Maybe they're middle eastern? *snort* But seriously, my old boyfriend's mother hated me because she wanted him to marry her sister's daughter. In other words, his first cousin. ACK! (He didn't.)
To clarify Gretchen's comment, I remember reading about how in some Middle-Eastern countries, marrying your first cousin was not a big deal. I think Sadam Hussein married his first cousin, as did other members in his family marrying other cousins.
In some Middle Eastern countries it was actually preferable to marry your cousin. It is this way in Saudi Arabia - I worked there for a few years. It is seen as a way to marry someone trustworthy and from a good family. It is also a good way to keep any money and/or land in the family. But yeah, gross :)
One of my oldest & dearest friends has been dealing w/something like this--to make a long story much shorter, her husband of 20+ years had a nearly year-long affair w/his first cousin in Arkansas, and they were trying to have a baby before they broke up. (No, I'm not kidding. Yes, I know it sounds like a joke/cliche come true.) Not surprisingly, she's left his sorry ass, but she hasn't filed for divorce yet largely due to evidence issues--basically, she needs a kickass computer forensics person, but can't afford the $3K or so it would cost (he ran their business into the ground even before this happened), and is afraid that he could get alimony out of her because she's working & he's too lazy to work for anyone else. Grrrrrrrrrrrr... I've almost been tempted to set up a PayPal account & start soliciting people to make donations to her computer forensic/legal fund so she can get away from him for good. (And I was even at their wedding taking pictures, too... *sigh* Talk about a midlife crisis!)
@Robin the Mad Photographer - Man that is a messed up story!! The $3k is to get a private investigator?? she can't just find emails or follow him around?
I actually knew two people who were dating in college, and went to her home for Christmas. One of the older relatives was like, wait aren't you cousins? Turned out they were first cousins but had never met their entire life until college. They moved to Kansas so they could get married (it wasn't legal in Michigan) because they had already slept together and well, decided to get just go along with it. Eek!
Definitely true about it being common in the middle east, though in several middle eastern countries it's starting to be avoided. My parents' mothers are cousins, and I have aunts and uncles who married first cousins. Not as common anymore though; no one in my age group (even the ones who were born there and still live there) would ever marry a cousin.
Can I be the first to say Ick . . . Nast? Now I'm going to go throw up my yogurt.
ReplyDeleteAnd I will be the first to say: seriously...EWWWWW.
ReplyDeleteYour own cousin? Gross!!!!
ReplyDeletesuddenly my peanut butter, honey and nanner sammich isn't sitting so well now..
ReplyDeleteJesus, all my cousins look like something out of "Deliverance", so this is extra disgusting.
ReplyDeleteOK - everybody sing:
ReplyDelete"Because they're cou-sins..."
Gross. Me. Out.
This is disgusting for some many reasons on so many different levels.
ReplyDeleteI found this too http://marriage.about.com/cs/marriagelicenses/a/cousin.htm
There are a LOT of states where marrying your first cousin is legal. Ick nast, indeed.
ok...pretty gross!!! But this is British and back in the old days, all the royalty married their own cousins.
ReplyDeleteCamilla, Charles and...Princess Sophie?
ReplyDeletelol @ mygeorgie and Idiot Watcher!
ReplyDeleteI dunno...I'm gonna say Ewan McGregor and wife based on past blinds and the fact that they're British.
Maybe they're middle eastern? *snort* But seriously, my old boyfriend's mother hated me because she wanted him to marry her sister's daughter. In other words, his first cousin. ACK! (He didn't.)
ReplyDeleteTo clarify Gretchen's comment, I remember reading about how in some Middle-Eastern countries, marrying your first cousin was not a big deal. I think Sadam Hussein married his first cousin, as did other members in his family marrying other cousins.
ReplyDeleteIn some Middle Eastern countries it was actually preferable to marry your cousin. It is this way in Saudi Arabia - I worked there for a few years. It is seen as a way to marry someone trustworthy and from a good family. It is also a good way to keep any money and/or land in the family. But yeah, gross :)
ReplyDeleteOne of my oldest & dearest friends has been dealing w/something like this--to make a long story much shorter, her husband of 20+ years had a nearly year-long affair w/his first cousin in Arkansas, and they were trying to have a baby before they broke up. (No, I'm not kidding. Yes, I know it sounds like a joke/cliche come true.) Not surprisingly, she's left his sorry ass, but she hasn't filed for divorce yet largely due to evidence issues--basically, she needs a kickass computer forensics person, but can't afford the $3K or so it would cost (he ran their business into the ground even before this happened), and is afraid that he could get alimony out of her because she's working & he's too lazy to work for anyone else. Grrrrrrrrrrrr... I've almost been tempted to set up a PayPal account & start soliciting people to make donations to her computer forensic/legal fund so she can get away from him for good. (And I was even at their wedding taking pictures, too... *sigh* Talk about a midlife crisis!)
ReplyDeleteThis is NOT right. Blech.
ReplyDelete@Robin the Mad Photographer - Man that is a messed up story!!
The $3k is to get a private investigator?? she can't just find emails or follow him around?
@ Robin the mad Photographer-call Joey Greco-that would make a kick ass version of "Cheaters"
ReplyDeleteI actually knew two people who were dating in college, and went to her home for Christmas. One of the older relatives was like, wait aren't you cousins? Turned out they were first cousins but had never met their entire life until college. They moved to Kansas so they could get married (it wasn't legal in Michigan) because they had already slept together and well, decided to get just go along with it. Eek!
ReplyDeleteNo idea on the BI though.
Definitely true about it being common in the middle east, though in several middle eastern countries it's starting to be avoided. My parents' mothers are cousins, and I have aunts and uncles who married first cousins. Not as common anymore though; no one in my age group (even the ones who were born there and still live there) would ever marry a cousin.
ReplyDeleteMy sister married our cousin's cousin.
ReplyDeleteHe is not a blood relative to us, but people always look really confused when it is mentioned.