I don’t get why a such law took so long, but late is better than never.
Rep. Hardy Billington, R-Poplar Bluff, was among the few who spoke against the bill, arguing that barring pregnant teenagers from getting married would increase abortion rates.
“We all claim to be pro-life here in the body,” Billington said. “Now we’re going to vote on this bill where babies are going to die.”
Disgusting. What a pitiful excuse to enable the trafficking of children. I’m ashamed to live here. There’s no fucking guarantee that it would even increase abortion rate, this guy is a closeted pedophile looking out for his ilk.
Apparently he’s been spouting this bullshit for at least the past year. Not to mention he’s also a homophobe.
Sounds like an old guy from the 50s, who still clings to 50s social mores and stigmas, unaware that being a single mother isn’t the massive taboo he remembers it being.
Checks Hardy Billington’s Wikipedia page
Born 1952 or 1953 (age 71–72)
Aaaaaand there we have it. Not sure why his exact birthdate isn’t known. In fact the only notable thing on that page is about him expressing opposition to another child marriage bill that was proposed last year. Imagine having “strongly endorses child marriage” as the one and only legacy from your 70+ years of life. Gross.
It’s okay because there’s an R next to his name. It wouldn’t shock me if people were fully aware of his views. The abortion argument works for women here and the men here were sold at “child marriage.”
That’s a good take. The generational difference is real, that good old shotgun wedding from the past.
Most likely he has just never revealed his birthday to the public to Wikipedia is just guessing on the year.
And if it fails, you know whoever voted for it to not pass is a child predator. Hopefully there’s a list of people who voted “no” on it that gets leaked so people, especially parents, know who to cut contact with.
I mean, basically every Republican legislature or executive is a child predator. It’s like a prerequisite to join the party. Their ratings don’t drop when they’re exposed.
deleted by creator
Hopefully there’s a list of people who voted “no” on it that gets leaked
There is no need for leaks, it’s right in the article:
The final version of the bill passed the House by a vote of 129-14, with one member voting present. In the Senate, it passed by a vote of 32-1. Sen. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove, was the only vote against.
I get where you’re coming from but leaking a list of names and how they voted is a terrible thought.
Voting choices of individual citizens over political matters and selection of representatives? sure, 100% should always be anonymous to avoid discrimination and political violence.
But this are representatives on an assembly, making legislation. Their votes are, as they correctly should be, 100% always public. It’s the way constituencies can keep representatives accountable for their actions.
You’re right. I was thinking about private citizens but that’s not the situation on this one.
“in a move that infuriates conservatives…”
The final version of the bill passed the House by a vote of 129-14, with one member voting present. In the Senate, it passed by a vote of 32-1. Sen. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove, was the only vote against.
What sort of garbage person do you have to be to vote against something like this?
A Republican
The next time someone makes fun of shithole countries remind them that hundreds of 12yo are married in the US every year. And I guess their little bodies are ready for motherhood because many of them produce a baby in 4 or 6 mo after the wedding.
many of them produce a baby in 4 or 6 mo after the wedding
Wow, they are just precocious in every way, aren’t they?
The usual shit that islamophobes would say is that ‘at least they aren’t 9’ even if many Islamic countries ban that shit and large age gaps in marriage (Egypt is one example) and many children marriages that do happen are between children. As in, an 11 year old girl is betrothed to a 14 year old boy (still not cool though). They also ignore that in many cases a man who does marry a little kid is often socially ostracized and treated like shit for doing that.
Western Chauvinism and Islamophobia have red-pilled so many promising minds into the intellectual sewer of bigotry.
Have they? Islam isn’t exactly pure and innocent in its own, though. Some of its reputation is rightfully earned through oppression and violence.
And you can thank Zionists for being their main sponsors.
Yeah, I like listening to Sam Harris but goddamn does he rant against Islam a lot. I skip through a lot of his Israel takes, as he apparently thinks all Palestinians are Hamas.
How can anyone still take the New Atheist movement seriously after October 7?
I didn’t even know of that movement, although I do tend enjoy atheist rhetoric as of late. I more appreciate his insights with meditation and how our minds work.
It is a bunch of racists pretending to hate brown people for their religion. After October 7 that farce has fallen. They are simply racists.
The biggest red piller is Muslim…
“Do you know any kids who have been married at age 12? I do. And guess what? They’re still married,” Moon said in response to questioning by Democratic state Representative Peter Merideth.
Child brides aren’t old enough to divorce their husbands.
Bet Republicans are furious
for anyone surprised at this, I learned from an Ask Lemmy thread that the age of sexual consent in well over half of the USA is 16 years old, in something like 30 states.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_consent_in_the_United_States
up until that point I figured it was 18 across the US.
I was real wrong.
As bad as that is, a kid doesn’t have to be anywhere near the age of consent for their parents to marry them off to an old man (let’s be real, that’s what’s happening).
And since they aren’t old enough to be the one consenting to the marriage, they can’t file for divorce and if they try to escape, they are treated as run aways and returned to their abuser (again, let’s be real, that’s what’s happening).
Statuary rape is legal if the poor child’s parents consent. And they can do it in 36 US states. Including California. Do better.
Shower thought: maybe there should be an age / 2 + 7 law for marriage, with the minimum age of the youngest involved in the marriage being 18.
Then you don’t get any of that 50 yo people marrying 18 year olds anymore. Instead, those would have to look at 32 years.
Well, that’s just a rule of general not-being-a-creep. I think a better law is: No one can consent to marriage (or sex) for someone else, ever, including parents.
It seems pretty obvious: if you can’t sign a legally binding contract, you can’t sign a marriage contract.
Oh, I agree, but it’s depressing to know that there are people in the Republican Party that would probably violate that rule easily. Not that I ever trusted them, though.
The vast majority of American movie and tv just use 18 regardless, to avoid any legal issues
Which is why a lot of Americans, even ones living in states where it’s 16, think it is 18 in all states.
Not just the USA. Historically humans considered teens as young adults, granting them more rights and responsibility as they transition to adulthood, sometimes with parental consent.
It is a recent development that we look back thinking “no way should me or my friends have been able to marry or worse, arranged to be married at that age”
In the UK and many other developed countries also. Seems quite standard. America likes to infantise the youth so it’ll be 25 before long.
Finally. The bare fucking minimum.
It’s Missouri, it’s a miracle this happened.
“uplifting” news
c/orphancrushingmachine
You mean they hadn’t already?!
It’s legal in a lot of the US, yes. Sometimes it requires approval from a judge, 4 states have no minimum age at all.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage_in_the_United_States
The fact that California is one of those 4 is fucking mind blowing. They banned smoking and legalized weed but can’t be bothered to stop child brides from happening???
Republican men are probably throwing a fit that they won’t be able to legally groom and rape children for “family values” anymore
Wow, MISSOURI did that???
MISSOURI??!??
I’ll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I recognize Missouri.
This is PROOF that America is On the DECLINE! We NEED MORE God in School’s to REVERSE this COMMUNIST FILTH of OUTLAWING MARRYING CHILDREN! First THIS then what? We CANT have SEX with them?
-School Shooting Advocates AKA Conservatives!
It’s wild to me how much debate there was over this here in our General Assembly, but I’m glad it came out correctly.
Now if only they’d stop trying to gut the other things we voted for last year: $15 minimum wages, required paid sick leave, and abortion rights.
Trump will probably put in an EO banning age restrictions on marriage and the right will cheer.
