BAD STATISTICS IN BAD TIMES

I read in the "New York Times" this morning that a recent study has determined that over half the women under thirty who have babies are unmarried. I knew the percentage had been growing rapidly, but this statistic still shocked me.

All kinds of reasons for this growth of unmarried mothers can be found, ranging from socio-economic issues to moral issues. Certainly, no one would doubt that the present economic conditions can only exacerbate this situation. When you don’t have a job and are dependent on the safety net you don’t want to rock the boat. With so many young men unemployed, a lot of young women don’t want to saddle themselves with more debt and problems by taking on a man who is not contributing to family welfare. Plus, let’s face it, irresponsibility for economic or social reasons is a fact of life today: a lot of young, plus old, are ducking commitment.

Statistics bear out that the children of the unmarried in poor economic circumstances have the dice loaded against them with less educational and job opportunities. The system helps to hold you down, preventing you from breaking out of the vise of poverty in bad times.

Without intending to preach, I believe that this problem of increased illegitimacy in the young is symptomatic of the moral decay prevalent in so many lives. Our values are under fire or frequently lacking. It’s hard to lead a moral life when your main concern is simply existing, getting enough for food and shelter, the basics of existence.

This moral decay is not confined to the lowest on the economic ladder but is rife throughout the strata of society. I just don’t see the same emphasis on leading a good and productive life that existed in earlier generations in my lifetime. Mind you, earlier generations screwed up big time with regularity; hence, so many problems of today prevail. A moral undertone, even if often ignored, was there in the background. I don’t feel that undertone today. A lack of responsibility, “a-let-someone-else-do-it” attitude often appears as the major philosophy, and I find that sad.

At my church we have a series of forums in between the services on Sunday morning, and this year’s theme is “Leading the Compassionate Life”. That is a key word, compassion, based on the Latin words, “com” (meaning with) and “passio” (meaning patience). We need to deal with each other WITH PATIENCE, taking time to care for and help others.

A dose of compassion could lead to justice and fair play for a lot of disadvantaged people, among which are many of these unmarried mothers. And a lot of other unhappy and unlucky people.