Duck Dynasty guy encourages men to marry 15 or 16-year-old girls.

[zakisrage]

This has been in the news. The video isn't new, but it has been discovered recently.

Fresh off a nine-day suspension for comparing homosexuality to bestiality and gays to terrorists, "Duck Dynasty" patriarch Phil Robertson is in the cultural cross hairs again, this time for a 2009 video where he suggests men should marry girls who are "15 or 16."

Nevertheless, with the Robertson clan just trying to put the dustup with A&E, the cable channel that airs "Duck Dynasty," in the rearview mirror, some critics have wondered whether Robertson is promoting pedophilia. At the very least, "this type of 'river rat counseling' is bound to raise eyebrows among network brass," writes the Huffington Post.

For his part, Robertson married his wife, Kay, when she was 16 (and he was 20), which is allowed in Louisiana with parental consent. There's logic to thinking young when thinking marriage, Robertson opined in the video, which was posted Monday on YouTube and was purportedly shot at a 2009 Georgia Sportsmen's Ministry event. (The first "Duck Dynasty" episode aired in early 2012.)

Robertson can be seen offering what he calls "river rat counseling" to the group, and then goes on to suggest that "you got to marry these girls when they are about 15 or 16." After suggesting that a younger woman will "pluck your ducks," he adds, "Look, you wait 'til they get to be 20 years old, the only picking that's going to take place is your pocket," he says.

The riff is similar to one he relates in his book, "Happy, Happy, Happy: My life and legacy as the Duck Commander," where Robertson writes that a teen bride would "pluck your ducks" while a 20-year-old "would only pick your pockets." Robertson adds in his book, "Now, that's a joke, and a lot of people seem to laugh at it, but there is a certain amount of truth in it."

In the video, Robertson couches his advice to marry 'em early by saying, "You need to check with mom and dad about that, of course." Indeed, most states allow 16-year-olds to marry as long as parents consent and attend the ceremony. Some US states allow teens under 16 to marry, but only if a judge OKs the nuptials. Some states allow a pregnant teenager to wed without mom and dad's blessings.

Census surveys show there are regional variations to the number of teen marriages. Southern states like Louisiana and conservative "red states" like Alaska have higher teen-marriage rates than New England states, for example.

Statistics also suggest that the core of Robertson's argument – that younger brides make better marriages – may not be sage advice. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concluded in 2001 that nearly half of those who marry younger than 18 are divorced 10 years later, compared with 24 percent of those who marry after age 25. The marriage age of women in the US has risen from just over 20 in 1950 to nearly 27 today.

"Most young women don't fare very well when it comes to raising a family as a teenager, and those precious few who get married, the marriages are very short-lived," Bill Albert, chief program officer for the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, told The New York Times in 2008. "I know and respect a lot of 17-year-olds, but I don't think any of them are ready to be married and begin the lifelong task of raising a child."

https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Socie...o-marry-15-year-old-girls.-Is-that-even-legal

As someone whose family comes from a culture well-known for girls getting married young, I thought this was kind of relevant. I am pretty grossed out that a man would encourage young marriage. It seems pretty creepy. Plus his attitude towards young women is flat-out misogynistic. Teenage girls aren't that stupid. And 15 or 16 is kind of young - some people are 30 and still not ready for marriage.

The article goes on to talk about child marriage in the past too, just so one realises that it was far from universal in the past. You can also discuss your thoughts on people marrying before 20.

Personally, I think I'm too young to get married. My grandfather got married when he was my age, and my grandmother was a year younger. I'm glad their marriage worked out well (they're still married after 59 years), but nearly half of all teens who marry end up divorced within a decade. I'd prefer to wait until I'm at least 23 or 24 to get married. My mum and dad were 23 and 24 respectively at the time of their wedding, and my sister was 24 when she married her husband.

I was wondering what everyone's thoughts on this is.

 

[Flushed]

Honestly, I don't know how relevant this is, or how seriously I'll be taken, but after watching a couple episodes of My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding I'm not entirely opposed to marrying young. I don't support it either, but I do understand that it can be a cultural thing. Some young couples are raised to, and do show the maturity and ability to start a family at such an age.

The reasons this man has stated for marrying young are not valid. But I'm not opposed to what he's advocating, as long as it's planned and thought out properly (which in the case of the gypsies I guess that may not be the case, but whatever).

