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Lepe 1 Raul Lepe D. Adamson English 101 December 15, 2009 Whats my age again?

The United States holds the title of the highest divorce rate in the world. With statics showing that 40% to 50% of marriages will lead in divorce. But can it be that the reason the divorce rate is so high, that the standards for marriage in the United are too low? Making it seem that almost anybody with a signature can get married. United States needs to lower the divorce rate. Currently; the California age limit to get married is 18 or with the legal consent of a parent or guardian, yet, by changing the age limit to 25 will lower the divorce rate. Showing that 18 year olds are not capable of reasoning, will not force individuals to travel outside California to get married and it will not hurt the marriage industry in California. Therefore California needs to change the age limit. Young adults are link to high divorce rates, thus, by changing the age limit to 25 will help lower the divorce rate. Therefore, the age limit needs to change to 25 in California. In an article by Bob and Sheri Stritof, Jay Giedd, a pediatric psychologist, stated that the state of intellectual maturity, which is also known for age of reason, comes about the age of 25. For women, it is reached a year earlier (Giedd) the article indicates that adults think with the prefrontal cortex; This brain region has been implicated in planning complex cognitive behaviors, personality expression, decision making and moderating correct social behavior. While the teenager, or

Lepe 2 young adults, thinks with the Amygdala, which controls the instinctual and emotional part of the brain. The previous information can also be as similar as the National Institutes of Health. Their studies suggest that the region of the brain that inhibits risky behavior is not fully formed until the age of 25 (Williamson). Indicating that young adults, can make the wrong decisions at an early age. The rate of divorce declines if married at or after the age of 25. According to divorcerate.org, from the ages 24 and younger for woman have a 64.2% chance of getting divorce after their first marriage. While the men between those ages have a 50.5% chance of ending their marriage in a divorce. These odds are against young adults who get married. Giving individuals, who get married at a young age, a small chance of their marriage succeeding. People who get married between the ages of 23-27 are more likely to stay together than people who get married in their teens (Panse) was stated by Sonal Panse in her article. While doing a survey on the subject, two individuals decided to share their story. With the United States being the country with the highest divorce rate, it can lead a person to believe that marriage is just a joke This is the comment from George Ochoa who is a construction worker and who got divorced recently from his wife due to the problems they were facing. At times, I didnt even want to go home. I couldnt trust her and I couldnt stand her attitude anymore George got married at the age of 18. I wanted to get married with my high school sweet heart, I thought she was the love of my life, I felt that she made me happy in any form but he was wrong. Two years after his marriage, he got divorce from his wife. I just got a call from her while I was working, saying that she wanted a divorce, and I was in shock. I didnt expect her to get to that point You can hear the frustration in his voice as he proceeded with his story We just payed a fee, I dont member how much it was and that was it George is currently 25 years old and he already has a divorce in his hands. I asked him what he thought was the main reason of his

Lepe 3 divorce and what couldve been done to for safer marriage. His answers were simple and calm I was too young to get married. At the age of 18, you dont think straight. You might think you know what youre doing, but oh no I was so wrong. I believe if I were to waited just a little longer, I couldve mature a more and learn more about myself But George isnt the only person who had a similar experience. I shouldve waited a little longer stated Leo Garcia after this divorce with his wife. Leo is truck driver for Wal-Mart transportation. I pressured myself too much. I got married at 17. My wife and I got divorce at 22 He felt that he would be with his girlfriend for the rest of his life. He thought marriage will assure him that. After we got married, I knew I had made a mistake. I wasnt thinking correctly, I just wanted to be with her in a house and happily married He imagined a happy ending. I imagined a happy ending I had watched in Disney movies. But as time passed threw us, we just got bored of each other, got separated and eventually came the divorce He mentioned that his parents and friends, suggested for him to wait a little longer. My father especially suggested that I waited a little longer. To mature a little more so I can be ready for the challenges of married, boy he was so right Even thought an age limit could be applied in California, there can be a case of people wanted to travel outside the stage to ignore this standard. But how many people are willing to travel to outside the state to be able to obtain their marriage license? In now days, gas prices have escalated to a high price to an average of $3.90 a gallon. With prices like these, it lead individuals not wanting to travel anywhere due to the high prices. But are individuals these willing to travel outside California and go to another state to receive their marriage license? How are far are they willing to go to away from this law? It was time to ask the public. In a short that I conducted to the public, they were asked a serious of questions of how many individuals are willing to travel outside the state to receive their wedding certificate.

