Posted on 01/21/2007 12:38:37 PM PST by Graybeard58
America has reached "the tipping point" on marriage, and The New York Times couldn't be happier. Its analysis of Census data shows 51 percent of women were living without a spouse in 2005, up from 35 percent in 1950.
Through surrogates, the Times celebrated the news as liberating and empowering for women. One single 45-year-old gushed: "Considering all the weddings I attended in the '80s that have ended so very, very badly, I consider myself straight up lucky." Chimed in a 59-year-old divorcee: "A gentleman asked me to marry him and I said no. I told him, 'I'm just beginning to fly again, I'm just beginning to be me. Don't take that away.'" I am woman. Hear me roar.
The Times let not one soul defend marriage, but that's typical of how the news media and popular culture treat society's bedrock institution. They are pessimistic about and hostile to it. They emphasize marital failures, chiefly divorce and domestic violence, rather than its joys and benefits. They bombard the public with messages that marriage isn't worth the time and effort, and that divorce is good for families. This requires them to paper over the incalculable damage divorce has inflicted upon society, especially children.
Copious empirical evidence proves marriage is the best deal for women and men, to the point where a bad marriage is still better than a "good divorce," the ultimate oxymoron. Married women are healthier and wealthier, live longer, have more settled lives with less stress, have less substance abuse, are less prone to risky behavior, and have more sex and more fulfilling sex.
Marriage may not immunize children from social ills, but children of divorce or unwed mothers are at much greater risk of poverty, welfare dependency, crime, academic underachievement and illegal drug abuse. Yet of the 4.1 million babies born in this country in 2004, more than a third were to unmarried women. But the illegitimacy rate is 69.5 percent for black children and 48 percent for Hispanic children. The poverty rate for children of married couples is 8 percent; among single-parent households, it's 35 percent. Cause and effect are unmistakable.
The Times' take on the Census data, however, "suggests that most girls growing up today can look forward to spending more of their lives outside of a traditional marriage," said William Frey, a demographer with the liberal Brookings Institution. Given what most unwed women can expect out of life, "look forward" is a most unfortunate choice of words.
I agree. But isn't it time for single women to stop whining about everything? If you want to fly, fly, baby! But don't fly in my face, and don't keep demanding social concessions on the basis of your gender. OK? lol.
Hi, Bob! My Dad was widowed (my StepMom of 22 years) and had himself a new, conservative wife we all really like within two years' time. They're both 70 and they eloped, married on a cruise and have already celebrated their First Anniversary. They seem very happy. No time to waste at that age, I guess. ;)
There are dating services that cater to conservative people of all ages and match them up. I wouldn't hesitate to use them as a screening device to meet someone to your liking. Dad specifically said "NO LIBERALS" and they were very thorough on screening out the libs for him. :)
(I think there's a singles forum here on FR. Check them out.)
I hear ya...dogs are the best.
Okay, so I misspelled. I BOUGHT a Jaguar, but I can lick the lips of my American Bulldog(not that I want to lick lips that have been where his have.)
It would be nice to do it by region, NY, NJ, CT region, etc.
Not 16 and older. 15 and older. Dumb "study." They found the result they wanted (oooh -- 51%!) and modified the data to achieve that result. Weak.
Having never been married I can only say that that is because I don't shop around. If your husband should decide that he doesn't appreciate your lasagne or cake anymore, send me a FReepmail......... LOL! :)
I'd much rather shop on FR than in the real world..........
Charity? Never mind...wrong person.
I agree with your sentiment in your post #10...there really is no other explanation....
My husband and I have been married for 37+ years, and we, like so many others on this thread, would have it no other way...but that is how we feel, and we certainly dont expect others to feel this same way...some folks just dont want to get married, and there is nothing at all wrong with that...
Our younger son is now 32....so far, he has no plans to marry...he has a high paying job, owns his own home, does what he wants, when he wants, buys whatever he wants with no one nagging him, and travels extensively, whenever he wishes...for him, at least at this phase in his life, he has no plans to marry...that may change in the future, or it may not...he has to decide what is right for him, and for his own life...he and his latest girlfriend, actually did break up, because he was honest with her, that he did not want to get married now, or in the near future...he may feel differently some years down the road, or it just may be that he has not met the woman that he envisions spending the rest of his life with..so until he changes his views, or meets the woman he cannot live without, he will probably remain single...at least he is honest enough, to know what he wants, and is honest enough to let women that he is dating, know, that this is how he feels...
I fail to understand, why so many people, actually believe, that everyone just has to be married...it does seem that many of those people, are actually jealous of those, who for whatever reasons, just dont want to get married, and actually stick to their guns on this matter...
See here: New York Times Gets Another Story Very Wrong - This Time it’s about Marriage. Brief excerpt:
The New York Times has once again published another 'hit piece' on the institution of marriage, alleging that for “the first time more American women are living without a husband than with one”. However, US census data for 2005 shows that the January 16th front-page story in the New York Times is just another disturbing showcase of the Times’ tolerance for “journalistic malpractice”.
Hey, you and I already have something in common! Maybe we could just be neighbors.......LOL!
You two need to get together; perfect screen names and all.
I'm getting mixed signals here ...
You don't can? *disappointed*
Yup, I'd be a lot happier if my ex wife had never married me.
Bugger off, NY Times
Sorry, I don't can, but I do freeze lots of homemade soup pasta and stew.
Yes, see my post #57
I'm neighborly.
You're probably a great guy.......but I REALLY want your dog! ;) (I had to peek. Hildy made me do it!)
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