[JarheadFromFlorida]

C'mon guilty white liberals, tell how how our American culture is really not any better than Ethiopian culture. I can't wait for your responses (afterall, we shouldn't be judemental)!

[Modernman]

C'mon guilty white liberals, tell how how our American culture is really not any better than Ethiopian culture.

In defense of Ethiopian culture, traditions like this are perfectly logical given the economic status quo in that country. It is only in wealthier societies that families can afford to keep supporting kids when they reach a marriageable age.

[Cronos]

Ethiopians CAN do this in an impoverished country with a short life expectancy --> I would not condone this practise if they were Ethiopians living in the West or when Ethiopia becomes a prosperous nation (that's NOT a fantasy -- Ethiopia was a pretty prosperous nation for much of it's 3000+ year old history -- many of its famines were under Socialist, neo-Communist governments) or even a second-world, developing country.

There are no instances of dispicable practises like honor-killings or stoning of women who get raped.

[Age of Reason]

C'mon guilty white liberals, tell how how our American culture is really not any better than Ethiopian culture.

A lot depends on circumstances.

For example, for all we know many women in Ethiopia may be too sick to bear children by the time they're in their twenties.

And/or they may not live or be strong enough to raise children in their 20's and 30's.

AS for girls becoming brides before puberty, it may be that such marriages are not consummated until the girl is older anyway.

All this is not so different from the arranged marriages of the rich or royal in the West--where marriages were--and still are--arranged to consolidate power.

Just so those Ethiopian goat herders--or whatever they do--marry off their girls for economic reasons, which in the case of those Ethiopians is more excusable than the rich and/or royal classes of the West, as for the Ethiopians such marriages may make the very difference between a family starving or not.

But for whatever reason, the custom works for them else I'm sure such practices would have died out.

[cyborg]

I would not throw stones considering the state of marriage and morality in this country.