[pieceofthepuzzle]

I'm basing my comments on the fact that I have family that live there and with whom I've spent a fair amount of time. It depends where in Italy that you're talking about, and I agree that the birth rate issue is a very crucial one, but that is in part an issue of economics. Italy has big economic issues and many young Italians don't feel that they can afford a family. There are plenty of young Italians are moving back home to save money.

The economic issues are not easy to fix, and mirror much of what we're dealing with here. Socialism, exporting manufacturing abroad, and nonsensical immigration are issues.

[zerosix]

My daughter, her husband and three children, lived outside Milan, in a smallish town. Other than Muslims from North Africa, they were the only family with more than one child, most couples had none.

My daughter and her family were treated as very unusual, with "all those children!

Another thing I noticed was that most "couples" weren't even married but just living together (like so many young couples in the U. S.), those Italians living together as married were from all age categories.

I asked one Italian lady if the couples waited until becoming pregnant before marrying but was told, "No, they aren't going to have children, so no need to get married."

There is not much religion or faith noticable in many parts of Italy that I noticed either, only a few old ladies dressed in long black dresses entering the mostly vacant churches.

It was weird at Christmas and Easter, no observable religious celebrations at all. Only observable "celebrations" were banners here and there to celebrate this or that Saint with, nothing else.

If this is the "hope" for Western Civilization, according to the writer, I'm afraid it's doomed.