Here's today's Washington Watch Daily commentary from FRC Radio:
In Washington state, a group of same-sex activists say that if heterosexuals want to protect marriage, they’d better be ready to deliver. Literally. Gregory Gadow is collecting signatures for a proposal that would force newlyweds to have children in their first three years of marriage. If they refused, the law would dissolve their union. Gadow said that if homosexuals can’t get married because they can’t have kids, then reproducing should be requirement of those who can. The move may be a publicity stunt, but it’s raised some important questions. In today’s world, we increasingly view children—not as blessings—but as burdens. How else can we explain the birth rate reaching record lows? While not every married couple can or should have kids, creating and raising the next generation should be high on America’s priority list. Obviously, this proposal is too extreme, but in the end, it’s an important reminder that our public policy should encourage a pro-procreation environment.
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Comments (3)
I agree whole-heartedly that we should have a more pro-creation environment.
I am willing and able to pay for it. I need a few million more on my side and we're good to go. who wants to join me in:
Raising education standards to make American schools the envy of the free world.
Ensure that every child is educated from two to twenty irrespective of family wealth.
Ensure that every child has his/her healthcare needs met free of charge.
Ensure that all families, of all colors and backgrounds are treated equal, regardless of the status of their immigration.
Ensure that our LGTB teens are protected from bullies so they too may join our society as free and equal citizens.
Ensure that the full benefits of marriage are extended to our gay and lesbian families who are raisng outstanding children even in the face of injustice.
It is easy to do; It just takes guts to stand up and pay up.
The best does not come cheap.
February 19, 2007 4:33 PM | Comment Permalink
I havn't looked at the statistics myself, but I am fairly confident that a falling birth rate can be attributed to several social and economic factors - improving education largely. Particually longer education, which leads to delayed marriage and thus a lower reproductive window. More career women affects it, obviously - women with careers dont want children, it leads to competition for time resulting in both suffering. Access to contraception is a big influence - without it, lots and lots of unplanned offspring. With it, merely lots of them.
Trying to force the birth rate up is probably not a good idea. Assuming most births are planned, trying to force the birth rate to rise means talking a lot of potential parents into reproducing when they otherwise would not have - parents who were on the boarderline of the decision, not the ideal child-raisers.
Actions that raise the birth rate are also at odds with the objective of improving education - if you want lots of breeders, then you dont want women to spend twenty-two years in full-time education then another few decades in full-time employment. No, you want to get them out of school and into marriage, so they can pump out babies while their husband feeds them. I know its sexist, but *that* is the type of society best suited to a high birth rate.
February 19, 2007 8:53 PM | Comment Permalink
I haven't digested the statistics yet either, but the first thing that comes to my mind is quality vs. quantity. While it may be true that our native population is experiencing a decline in birth rates, and as Raven points outs, that may not be a bad thing, immigration changes the calculus a bit.
We have, by some estimates, 10-12 million undocumented aliens in this country, many of who are raising families outside the protection of our laws.
Any child-friendly policy must first and foremost bring these families into our protection. It concerns me that these families are being left behind.
We need to work toward a fair solution to our illegal immigration problem, but we need to think of the children of these families first. These are the least of these that Jesus demands we take care of.
February 20, 2007 8:02 AM | Comment Permalink