 

[Kanzler]

I'm usually opposed to marrying young, I don't see how many people can have maturity at the age of 15. I'm sure some people can make it work, but as a general rule, no. It'll probably work better in lower income communities in which women don't have many opportunities to begin with, then you aren't losing anything by marrying early. Age differences are always creepy, implied in the difference in age is a difference in power and wisdom and I feel that the exceptions only reinforce the "rule" that it's going to be an unequal relationship.

 

[Sir Codin]

Okay, people are probably going to disagree with me, but finding 15 or 16 years olds attractive isn't that creepy. Hell, 16 is one of the most commonly used ages of consent in the United States in 30 out of 50 states (I'm not joking.)

That said, that's just sex. Marriage is another thing entirely, but even that I don't know can be chalked up to age alone. My grandmother was 17 when she married and my grandfather was 11 years older than her and they both had a happy healthy marriage until my grandfather died of old age in his 80's. So I'm not as opposed to May-December romances as other people are. If a 16 year old is mature enough to marry, then he/she's mature enough to marry. So long as it's consentual on both parties and both parties have the ability to show consent, I don't really have much of a problem with it. That said, I'm opposed to child brides. It's one thing to marry a teenager; it's another thing entirely to have an 8-year old married off because 1) that's just way too young and 2) children with that age can't even give consent.

Keep in mind, this is coming from someone who usually thinks marrying at 20 is not that great of an idea. I don't know, I'm torn on the issue still.

 

[PknTrainerKatelyn]

I agree that consent should be 16 as it is alot of places. Any younger, no, because they're still maturing and while yes you could argue that a 16 year old is still maturing, but you can say the same of a 35 year old. Age doesn't affect maturity, as people develop at different rates, but obviously there should be a line drawn for consent. Love is love, and even though a majority don't know what love is and divorce every three years, that doesn't mean its like that with the rest. Sure, things happen and sometimes things don't work out, but that's the way life is sometimes. What about couples who have been together since they were teens and they're celebrating 60 years together?

 

[Silais]

Are we really surprised that this sort of nonsense has come out of Phil Robertson's mouth? Just recently another video was released where he claimed that homosexuals were murderers intent on destroying society.

The entire point of Robertson saying girls should get married at age 15-16 is because they're too young to know better; basically, they're still malleable. They can still be brainwashed into believing the male should be pampered and treated like a king while the girl does all of the house work. It's despicable. I can't believe that a vast proportion of the U.S. population actually thinks defending this man is good for the "morale of society".

 

[Captain Gizmo]

16 years old is a bit young, but if EVERYONE agrees on that marriage, then I don't see the problem. Only thing that makes me scratch my head is that at 16 years old you don't really know what true love is. A lot of people marries girls/boys at a young age and their marriage are A LOT better than most adult people who divorce like 2-3 times with different people. I'd say it depends with the people who are getting married.

 

[Kanzler]

Are we really surprised that this sort of nonsense has come out of Phil Robertson's mouth? Just recently another video was released where he claimed that homosexuals were murderers intent on destroying society.

The entire point of Robertson saying girls should get married at age 15-16 is because they're too young to know better; basically, they're still malleable. They can still be brainwashed into believing the male should be pampered and treated like a king while the girl does all of the house work. It's despicable. I can't believe that a vast proportion of the U.S. population actually thinks defending this man is good for the "morale of society".

This, definitely. The misogyny is strong with this one. If people identify with what he's saying, ugh, I don't know if I'd be happy knowing that's what people believe.

 

[Sir Codin]

Oh, make no mistake, his reasons for it are definitely the wrong ones and downright misogynistic. Not to mention insulting to 15-16 year olds everywhere who actually are mature enough to make decisions like that.

All I'm saying is that I disagree with the opinion that finding women of that age attractive is creepy. And that I also disagree with age difference creepiness based on the experiences of my own family.

I don't even know why people are even listening to this guy. He's white trash. Nothing else.

 

[Kanzler]

Finding women of that age attractive? Not creepy at all, in my opinion. There are good reasons for it - who isn't attracted to youth?

Okay, I guess it's creepy when older individuals pursue such relationships when /everything/ is considered. But to find them attractive is a lesser matter.

 

[Livewire]

This is another manufactured publicity stunt, nothing more. Duck Dynasty is so fake it's ridiculous. Another stunt likes this one riles everyone up and emboldens all the show's hardcore watchers/base to support them even more, despite the tasteless and disgusting comments. It's all about the ratings people. And A&E and the Robertson family is going to continue to milk the cow for all it's worth here.

