Family Values

The rapid proliferation of organizations and related web sites touting family values should be of great concern to anyone who truly cares about the protection of minority rights, equal rights, and equality of opportunity. The collective power of said organizations is serving to sway legislation in the United States--the self-declared beacon of democracy--toward the actual limiting of human rights.

Hinged on Puritanical moral arguments about the nature of sex, sexuality, and marriage these organizations are advancing an image of family not seen since "Father Knows Best". America presents a great paradox: the billions successfully spent on marketing centre around the objectification of young women and, increasingly, young girls. And yet, rampant censorship of words and images reflecting basic nudity and sexuality is carried out by network television and even some cable channels--many owned and operated by the very same entities spending the marketing dollars.

It is a shame that no political leader has the courage to say to these organitions and their growing membership that they have the power to affect legitimate social and economic change by directing their energies to tackling the real causes of family destruction: poverty, lack of education, irresponsible fathers, alcoholism, and sexual & physical abuse.

The overwhelming majority of sexual and other assault crimes in America are carried out by heterosexual men. There are tens of millions of dollars in unpaid child support owing by "deadbeat" fathers. The level of poverty among single mothers is one of America's greatest tragedies. The proportion of those who are visible minorities is the other great tragedy.

Familes are destroyed by indifference. Instead of focusing their efforts on boycotting Disney, movies, advertisers, etc, and limiting equality rights, these "family" organizations should be using their faith's tenets to help bring pressure to their elected leaders and bring their fellow citizens (and families) out of the tyranny of poverty.