The Shift Towards Single Motherhood (40% of all US births in 2007)

RealClearPolitics ^ | 5/20/2009 | Cathy Young

[mojito]

A new report from the National Center for Health Statistics with the dry title, "Changing Patterns of Nonmarital Childbearing in the United States," contains startling news: births to single mothers, which had leveled off in the early 2000s, have risen sharply in recent years. In 2007, nearly 40 percent of all babies born in the United States were born to single women, up from 34 percent in 2002. Some sociologists believe we have reached a tipping point: the link between marriage and parenthood is no longer the norm. Why is this happening, and what does it mean for women, children, and men? There are no simple answers - only difficult questions that we ignore at our peril.

[Popman]

One of the future latent problems of unwed motherhood and multiple fathers in small demographic groups like races or small remote communities is half brothers / half sisters procreating.

The children of baby momma A, B, C, D have children with baby daddy A,B,C, D will not even know if they are genetically related since nobody knows who fathered who in many cases. They could easily be first cousins and not even know it.

Even in large population area, groups of people tend to marry within their own race, ethnic background and religious upbringing. Now that marriage no longer sets up natural barriers to interbreeding with in groups, I can see in the future our intelligence as a whole being compromised.

[devistate one four]

DING! That’s a winner.

[SoDak]

From the column: Millions of single mothers and fathers do their best to be good parents, and their efforts should not be disparaged.

Therein lies at least part of the problem. We're too busy making them feel good about the havoc they're wreaking on the kids.

[devistate one four]

Apparently that shoe fits!

[stripes1776]

Another effect that gives cause for alarm is that a man who grows accustomed to the use of contraceptive methods may forget the reverence due to a woman, and, disregarding her physical and emotional equilibrium, reduce her to being a mere instrument for the satisfaction of his own desires, no longer considering her as his partner whom he should surround with care and affection.

That is one aspect of the problem. But the woman no longer respects the man as someone who will provide a living for her and her children. The male is simply an object for pleasure. There is no reason to date a man for many months to see if he loves her. Just jump into bed on the first night out. Contraception will prevent a pregnancy. Or if that fails, an abortion will take care of any lingering problem.

But if the woman should decide to have the child, she has her own career to support herself and the child. Or perhaps she can go on the dole and let the tax payer support her truncated family. Males are no longer needed for a lasting relationship because love is no longer needed to produce a child. Lust is enough.

[Clock King]

Look at the mindlessness within the Black community to see where this is heading. And as I’ve said before, this affects all generations, including the older/elder who end up taking care and raising these kids because momma out gettin’ her freak on.

[gatorhead]

MTV and social acceptance of hardcore pornography

[newgeezer]

From the column: "Millions of single mothers and fathers do their best to be good parents, and their efforts should not be disparaged."

Therein lies at least part of the problem. We're too busy making them feel good about the havoc they're wreaking on the kids.

BINGO! If they were really "doing their best," they would be doing everything in their power to provide TWO parents for their children.

[Aquinasfan]

That is one aspect of the problem...

But if the woman should decide to have the child, she has her own career to support herself and the child. Or perhaps she can go on the dole and let the tax payer support her truncated family. Males are no longer needed for a lasting relationship because love is no longer needed to produce a child. Lust is enough.

That's the other half of the problem.

[Aquinasfan]

The biggest beneficiaries of abortion and contraception is single (and married) men looking to score. It took away the last excuse for less self-assured women to say no.

And it was supposed to "liberate" women. Raising a child alone isn't very liberating.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

Thank you ‘War on Poverty” and “the Great society” which created the Welfare Queen, encouraged moral relativism and sent the ‘daddy’s “ packing!

a whole new culture came about to respond to the poltical and economic “rewards” of single motherhood and ‘shacking up”.

[The Breaded Fish]

“Prior to that time, these behaviors were comparatively unheard of.”

Comparatively unheard of because the press did not report such behaviors. Such things were usually kept out of the media spotlight.

[WOBBLY BOB]

half his stuff and all the kids.

I don’t blame guys for not wanting to get married.

[roamer_1]

Comparatively unheard of because the press did not report such behaviors. Such things were usually kept out of the media spotlight.

Utter nonsense. Even with "the pill", and uncountable prophylactic methods now available, teen pregnancies, single parent households, bastard children, and rates of incest are all completely through the roof.

There are not enough orphanages available to begin to take in the children born out of wedlock now. Yet before the '60's, with abortion illegal and unavailable everywhere, and no real effective form of prophylactic, single parent homes (not accounted for by widowhood), and abandoned children (orphanages) were a minute percentage of the population.

AFAIR, out of wedlock children remained under 10% for whites (Hispanics were considered white at that time), and under %20 for blacks prior to the '60's, approaching those numbers primarily after WWII. After the 60's, and the advent of the pill, those numbers began to skyrocket.

Prior to the 60's "free love" had it's consequences... It still does, but the illusion of sex without responsibility drives almost every other vice and crime statistic that there is.

If anything, the press was more responsible in the past - the numbers now are what are being downplayed.