They have just as much say in the govt as you or I.... There are seeing people that never drive a car. they can marry they can enter into contracts.... having a D/L is a priviledge.... and being blind or whatever is not statutory rape unless they are mentally unable to make the decision... Keep trying to justify statutory rape though....
I'm talking about not being legally allowed to drive. It's not just that but several other activities which the law forbids them to do. Sure they can marry and enter into contracts but they are still legally unequal. As well as socially unequal due to being far more dependent than people with sight. I do believe that Hunt belongs in jail. But not because of the sexual activity but that she was repeatedly contributing to the delinquency of a minor and was lying to the nation to cover her a$$. I'm sure you agree a 14 year old understands the nature of a sexual act and it's consequences. I believe Florida uses the term "Unlawful Sex with a Minor" rather than statutory rape.
But mental inequality is the root of it. All those other inequalities (legal, economical) are there merely as consequences of the mental inequality. If children were similarly intelligent as adults, then there would be nothing wrong about having sex with them! There are many adults who are economically or socially very unequal and yet having sex with each other is not illegal. Maybe when the asymmetry is very strong you would have a point, for example parent + underage child sex or prisoner + guard sex. But other than that, it is almost completely about mental aspects, not other things. Being blind does not make you so inferior to normal people and the very notion seems very insulting to blind people.
What I quoted was really talking about adolescents rather than children. Mid-adolescents's mental capacities are extremely similar to that of adults and them being legally unequal is not really based on science supported foundings. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2892678/#!po=2.63158 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._history_of_alcohol_minimum_purchase_age_by_state Whoa, I never used the term "inferior" just legally and socially unequal.
They certainly are not, the brain changes a lot during adolescence and some changes continue even into the 20s. I do agree that from 15 and up it is not a really important difference, tough. AoC at 18 and such is certainly too high. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-teen-brain-still-under-construction/index.shtml All the legal and social inequalities are just a consequence of this mental inequality, and not in any way important to giving informed consent (except maybe when it is exacerbated by the other party being a parent or a teacher of the kid, but even that is arguable). But that is exactly what you mean by it, even if you wont say it out loud. Kids are inferior to adults in mental and other abilities. Anyway, let me rephrase: the notion that blind people cannot give informed consent to sex is very insulting and extremely condescending to the blind. The same holds true for any other disabilities, except mental ones.
I know why they are there but I'm saying that the "cut offs" are arbitrary. For example, most 16 year olds can make an informed decision but they are legally unequal when comes to voting.
