The 'smug fecundity' of the GOP field this year has poor Lisa Miller worried. She sees a subtlety there, a message that Republican men take seriously the 'biblical injunction to be fruitful and multiply.' Especially worrisome to Ms. Miller is her perception that this puts forward a belief that women should put their natural fertility first — before their brains, before their ability to earn a living, before their independence — because that’s what God wants. And now, the Catholic Church is helping to promote that 'unspoken and archaic' value.
Really, Lisa Miller? This WORRIES you? Perhaps you chose to have a small family, your call. But why would it concern you if someone made a different choice? I'm fairly certain these working woman arguments were settled in the '60s. Is someone stopping her from working? Ms. Miller thanks God that she lives in a time and place where she can get up every morning and go to work, and with the money she earns help to feed and educate her child. How is this dream of going to work every day threatened by Romney's five children or Santorum's seven children? (I think Lisa Miller needs to dream bigger dreams, by the way).
This birth control debate might be the most shoddily and dishonestly reported story in the history of our shoddy press. If there was any decency and accuracy to the way it has been handled, stories like Lisa Miller's, which is teeming with ridiculous commentary ('smaller families allow everyone in the family to be healthier and better educated'), would appear archaic and even more ridiculous than it is on its face.
When questioned as to the number of children in the family, my dad used to say, "I only have the children I can afford". Too many of today's pro-creators seem to have only the number that the half of us who pay taxes can afford.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Pat Buchanan has a point. In the last 30-40 years we have aborted 125 million and brought in 100 million immigrants, mostly from underdeveloped countries. Maybe it's middle-class white Christians that Democrats have a problem with. I guess we're just too damned productive, law abiding and free thinking.
ReplyDeleteWork outside the home is completely overrated. Consider my wife's work environment:
ReplyDeleteShe is CEO of the home - CINCHOUSE in military speak. She has complete authority to make decisions, set her priorities, define goals and objectives, and how to accomplish them. Nobody tells her what to do. Nearly all stress she has is elective. She can re-define her workload at any time. She can be involved in the kids' lives.
Compare this to almost any job in Dilbert-ville. Everyone has a pointy-haired boss. Everyone has irate customers. All are trying to do more with less, adding stress to the workplace.
Complete control of your world at home, where you are surrounded by loving children and husband, or near no control in an environment where you are completely stressed, and expendable?
Back in the good old days people had large families so that they had more able-bodied workers on-hand to help the family survive.
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