Re: What age do you think children can consent?

"The problem is, we are genetically programmed to look after our young for a time while they are perceived as vulnerable."

No, that's not a problem. The problem is that we view consensual sex play as a threat, a reaction that should be reserved for abusive sexual contact. The problem is, we can't tell the difference, because we've convinced ourselves there is none. The problem is that if a kid has sex and enjoys it, then the kid must be traumatized for life. We prop this ideology of shattered innocence above the actual well-being of kids. That's the problem. Anybody who cares about a kid will be happy to hear that they've had a positive sexual experience, and will be very grateful to get this news instead of learning that the kid got run over, for example.

"Parents will say, 'You arrogant bastards believe you know what's better for my children than I do?'"

This is not a parental issue. If a parent chooses to engage or enable their child to have sex, they will not go unpunished. It is not the parent's responsibility to determine whether a child is able to have sex. Society has dictated that children under a certain age simply cannot have sex, and it doesn't give a damn what any parent thinks is right for their child. Abolishing age of consent, for example, while still propping up guardian rights, will give parents more control over raising their children than they currently have.

"Do kids really want what we're offering them?"

Personally, my approach towards youth lib is to give them the right to take what they want. If kids were allowed to have what they want already - including consensual sexual relationships - I'd be much less motivated to fight for youth lib. Then again, in that case, youths would already be more liberated than they are right now. Frankly, I think it's offensive of you to suggest that youth libbers are only interested in giving kids sexual freedoms so they can then have sex with them. It undermines our care and concern for children. You think I support youth lib because I'm pissed that I'll go to jail if I rape that hot little schoolgirl? Has it ever crossed your mind that I might be pissed off at the way I see young people's voices silenced on a regular basis? That I want to support them because I care about them and because it's the right thing to do? More rights means more power which means kids getting what they want, not what I want. If what I want coincides with what they want, it's only because I'm happy when they're happy. You think kids would be easier to rape if they had more power in society? What planet are you living on?