This state has given children at the age of 13 the ability to make choices for themselves that they are not mature enough to make. But yet under this law, the child can make the choice without the parent, but they can hold the parent responsible for the actions of this same mature person? I think not.

If this state says they are able to make decisions at 13 years of age, then they are responsible enough to drive, drink, do drugs, have children, and have a job. And the parents should not be held responsible for any of their choices anymore. The state is giving them the power to control their own lives. And that is how it should be. And because the state is the one passing this law, if they make a bad choice at 13 years and older, the state is responsible. Of course that is still taxpayers money and we all do anyway already, don't we? With all these juvenile programs for such things.

I truly don't think anyone of us were, or are now able to make mature choices at the age of 13. In fact there are so many of us out there at any age in life, if some experience in life, or education we posses has not granted us the experience to learn from, still are not mature enough to make certain decisions.

Our whole life long is learning from experiences. Older people have had a few more of those, to share with the younger ones. It is a never ending process. But look at the past, now, and what the future will be if parental control continues to be let go. Not every parent is going to get it right. But if laws are going to be written to take control out of parents hands. Then parents are not the ones responsible for the choices the children make. The entity who gave them the right to make choices for themselves are. That would be the government. The funny part is, they spend a fortune of our taxpayers money wanting to educate parents on how to be better parents.

Well, hello, then be mature enough to give them laws to help them be better parents. Not ones that make it impossible. We could debate this for a long time. Let me know if you are interested. I am sure I could pull a lot of parents together, of children with emotional/behavioral disorders. (Hmmmm, think that is because they make choices at too young an age and the consequences and laws and being told they don't have to have a parents permission for things is scaring them. No boundaries is a scary place to be.) And parents of kids who have joined gangs because they don't have to have their parent's permission and can choose for themselves.

But isn't that strange, in a gang you have choices that are expected of you if you want to stay alive and be protected by them. The same kind of thing that a family expects. And helps you learn by enforcing those rules. Anyway, I am sure there are a lot of parents who would like to debate this. Not only those of us who are already painfully aware of the age of consent laws. But the parents I meet every day who aren't even aware of it in this state. And look at me like I have two heads when I tell them about it. But trust me, their kids know. They go to school. And other kids make sure they know. And so does the school.

Like I said we could be here forever talking about the "Pandora's Box." This way of thinking is breeding into our future. God Bless America! Because it is the only thing that is going to save her if we don't start making some changes in a different direction.

Sue Ellen Phillips

West Seattle