You say that the Muslims you know in America are still in a ninth century culture of marrying 13 year old girls? Forgive me if I misunderstand, but are you saying you know Muslim men who are married to 13 year old girls?
Most of the Muslims around here are doctors and engineers, affluent, with sentiments much like the author of the article. The exception would be the Somalis, who are, well...Somalis.
“Forgive me if I misunderstand, but are you saying you know Muslim men who are married to 13 year old girls?”
Actually, yes. I had a 50 year old Palestinian coworker. When he was in his early 40’s he said he wrote home and said, “Pick me out some wife candidates.” He interviewed them and married a 12 year old. She came back to this country (this would have been roughly the early 80’s) as his wife. She was 13 and pregnant when she arrived. When I met her I thought she was his daughter and he was insulted. He straightened me out.
I was stunned that nobody said anything. By that I mean the passport authorities. He came here when he was 15 and had spent more years here than in Palestine. He was a citizen but still referred to himself as Palestinian. He was insulted to be called American.
I believe this young marriage is more common than we know.