This is a story of two fictitious American girls. Born on the same day 17 years, 139 days ago.

But they live in different states. One of those states has an age of consent of 16 years (let's call it Reasonabilia), the other 18 (let's call it Prudonia). Coincidentally, both have been exchanging increasingly explicit e-mails the past couple of months with two young men. (Both 24 years old.) These two guys (let's call them Smarty and Sucker respectively) live in the same state as the girls, so no federal complications will appear in this thought exercise. They arrange to meet. Smarty meets his girl (let's call her Normaline) and they have a great time, including great sex. Normaline's parents find out and are kinda miffed, but there's not much they can do because it all was 100% legal.

Sucker follows the exact same course of action towards his girl (let's call her Traplene) but her parents sic the police on him and he finds himself in a world of hurt.

Which of the following is closer to your own assessment of the above hypothetical situation -- and why? And which of the two states has the wrong law, Reasonabilia or Prudonia? (They can't BOTH be right, you know.)

... nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

Leads to a lot of screwy state-to-state differences (age of consent, alcohol laws, education funding, etc.) but that's the law o' the land.

States set the laws and residents of each state should respect the laws of their respective states. From a practical standpoint, it's not so much about what is morally right or wrong as what is legal. From a purely pragmatic viewpoint Sucker would NOT be arrested for doing something wrong, he would be arrested for breaking the law. There's a big difference.

:D

which in itself is not against the law

The more horrible of us being the one who defends it more vocally.

Show me where it's written that the "age of consent" must be uniform from east to west, and north to south.

That's why we have a Federal government instead of a National one.

Just tell us how you feel. It's easier.

I voted the third option by the way.

misspell "whatsoever" than "at all"? :shrug:

If Sucker lives in Prudonia, then he should be familiar with its laws, especially if he knows he's cutting it close (knowingly having sex with someone who may or may not be of age). If Sucker doesn't want to get busted for statutory rape, then he needs to find lovers who are unambiguously adult. Really, is that so frakking difficult?

inexperienced and malleable.

If the only place Smarty, Sucker, Normaline, and Traplene can meet kindred spirits and exchange sexually explicit thoughts is in email, maybe they should all open up their lives a bit.

I know that's dodging the question, but let's be real here, there's got to be some sort of line drawn as to the age of consent concerning adults conversing sexually anywhere--online or off--with young people. Whoever is male and whoever is female in the party.