Janell Ross: In Tennessee, about 9 percent of white mothers delivered out of wedlock in 1980, compared with 34 percent in 2007, the new state Department of Health data show. In the same period, unmarried black women went from representing a narrow majority of black mothers to 77 percent.
The state began collecting data on Hispanic births in 1982, when 11 percent were to unwed mothers. It was 53 percent in 2007.
Has no one heard of birth control?
2 comments:
While I'm sure a lot of these unwed births are unplanned and due to no birth control being used, I'd like to see a break-down of how many were actually planned pregnancies. There are women today who become what is called a Choice Mother -- meaning they are in their mid to late thirties, haven't found the right guy, and get themselves knocked up on purpose either via the help of science or the help of a "friend". There are lesbians making families together. There are women giving birth so that gay male couples can adopt the child. And there are people who are eschewing marriage but still building families. Now, clearly, these represent the minority, I'd say, but I'd still like to see a break-down.
And do you know if TN schools teach about birth control anymore? Or is it abstinence only education like in TX? Because parents can't be trusted to teach their kids about birth control. Sarah Palin = case in point.
-- Your Sister
Your point about Choice Mothers is a good one, but I doubt it explains these huge increases.
I believe that sex ed is still taught in Tennessee schools, but I don't you can't seriously believe that all these people are becoming pregnant out of ignorance of the birds and the bees. People know they shouldn't eat too much, yet they do. They know that shouldn't smoke, but they do. They know they should exercise, but they don't. It's not for lack of knowledge or education that all these things happen.
As for Palin, how do you know that Bristol was ignorant on the subject of birth control, and that Sarah didn't properly educate her? Respectfully, I think you assume too much.
And what else can parents "not be trusted" to handle with respect to their children? Nearly one and five children age four are now obese. Shall the state begin regulating the caloric intake of its citizens?
I don't oppose sex ed in schools, but I think it's important to remember that all state action is inherently coercive. Every decision of the state to intercede in another area results in less overall freedom for society. Today the state mandates how our cars our built, that we have to have seat belts, how many gallons of water our toilets can use per flush, the octane content of our fuel, how much we must pay certain employees, the types of "disclosures" we must be provided, how many miles per gallon our cars must get, etc., etc., etc. It's influence is ever growing.
Now some of these regulations are good things, but the fact remains that, if we are not free to do stupid things that are not in our own best interest, then we are not free at all.
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