to BE married?

[raynemaxwell]

I was married in Texas at 15, in order to escape my physically abusive parents. I had my mother's consent, and it saved my own daughter's life, too. The abuse was reported to school and CPS, and it made things worse. This was the best option. There were no religious or honor reasons...

[hadara]

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.”
~Voltaire

[Magnumanxl]

Here comes these TYT trolls basically supporting child marriages based on disliking the video without watching it alone

[alimfg]

I am a Muslim and in an Arab country from North Africa, and we do not have what you have in America. Sometimes the fear of God’s law is better than the fear of human law. I thank my Lord

[gregcampwriter]

Time for a revision of the law: no marriage until both partners are adults.

[bryna]

but...antifeminists said this sort of thing doesn't happen in this country, and women have nothing to complain about here...

[fannyannie]

They need a Federal law across all states that says nobody can legally get married under 18 years old!

[crimsonking]

Trump has tiny hands and he can't read. Suck it, cucks.

[NambiKiaturtlewoman]

Here in Ohio I attended school with a child bride. Her parents consented for their 10 year old daughter to marry a 30 year old man. She had 2 kids and one on the way by the time she was 15.

[agnieszkaniemira]

For young girls, there are also often gynaecological health problems (due to early repeated rapes), which persist throughout their lives, as well as psychological health problems, due to repeated trauma.

[runebeo]

how is this possible? 16 should be the absolute youngest age with parents consent in my opinion

[Farhan]

Looks like America isn't different after all

[barik]

Apparently at least 300 people think that child marriage in the US is completely okay...

[fionagregory]

It should be the British way. 16 with parents' consent, and 18 without their consent.