Lepe 4 The question was simple and plain. Are they willing to travel outside California if the marriage laws were modified in a? And their options were simple; Yes No or I dont care 34 out of 50 individuals said No; while 13 individuals chose Yes; and 3 individuals chose I dont care One of the participated gave a short testimony Im not going to drive to Las Vegas to get Married. Las Vegas and my wife wont pay for my gas tank or my flight ticket. Plus, it seems like a tacky idea to get married in city where it might be infested with STD prostitutes This was a testimony from a 21 year old was the testimony of Michael Reyna. So I asked him one more question, if he had chose to travel from California to Nevada, Arizona, Washington or somewhere else, where would he go to get married if there would be a change of age limit in California?I would wait! Im 21 right now. I would have to wait another 4 years. So that will give me an opportunity to save up and have money because I know for a fact that weddings can be expensive. Especially if you have a big Mexican family like mine. When my brother got married, I know he let out a lot of money from my pocket so it will give me an opportunity and prepare myself financially for a wedding During the chat with Michael, his mother wanted to give a short statement. So I asked her, how would she feel if her son had to wait until a certain age to get married? I wouldnt feel too upset. Itll give him the opportunity to mature and make himself better and focus on other things like school or a career Although the public doesnt seemed to be too opposed to this idea, how will business will knowing that they will lose a portion of their customers due to this? The price of a cake can range from $65 to $1,344!(Zehnder) How unhappy will the cake industry be if they were to find out that they will lose a portion of customers due to a change in an age for marriage? So it was time to ask a person that makes these delicious for drunken guests at weddings. Dolores de la Cruz, commonly known as Dona Concha due to her signature

Lepe 5 bread, is the owner of La Unica Bakery and has been selling bread for the last 15 years. She does all varieties of breads. She also does wedding cakes for happy couples that are about to get married. Her prices vary from; from a simple $50 to a pricey $900 cake. So I asked her, how will she feel if they were going to be a change in age limit in order for a person to get married? I wouldnt be upset, no. Ill lose a good portion of my customers in the short run, but, eventually, all the profit I lost will come back for a moment, I didnt make too much sense in what she was trying to tell me but then she clarified her statement. Usually, my young customers that are going to get married usually buy small cakes for a small amount of people; usually the reason that happens is because they have no money for their wedding. But when I get people, for example; over the age of 25, theyre usually the ones that bring the good money to my store she started to show me her receipts and records as she progressed to show her point I once had a young man, who wanted to get married at 18, and he barely had money to feed himself. So I talked to him for a while and I convinced him to take his time and not rush himself to get married. Time when on, and I came in again when he was 27. He was going to get married and wanted to buy a cake. But this time, he had a good amount of money with him. He had been saving up ever since I gave him the advice. He left the store with a $300 cake. And that happens all the time. Young adults usually dont bring in the big bucks; a good 60% of the time, its the older adults that want more of a luxurious wedding. So what Im trying to tell you is that, yes, I would be affected at first. But eventually, those young adults with no money will grow older, more mature and will have a dollar saved up for a bigger and better wedding. The more money they bring in, the happier I will be She led out a chuckle as she left me to attend some customers.

Lepe 6 The United States believe that 18 year old is the age a young adult is capable of making reasoning decisions. Just because they have right to vote, the government believe they have the mentality of making decisions that can affect for the rest of their life. Theres also speculation that individuals will have to travel outside the state to get married elsewhere. But with high prices in gasoline, will individuals drive or fly their entire family to get a valid marriage license? Yet, theres worry that business like bakeries, gown stores and even churches can be affected when a change is applied in the age limit. Currently; the California age limit to get married is 18 or with the legal consent of a parent or guardian, yet, by changing the age limit to 25 will lower the divorce rate. Showing that 18 year olds are not capable of reasoning, will not force individuals to travel outside California to get married and it will not hurt the marriage industry in California. Therefore California needs to change the age limit. Although there isnt a perfect age to get married, all this can help us decide of an appropriate age to settle down. Psychologist can show us that 18 is really not an age where we can make the decision of wanting to get married and spend the rest of your life with another person. Is there really a rush for an individual to get married? What is really the hurry for an individual wanting to start a family? Wouldnt it be better for individual to take care of them self before they decide they want to take care of another person? Maybe waiting a little longer can help you become more responsible and learn more about our self. Waiting can help us prepare yourself financially, emotionally and most important, prepare yourself mentally. Waiting just a tad long can be the answer to having a successful marriage. That way, individuals wont have to worry about each other about breaking down emotionally. Although, marriage vows states till death do us part, some individuals will never understand that commitment.

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Work Cited De la Cruz, Dolores. Personal Interview. East Los Angeles, California. December 5, 2009. "Divorce Rate". <http://www.divorcerate.org/>. Garcia, Leo. Personal Interview. City of Industry, California. November 30, 2009. Panse, Sonal. "Common Causes and Reasons for Divorce". http://www.buzzle.com/articles/common-causes-and-reasons-for-divorce.html Ochoa, George. Personal Interview. East los Angeles, California. November, 28 2009. Reyna, Michael. Personal Interview. Montebello, California. December 4, 2009 Stritof, Bob&Sheri Another Reason Teens Should Not Marry. About.com. http://www.marriage.about.com/od/teenmarriage/ateenbrain.htm Where would you go? Survey. Montebello Town Center. Montebello, California. December 4, 2009 Williamson, Elizabeth. "Brain immaturity can be deadly ". <http://www.infowars.com/articles/science/brain_immaturity_can_be_deadly.htm>. Zehnder. 12/12/09 <http://www.zehnders.com/new-site/retail-shops/weddingcakes/weddingcakeprices.htm>.

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