On the one hand, governments dictating the number of times someone rides the planet around the sun as a definition of maturity is absurd. On the other hand, there are creepy people who have a downright perverse interest in the prepubescent or especially young. Societal standards do change, and historically there have been marriages of girls barely in their teens, but that doesn't mean it's good or healthy.

It is a thorny issue, and I can understand the appeal of someone begging government to set a universal standard that will be enforced with violence. I don't agree that it really solves the problem, but I can at least sympathize with their desire for a simple answer to a complex problem. In reality, we are individuals with different capabilities for personal responsibility. And that scares people who have been taught to rely on law as their standard for morality and reason.