The line of reasoning on this is embarrassing. “Our family would never even have a chance to exist”—as though waiting until you’re 18 means you can never have a family? You mean your dad wouldn’t have stuck around until your mom was 18? That’s disgusting. An age limit does not preclude the ability to do something forever, in case you’re unclear on how age-related milestones actually function.
You make me embarrassed to be from Alto, and I’ll be sharing with all of my family members in the area that you aren’t actually interested in protecting kids. Democrats and Republicans will both vote against you in my family.
I agree with Ben. Wow. You start your statement that forced marriage is disgusting, but then you claim that the child being forced has a "right to choose" "together with their parents and families". Forced, by definition, means a lack of choice. It was past time to step up and stop forced marriage. You missed an opportunity here to do the right thing for young girls some of whom are married as early at 13. I believe government is required to have a say in stopping child abuse. This isn't about not having a say in marriage. The rest of the legislature was able to smell the coffee. You missed out.
Wow. As a constituent of Michigan's 79th district, I'm REALLY ashamed of my representative in Lansing today.
A minor can't consent to sex - why in the world should we allow a parent to sell them off to an adult for marriage?!? We live in a time when Republicans have meme-ified the word "groomer", watering it down to a generic internet insult and raising funds by calling any LGBTQ+ supporter a child abuser ... then turn around and offer full-throated endorsement of legalized pedophilia under the auspices of marriage.
I am truly disgusted by this position, and ashamed by my representation.
We're so sorry you feel this way Ben. Rep. Rigas can be reached anytime at her office number during the week if you want to talk more. You seem very passionate about this issue and your input would be vitally important. Thank you!
While I appreciate the prompt response by Staff Administrator, I'm not sorry I feel this way.
This child marriage loophole is a vehicle for bad actors to legally exploit and sexually abuse children. When a child is unable to apply for a credit card, or hire their own lawyer, putting them into a marriage with an adult leaves them entirely at that adult's mercy.
I understand Rep Rigas' point about her own family, but if a relationship is truly rooted in love and mutual respect, it is not a burden to insist that all parties wait a year or two until they are all legal adults before formalizing a lifelong commitment to one another. Statutory rape laws in Michigan already have Romeo & Juliet clauses to protect young couples from legal harm.
I find it hypocritical and disgusting to play politics and draw comparisons to transgender issues, when the issue of child marriage has caused, and would continue to cause, actual REAL harm to the the lives and futures of children who have actually been, and would continue to be exploited this way.
Unless Rep Rigas is willing to reconsider her position and recant her decision to vote against banning child marriage in Michigan, I don't see any point in talking to her personally. But I do see an important reason to keep talking to my neighbors and friends in Michigan's 79th district about this issue, and our elected representative's terrible political gamesmanship about it.
Do you have any comments in regards to why Angela has an alternate Facebook profile, “ Angela Rigas for State Representative,” that she uses to post bigoted memes on a regular basis?
Lol, staying on brand for the Grooming GOP. As much as you love to project I know why you all feel the need to do so so fervently. But, thank you for ripping the mask off for your dumb as dirt R constituents.
The line of reasoning on this is embarrassing. “Our family would never even have a chance to exist”—as though waiting until you’re 18 means you can never have a family? You mean your dad wouldn’t have stuck around until your mom was 18? That’s disgusting. An age limit does not preclude the ability to do something forever, in case you’re unclear on how age-related milestones actually function.
You make me embarrassed to be from Alto, and I’ll be sharing with all of my family members in the area that you aren’t actually interested in protecting kids. Democrats and Republicans will both vote against you in my family.
I agree with Ben. Wow. You start your statement that forced marriage is disgusting, but then you claim that the child being forced has a "right to choose" "together with their parents and families". Forced, by definition, means a lack of choice. It was past time to step up and stop forced marriage. You missed an opportunity here to do the right thing for young girls some of whom are married as early at 13. I believe government is required to have a say in stopping child abuse. This isn't about not having a say in marriage. The rest of the legislature was able to smell the coffee. You missed out.
Wow. As a constituent of Michigan's 79th district, I'm REALLY ashamed of my representative in Lansing today.
A minor can't consent to sex - why in the world should we allow a parent to sell them off to an adult for marriage?!? We live in a time when Republicans have meme-ified the word "groomer", watering it down to a generic internet insult and raising funds by calling any LGBTQ+ supporter a child abuser ... then turn around and offer full-throated endorsement of legalized pedophilia under the auspices of marriage.
I am truly disgusted by this position, and ashamed by my representation.
We're so sorry you feel this way Ben. Rep. Rigas can be reached anytime at her office number during the week if you want to talk more. You seem very passionate about this issue and your input would be vitally important. Thank you!
“We’re sorry you feel this way” is not an apology. The correct response was “we’re sorry we only pretend to protect children.”
While I appreciate the prompt response by Staff Administrator, I'm not sorry I feel this way.
This child marriage loophole is a vehicle for bad actors to legally exploit and sexually abuse children. When a child is unable to apply for a credit card, or hire their own lawyer, putting them into a marriage with an adult leaves them entirely at that adult's mercy.
I understand Rep Rigas' point about her own family, but if a relationship is truly rooted in love and mutual respect, it is not a burden to insist that all parties wait a year or two until they are all legal adults before formalizing a lifelong commitment to one another. Statutory rape laws in Michigan already have Romeo & Juliet clauses to protect young couples from legal harm.
I find it hypocritical and disgusting to play politics and draw comparisons to transgender issues, when the issue of child marriage has caused, and would continue to cause, actual REAL harm to the the lives and futures of children who have actually been, and would continue to be exploited this way.
Unless Rep Rigas is willing to reconsider her position and recant her decision to vote against banning child marriage in Michigan, I don't see any point in talking to her personally. But I do see an important reason to keep talking to my neighbors and friends in Michigan's 79th district about this issue, and our elected representative's terrible political gamesmanship about it.
Do you have any comments in regards to why Angela has an alternate Facebook profile, “ Angela Rigas for State Representative,” that she uses to post bigoted memes on a regular basis?
Lol, staying on brand for the Grooming GOP. As much as you love to project I know why you all feel the need to do so so fervently. But, thank you for ripping the mask off for your dumb as dirt R constituents.