Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Article #247 Why Families?


            I was in my early twenties when the hippie generation was in full swing proclaiming FREEDOM from responsibilities whether: government, church or family duties. Free love was the theme; hippies were known as the flower children. Make love not war was their cry. It was the sixties and the Vietnam war was in full swing, Draft card and bra burning were common among these youthful rebels. Freedom was to be pursued at all costs as youth left their families and formed communes where unfortunately drug use and other anti-social behaviors destroyed many traditional values carefully built over generations.
            Rebellion against societal norms is not a recent invention. It has been going on within families and countries throughout history. In the Bible, we see the first family placed on earth had a rebellious son Cain who slays his brother Abel in a fit of jealousy. Parents of every generation have sighed as their offspring rebel against family standards and push back the norms of acceptable behavior. Today the call is heard again for FAIRNESS. There is no need for traditional families or control of behavior in society or movies or literature. ANYTHING GOES. That sounds familiar. I’ve seen the results. It isn’t a new banner or slogan. There are standards of behavior that are needed to insure that our youth grow up in a safe sane society.
            There is a reason for a man and a woman to join together in a formal agreement before beginning a family. It gives security and structure to their offspring, and a model to emulate. The world declares in the court room and newspapers that it’s all right for anyone to marry regardless of sexual orientation, and demands that this be taught in our schools as the new norm because to do otherwise is censorship and taking away individual rights. That’s when I feel a need to proclaim just as loudly my views that though in the majority seem to be discarded under the disguise of FREEDOM at any cost.
            I have seen the results of years of traditional families breaking up because of the new norms of finding yourself and free expression for all. This enables many divorces and the result may be for one individual freedom, but for those discarded and left behind it is bondage to heartache and poverty and struggles. It seems that the cry for FAIRNESS doesn’t address this. NEXT TIME: Fairness.

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