Fatherless America

TheKing

AmphipathicBy just about every measure you can think of, personal responsibility in our society is collapsing. What is worse, these sorts of pieces are often accompanied by the "it takes a village to raise a child" bullshit socialist commentary.

It's just as bad at the top of the food chain. People don't take personal responsibility across the spectrum. Rich, poor, all across the board.

If you are referring to corporate welfare and bailouts for the supposed financial masters of the universe, then yes, I agree.

D M

BTbankerThe data is skewed by the racial aspect. 72% of black children are raised by single parents.

I'd love to see the data on the 1%'s ability to RAISE their children properly, not just be around the house occasionally.

TNA

BTbankerEven more disconcerting is the fact that Washington Times is one of the most conservative media outlets today.

Lame Stream Media

inkybinky

ReadLineThe best answer is public funding for (1) free and easily accessible birth control and (2) planned parenthood. The cost would be miniscule in most every respect. But first we have to get over the conservative perception of randy sluts having sex on our dollar.

I think the longer answer though- is that both the liberal (above) and conservative solution (harkening back to older social moors about pre-marital sex) could work. But one is easy and the other is fantasy.

TNA- what are you advocating by "Parenting is a privilege, not a right." It sounds like euthanasia. But if its something less severe- what? Applying for a child-bearing permit from the government? I didn't think this would mesh with your political views.

The inflection toward rapidly expanding single parent households began around the same time that the pill was legalized for unmarried women. Although birth control has proliferated since that time, unintended (or perhaps just irresponsible) pregnancy has accompanied it. The relationship may even be causal as birth control may have relaxed our society's perception of the long-term consequences of sex, thereby resulting in much more out of wedlock sex and therefore many more single mothers (as birth control inevitably fails due to irresponsibility).

The "liberal" solution has been in effect for about 50 years. As a result, our culture has changed (for the worse) and you're unfortunately right that the conservative solution is probably fantasy at this point. Once a culture falls apart, the society's fall isn't too far behind.

What is the "conservative solution"? Chastity belts?

inkybinky

ReadLineThe best answer is public funding for (1) free and easily accessible birth control and (2) planned parenthood. The cost would be miniscule in most every respect. But first we have to get over the conservative perception of randy sluts having sex on our dollar.

I think the longer answer though- is that both the liberal (above) and conservative solution (harkening back to older social moors about pre-marital sex) could work. But one is easy and the other is fantasy.

TNA- what are you advocating by "Parenting is a privilege, not a right." It sounds like euthanasia. But if its something less severe- what? Applying for a child-bearing permit from the government? I didn't think this would mesh with your political views.

The inflection toward rapidly expanding single parent households began around the same time that the pill was legalized for unmarried women. Although birth control has proliferated since that time, unintended (or perhaps just irresponsible) pregnancy has accompanied it. The relationship may even be causal as birth control may have relaxed our society's perception of the long-term consequences of sex, thereby resulting in much more out of wedlock sex and therefore many more single mothers (as birth control inevitably fails due to irresponsibility).

The "liberal" solution has been in effect for about 50 years. As a result, our culture has changed (for the worse) and you're unfortunately right that the conservative solution is probably fantasy at this point. Once a culture falls apart, the society's fall isn't too far behind.

You may have a point, controversial as it may be. But now that contraceptives are available- they should be pushed. Lets look at this way. Overall, women are having less sex now than in the 1950s. However unmarried women today are having more sex than unmarried women in the 1950s. Quality birth control ranges in effectiveness around 99% with some forms like IUD coming to 99.9% effectiveness. Right now, of women that are "at risk for unwanted pregnancy" (having sex and are of fertile age) 89% use contraception. If we could get that to 99%- unwanted pregnancies would drop precipitously. What's more- factors like being black, not having a high school diploma, being a teenager- all of those lowers their likelihood to use contraception EVEN further. (source: http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_contr_use.html).

Oral contraceptives should be given out much like flu shots, condoms should be freely available like toilet paper in a public restroom (maybe a 60 second time lock to avoid abuse- though being freely available it would be difficult to profit from abuse anyway), 12 year old 6th graders know all about sex these days- at least by the time they're 15 we should be allowing them to get contraception discreetly without adverse pressure. Seeking free contraception (even before you're 18) should be looked at as responsible rather than disgraceful behavior.

I'm not sure such methods would solve the problem (some argue that accessible condoms will also lead to more sex- though I disagree)- but I bet it would cull it.