[DAnconia55]

He's right. It is arbitrary law that prevents children from engaging in contracts (or giving consent).

He's leaving out something important though. There is no alternative except to give the state ownership over all children.
Mark me down as a 'no' for that one.

While we can change the age of consent/contract age - (or perhaps require a class and test before granting full privelege?) - there does have to be SOME standard.

That said, I most certainly DID consent back when I was 15. (And would have at 14, too - had the opportunity presented itself :)) - And I don't think my adult girlfriend at the time should have gone to jail, either.

[TheAngryClam]

Volitional and legal consent aren't the same thing.

Which is why (to take Clint's couple of favorite fantasies) you'll always be raping that little boy, or the dog that sure seems happy to be humping your leg.

As for your inflateable woman, Clint, I know she seems real to you, and you've possibly even named her, but one cannot rape inanimate objects.

That, or millions of little boys have been serial rapists of their bedsheets throughout the centuries...

[breakem]

DA (Clint there's something special for you at the end) we have a diagreement on the arbitrariness of the restriction on children contractng or consenting.

I believe the limitations on children are rooted in religion,and/or nature. Either way I think over time it is a widely help principle that parents have responsibility and authority over children. My understanding of anthropology and religion is that this has been practically universal.

If you agree on this point then children could not give consent (and yes I too had sex before 18). Now I do believe that where you draw the age of consent is arbitrary. For instance, I think it's somewhat ironic, that the age of consent is higher than in the past when kids seem to grow up faster than before. It seems that sexual consent used to be tied more to puberty and now we have decided it's voting or some other magic at 18. Of course, you can't discuss lowering the age of consent on the ole FR because you are labelled as a pedophile or pushing the gaystapo agenda.

Also, wouldn't it be more arbitrary if each family decided on their own. As a wannabe Libertarian, I might like the exclusive parental authority, but I believe that would be chaotic and impractical (open to counterpoint on this one). I do believe government has a role to play drawing the line of the age of consent as part of a balance against total parental control which can be abusive to kids.

Clint, I will never answer your question about the legal differences between having sex with your blow-up doll and your pets. The question is idiotic. Either you already know the answer, which I suspect from the fact that you get in a real quality question now and then; or you are playing a psuedoSocratic-method game of string the other guy along with innane questions.

If and when you want to engage as adults, you might start by stating your complete position on the legality of homosexual sex. I suspect that once you put the dools, pets, and kids away, you don't want to put these people in jail afterall. I have totally lost your position in our ongoing bizarro dialogue.