What the heck?! Look here...

[MiamiensisWx]

http://www.wsbtv.com/family/8849258/detail.html

Not only that, but look at the results in the poll on the right! Nearly half (45%) say he shouldn't take the sign down.



This is awful.

[brunota2003]

he shouldnt have to take the sign down...its his right to have it up...freedom of speech...IMO though...that is just disturbing...

[feederband]

he shouldnt have to take the sign down...its his right to have it up...freedom of speech...IMO though...that is just disturbing...

A 12 year old virgin bride....It maybe freedom of speech...But I think the neighborhood is eventually going to burn down his house with him in it.

[SouthFloridawx]

He took down the orginal sign and no longer has ages there. Aparently he doesn't understand the meaning of illegal though in terms of marrying children under the age of 18. Eventhough it is legal to have the sign I really doubt that $1,000 is enough for a young virgin bride. Perhaps he should try the internet or a mail order bride. I agree with you guys though it is kind of disturbing.

I edited it to say what I meant. Sorry bout that.

[TexasStooge]

Sure it's freedom of speech, but THAT'S JUST PLAIN DISGUSTING!!!!! :18:

[gtalum]

D'oh!

My apologies.

[SouthFloridawx]

Aparently he doesn't understand the meaning of illegal though. Eventhough it is illegal to have the sign...

The DA thinks the sign is legal. I suspect he knows better than any of us.

Check my above post i edited it. My typing really sucks lately.

[alicia-w]

i cant imagine that freedom of speech applies to implied criminal conduct. The legal age to marry without parental consent is 18 in Oklahoma. The legal age of consent is 16. So wouldnt you think that since he was soliticing for brides under 16, that's criminal intent?

[gtalum]

i cant imagine that freedom of speech applies to implied criminal conduct. The legal age to marry without parental consent is 18 in Oklahoma. The legal age of consent is 16. So wouldnt you think that since he was soliticing for brides under 16, that's criminal intent?

Only if they cna prove he was actually planning to carry out his implied criminal conduct.

My guess is that the DA knows best on this issue.

[MiamiensisWx]

From the article...

Michael Theleman, 45, said he doesn't understand the problem and thinks he just has some wicked neighbors.

Theleman has caused an uproar in the southwestern Oklahoma town of Bray with his search for a bride. He put a sign in his yard Sunday saying he'll pay $1,000 for a virgin bride between the ages of 12 and 24.

One of his neighbors said she feels like she's living near a pedophile. As of Wednesday, there were no offers.

Theleman said he doesn't understand. He said his grandmother married "a much older man" at age 14.

After complaints, he put up a new sign Wednesday without the ages. The new sign said he's not interested in a "pig-worshipping, heathen, white-supremacist wife."

Stephens County District Attorney Gene Christian said Theleman's sign likely is legal.

This guy sounds rather crazy!

[GalvestonDuck]

My head hurts now.

Buy a bride? Who "buys" a person nowadays? Isn't that illegal? Don't you only buy slaves and prostitutes, both of which are illegal. He wants to own her, in other words. Kinda kills the whole "sanctity of marriage" thing, IMO. And he stipulates that he wants a virgin? So, in other words, he's obviously interested in... ...with a child.

Not sure why he says he's not interested in a pig-worshipping wife, since he sounds like a pig.

He can rant about freedom of speech all he wants. But there's always a gray area there no matter what rights you're talking about. With rights come responsibilty. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm fairly certain a group of people in a church cannot kill someone in a ritual act and then claim freedom of religion. A journalist cannot falsely write that a celebrity or politician drinks sewer water for breakfast (or commits other more extreme acts) and then claim freedom of the press. A moviegoer cannot yell, "Fire!" in a theater when there is no fire and then claim freedom of speech.

Besides, what freedom of speech is he talking about? He's not speaking about anything. It's just an ad...a sign.

And a sign that he's nuts!

[LSU2001]

Ever thought he may be Muslim since the comment about the pig-worshipping and white supremacist wife thing seems to indicate something like that. By the way if and big if he is foreign esp. middle eastern Buying a bride very young is not that uncommon. I have several friends who were "betrothed" through such a business deal at a very young age. The actual wedding did not take place until she was older though.
Tim

[LSU2001]

Hey Duckie, How did you make out this morning with the bad weather. They were reporting Golf Ball hail in Galveston on the BR radio this am.
Tim

[GalvestonDuck]

No hail on my end (east). Just a quick, 10-minute downpour of blowing rain and some thunder. I think Houston and other areas north of me got the more severe wind and flooding. Thanks for asking!