On November 1st, The Telegraph in Alton posted an article from Scott Reeder, a staff writer for Illinois Times:
In fact, cousins can’t marry in Illinois unless at least one person in the union is sterilized or they are both past the age of 50. That law is based on a cultural taboo and faulty science.
And it makes no sense. None.
Once upon a time, there was a worry that the offspring of two cousins were at a higher risk for birth defects. But recent medical studies indicate it poses little risk. In fact, cousin marriage is common in much of the Middle East and Asia.
The prohibition against cousins marrying is deeply rooted in American racism, Martin Ottenheimer, a retired anthropology professor at Kansas State University, told me recently.
“White settlers came to this country and encountered Indians, who often married their cousins. By attacking cousin marriage, they were depicting their enemies as savages.”
