Comment: Hello SteveMT

Do you think that these 13 y/o's were/are coerced/brainwashed in any way about early marriage? If they had just said no, would anyone have listened? Were/Are any forced into marriage,by chance?
I can't say, but I'm not going to assume one way of the other, either.

Not everyone goes by what the US does (I know, hard to believe, right?). Different parts of the world hold vastly different standards when it comes to when children are considered adults, marriage, and just about all other aspects of life.

"I guess a book that glamorizes and exploits the sexual abuse of children is no big deal"

Does the book actually openly advocate that...or is that what you're choosing to take from it? Last I checked, the "kid" is 21. Is the book directed at children? No? Then why not focus on things that actually are if you're so worried about people sexualizing kids (a valid concern, to be sure).

Do some people attempt to sexualize kids? Absolutely, and it's disturbing. But like I say, there are bigger fish to fry than some book than will in all likelihood have even less of an effect than "lolita".

I'm saying it's a gray area because I see lots of people seeing what they *want* to see from the book and drawing all sorts of conclusions based mostly on wild speculation. And like I've already pointed out, being with a 13 year old is even considered normal in some parts of the world (still)....should we go around the world and tell those people that their culture is evil and backwards? Oh right, we already do that!Where does the line get drawn...on EITHER side?

As to whether if there is any black and white areas left, I've already answered in another post. I see a few situations in black and white, but *very* few.