Re: Marrying your cousin.
It shouldn't be constantly encouraged, and there should certainly be more options given to singles. But if two cousins like each other and are a good match, the fact that they are cousins should not be the reason for objecting to the marriage.
Re: Marrying your cousin.
The only reason that the children would be mentally slow is if there as been a lot of inbreeding in the family, if there are few then it should be okay, my mum and dad are 1st cousins however there parents were distantly related/ family friends- due to that and as I'm doing my degree I can deduce that we're not mentally slow!
But I probably wouldnt get married to one of my cousins myself- I think it's personal choice and how much ur exposed to ur family and cousins which also makes u come up with a decision like this