Of course there would be punishment. She had a long time (years) to air disapproval of the chosen groom, and the wedding day is not the time to change her mind -- not that that is what she did. There is no mention of what the spat was about -- though I do know that whenever the media gets involved, tempers flair. The outburst could even have been media-driven.

We, the lowly public, are left once again to the whims of our agenda-driven “sources”.

And whose "deal" was it?

In context with the events of the evening, and the following day of phone calls, it is possible that this is merely a statement to let the complainers know that the marriage was consummated -- when it actually might not have been. We only have the family’s word as to what actually occurred. It is very possible that an annulment is in the works today -- but not very likely. Guests were, after all, shown a bloodied sheet to prove the marriage was consummated.

Today:
* Father rejects child bride criticism
The BBC

* Gypsy Child Bride A Rape Victim?
CBSNews.com

* Reluctant Child Bride
abc News

From Romania:
* Gypsy king defiant on child bride
From page 4 of The Cape Argus / October 2, 2003

* Gypsy princess, 12, wasn't forced, says father
Reuters, Ltd.

* Gypsy father defies child-bride probe
Reuters, Ltd.

There will likely be more.

Probably won’t ease your mind any, Mary Anne, but no, I do not condone arranged marriages of any kind, or at any age, but nor do I condone the media hyping a story that is literally centuries old, and will end with the EU further harassing an already outcaste society -- or at least they are outcaste in Italy, where similar marriages do occur, but in roving, seasonal camps. It will not be a fun time for any.

The argument, btw, was boiled down to her age, stating that everything would have been fine had she been 4 years older -- or even 3. A world of difference at that age, I know, but it’s still a very closed, and close culture we in the West know very little of.

The couple I knew, btw, were Mikal and Jenna. I don‘t recall the last names at all. I met them while fishing at the Livorno Canal, near Pisa, and was invited to their home for dinner. At dinner, Mikal’s father invited me to the kids‘ wedding that would take place three weeks later. Mikal was 15, and Jenna was 13. It was a wonderful ceremony -- once you got past the smell of the dung-fires -- I got wonderfully drunk, and was shown a warm, dry place to crash for the night.

It might also be noted that the police arrived at the encampment three times during the wedding and festivities, stating we were too loud. There were no other residents within five miles, but the Gypsies were being too loud. I was also instructed not to engage the police in any conversation. I was, after all, a U.S. citizen, and a member of the U.S. Army. I would have been arrested, just for daring to be there.

I saw Mikal and Jenna four times after that, during their annual stops at the usually deserted camp site. When I was leaving Italy, Mikal told me he was getting involved with a co-op farm down the road that he had the opportunity to buy into. Both he and Jenna were very excited about this, and I did wish them well.

That was about 17 years ago, and I have no reason to doubt they are still together.

Dan