Happy Families = Healthy Economy
One of the problems bedevilling the conservative or "right wing" side of politics is the split between social conservatives (pro-life and pro-family activists) and the fiscal conservatives (free market, small government proponents). It is heartening to see signs that this gulf may be bridged. On the 28th March 2013 Investors Business Daily, a national newspaper in the USA that covers international business, finance, and the global economy, providing detailed information about stocks, mutual funds, commodities, and other financial instruments, published an article headed "Is the Traditional Family Dead?". The article stated that the disintegration of the family — particularly in the African-American community — and the rise in fatherless homes have greater societal implications than gay marriage.
Investors Business Daily says that the civil purpose of marriage is not and never has been to reaffirm the love of two people for one another, nor is marriage primarily a business arrangement: "This country and healthy societies around the world and throughout history have given marriage between a man and a woman special legal protection because of the recognition that it is the one institution that ensures the society's stable future through the orderly procreation and upbringing of children. "... We find the decline in marriage and the rise in illegitimacy, prime factors in crime, poverty and societal decay, being virtually ignored as the Supreme Court looks at the penumbras and emanations from the Constitution to decide whether Adam and Steve can legally tie the knot..... As traditional marriage breaks down, so does society....Today, 72% of black children, 36% of white children and 53% of Hispanic children are born outside of marriage in the USA....
"The consequences of fatherlessness are staggering. In such homes there is no role model who gets up every morning, gets dressed and goes to work, coming home to have dinner with his family. There is no male role model to restrain a young man's masculine impulses and guide him into adulthood.
"Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan wrote: 'A community that allows a large number of young men to grow up in broken homes, dominated by women, never acquiring any stable relationship to male authority, never acquiring any rational expectations about the future — that community asks for and gets chaos. Crime, violence, unrest, unrestrained lashing out at the whole social structure — that is not only to be expected, it is very near to inevitable.' Columnist Larry Elder reminds us, the solution to both crime and poverty is simple: 'Finish high school; don't have a child before the age of 20; and get married before having the child.'.....
“Countless studies have shown that children raised in a two-parent traditional family are less likely to be raised in poverty, less likely to do drugs, less likely to be criminals later in life, and more likely to graduate from and do well in school. The evidence is overwhelming.
No culture can remain healthy with illegitimacy rates like these.... It is impossible to overstate the socially catastrophic consequences of illegitimacy. The traditional family is still the best department of health, education and welfare ever invented."
Here in Australia there is debate about the cutting of payments to single mothers - but there is no such thing as a "single" mother. There is another parent out there - the absent father. Where are government efforts to re-integrate fathers into the lives of their children - not only for maintenance payments but as a role model and authority figure?
Endeavour Forum Inc. Public Forum
"Why should we vote for you?"
2 pm, Saturday, 22nd June 2013 at the O'Hanlon Centre,
Mitchell St., Mentone. Vic. 3194. (Car parking
available on St. Patrick's School grounds, entrance via
Childers St).
Speakers: Mr. Mark Farrell, DLP, Mrs.
Vickie Janson, Australian Christians, Pastor Danny
Nalliah, Rise Up Australia and Mr. Ashley Fenn, Family
First.
The meeting will be chaired by Mr. John
Ballantyne, editor, News Weekly. The Opening Prayer
will be said by Mrs. Angela Bourne, and the vote of
thanks will be given by Mrs. Jenny Stokes, Research
Officer, Salt Shakers.
All welcome, $5 donation appreciated.
RSVP: Mrs. Prue Oldham ((03) 9583 6835
or
Mrs. Margaret Butts, (03) 8588 1792
