Re: Keep it simple

I agree with Dissident and AK47 that unless youth are recognized their rights we cannot be recognized ours. Ultimately this isn't about us - we are the red herrings here, whether by spurious statistics, false or exaggerated stories and abuse claims. The anti war is on children, and we are only their tool in this, not their goal. Much like the WMD were the red herring for Iraq and now Iran when anyone with a brain knows it is about oil (or at most about Israel). Of course no anti would like to see us have rights, but if they ever have to choose they will gladly throw us the bone of rights as long as youth remain oppressed.

I don't buy that. Children's lib and MAP lib do not perfectly overlap. There are plenty of ways we can make a difference for MAPs without advocating sex with children. As you point out, that is mostly what I do: I advocate for understanding and better treatment of MAPs. Just being a recognized presence in the community whilst obeying the law is significant activism in itself.

If you want to focus on youth, you should not be out.

We should not be focusing on youth rights, period. Not in this climate. It rings insincere in the minds of the public, and understandably so.

There is a very good example currently happening. As Yemen is under imperialist pressure to ban child marriage, demonstrations for the right to marry are taking place. But, as should be tactically, they are led by women and girls; not by creepy old men in vans. Without the open support of women and girls the protests would not succeed in the long run.

Hmm, interesting. Do you have a source for that? Still, I wonder how much of that is genuinely advocated by girls and women and how much is due to pressure from religious and patriarchal sources.