 

[Star-Lord]

This is another manufactured publicity stunt, nothing more. Duck Dynasty is so fake it's ridiculous. Another stunt likes his one riles everyone up ad emboldens all the show's hardcore watchers/base to support them even more, despite the tasteless and disgusting comments. It's all about the ratings people. And A&E and the Robertson family is going to continue to milk the cow for all it's worth here.

Seriously though.

Considering this is what they looked like before the show? Yeah what Phil Robertson said was really disgusting (and what's even more disgusting is that so many people bought the freedom of speech ******** excuse and then petitioned to get him back) but this an obvious reach for more publicity and attention.

 

[Chikara]

I can't believe people are still defending that man because "hurr freedom of speech". He's said more than just what's been made a big deal of. Comparing homosexuality to bestiality, as well as this statement is just the tip of the iceberg.

Freedom of speech doesn't protect you from the consequences of your words, just like saying "no offense but..." doesn't mean whatever you say next is a-ok.

 

[Sir Codin]

I can't believe people are still defending that man because "hurr freedom of speech". He's said more than just what's been made a big deal of. Comparing homosexuality to bestiality is just the tip of the iceberg.

Freedom of speech doesn't protect you from the consequences of your words, just like saying "no offense but..." doesn't mean whatever you say next is a-ok.

Indeed.

Anybody who thinks that free speech is under attack because A&E suspended him is a silly goose. There's a little something called freedom of association. Long story short, you're allowed to make anti-gay statements and whoever you work for also has the right to make anti-you statements by firing you for making anti-gay statements.

Free speech is a beautiful thing.

 

[gimmepie]

It's not the idea of fifteen-sixteen year olds marrying that bothers me. I know quite a few girls (no guys admittedly) who could easily make that kind of commitment and do so maturely considering all the pros and cons at that age and I don't see the problem of dating/marrying young if you really love the person and the relationship works and lasts.

But this guy is disgusting. He's encouraging older men to marry young girls because they can be easily conned into pampering you and going to bed with you. Which is misogynistic, offensive especially to young girls and quite frankly is a terrible thing to base marriage on anyway. Don't even get me started on the anti-gay stuff...

 

[Sir Codin]

I want to take this time to point out that 15-16 isn't pedophila. That's ephebophila.

 

[Captain Gizmo]

The girls may be immature but remember that there's 16 year old that are already more mature than people who are let's say 25.

Yes, 16 might be a bit young for marriage, but like previous posts said, if the person is ready and wants to go along with it and everyone else is fine, then so be it. The only thing that push my buttons are the way that Phil Robertson said. The way he said it makes it seem like girls are just only objects to him, which is not the point of marriage at all. If you're going to marry a girl for your benefits only then I don't think you should be marrying anyone until you changed that mentality, you should marry a girl because of your feelings for her and you wanna stay loyal to her and take care of her like she takes care of you. A relationship should be 50/50 not 0/100.

 

[CoffeeDrink]

Hmph, koff~

Usually, I'm a pretty decent guy; but by the gods, I'd be lauded as a hero after putting holes in the heads all of those inbred hillbilly [excerpt missing]. I hate American pop culture to the greatest degree. Sure, we had a great run. We had Michael Jackson and that's all I should have to name. Now we have this. Bearded uglies. They got rich on selling what? Duck calls? You don't see Lockheed Martin and their family on a reality TV show! You think that these people could even touch the funding UNITED DEFENSE receives? Not a chance, and never in a million years. Whoever these people are, they're the biggest sellouts I've seen in recent years. And I know it pains me to say it, but Beiber and the rest of his gang of tight pant wearing cronies (that being the rest of your guy's music) have nothing on these guys. These 'Ducks' (place an F in there and remove the D) have bobble heads, glasses, mugs, hats, shirts, posters, hotsauce, a candy (I think), shoes, action figures, chairs, and, for the love of all that is holy, a singing Santa Clause that does not turn off until after it's song is up. I know this because I've seen it. I'm tired of it. So tired. Who here would miss them, honestly, if they all up and disappeared? No one, that's who, koffi~

 

[Corvus of the Black Night]

I honestly don't think this man exactly exemplifies a good role model to anyone regarding any issue. Then again I DO live in America so you never know...

 

[gimmepie]

@007_Eleven - You shouldn't assume the same of everyone based solely on your own experiences. Yes the majority of both guys and girls at that age are way too immature to even consider marriage but there is a minority in the age group that really could handle it. There's not really much evidence I can give other than saying I know people who got together then that are still together and live together (in fact one was fourteen at the beginning). If you look hard enough you'll find the odd person like that.