I'm not saying that sex with 13 year olds is right or anything, but... - Edit 1
Before modification by imlad at 28/09/2009 10:54:50 PM
there are a couple of things I'd like to say about this:
1) For most of human history, 13 year olds (both male and female) were considered old enough the marry, and have children of their own. Hell, Juliet (as in Romeo) would have barely been 13 or 14 years old, and Romeo likely around 17-19 years of age.
2) The only reason (IMO) children in our era lack in maturity (as defined by adults, btw) is the way we tend to coddle them, and hide the realities of the world from them, especially when it comes to procreation. The "victim" of Polanski's crime has admitted it was consensual, but still the charge is considered rape (statutory).
Personally, I find 13 to be too young in my opinion, but I have been raised with modern western values, which conditions us this way. Two to three hundred years ago (if even that) a man in his 30s sleeping with a teen under 16 wouldn't even cause people to bat an eye, unless they weren't married.
And no, I am NOT IN ANY WAY condoning Mr. Polanski's actions, nor am I excusing them.
1) For most of human history, 13 year olds (both male and female) were considered old enough the marry, and have children of their own. Hell, Juliet (as in Romeo) would have barely been 13 or 14 years old, and Romeo likely around 17-19 years of age.
2) The only reason (IMO) children in our era lack in maturity (as defined by adults, btw) is the way we tend to coddle them, and hide the realities of the world from them, especially when it comes to procreation. The "victim" of Polanski's crime has admitted it was consensual, but still the charge is considered rape (statutory).
Personally, I find 13 to be too young in my opinion, but I have been raised with modern western values, which conditions us this way. Two to three hundred years ago (if even that) a man in his 30s sleeping with a teen under 16 wouldn't even cause people to bat an eye, unless they weren't married.
And no, I am NOT IN ANY WAY condoning Mr. Polanski's actions, nor am I excusing them.