Family Restoration is More Important Than Ever in Tough Times

Forbes Magazine recently highlighted the fact that the concept of “family, although changing rapidly, is becoming more important than ever,” and is truly the “ultimate safety net” for society. Academic researcher Joel Kotkin writes:

“Critically, marriage, the basis of the family, is also far from a dying institution. Sociologist Andrew Cherlin notes that over 80% of Americans eventually get married, often after a period of cohabitation. Later marriages are also reflected in later childrearing. Younger women today may be less likely to have children, but far more older women are giving birth; since 1982 the number of those over 35 who give birth has more than tripled. This trend has accelerated and will continue to do so given advances in natal science.

More important, people continue to value the stability and cohesion that only families can provide. According to social historian Stephanie Coontz, Americans today are more likely to be in regular contact with their parents than in the past. Some 90% consider their parental relations close, and far more children are likely to live with at least one parent now than they were as recently as the 1940s. …

…family will remain the central force that informs our communities and economy.” Read the entire article here.

Furthermore, government employers are understanding the importance of marital fidelity. The recent case of Starling v. Board of County Commissioners of Palm Beach County, No. 09-11168 (11th Cir. Apr. 6, 2010) upheld a Palm Beach firefighter’s demotion due to his adultery, ruling that he did not have a first amendment right to adultery or extramarital association with a subordinate. Read that article here.

Strong marriage is foundational to family restoration, and new research reveals just how important marriage is to your health. In Tara Parker-Pope’s April 12th New York Times Magazine article Is Marriage Good for Your Health? Parker-Pope illustrates that marriage is profoundly connected to health and well-being. Read that article here.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom’s Parliament is debating how to strengthen marriage with tax cuts. And April 10, 2010 article by Peter Griffiths denotes how such political moves can value families, to fix a "Broken Britain," a place of family breakdown, crime and welfare dependency. Read the entire article here: UK's Labour Clashes with Conservatives Over Marriage Reuters.

So while Massachusetts continues to try to destabilize marriage (see Massachusetts AG seeking summary judgment in Defense of Marriage Act suit Steve Dotterer at Paper Chase Newsburst, Feb. 19, 2010), New Hampshire’s Governor retracts his support for marriage (see the National Organization for Marriage’s new television ad and website launched in New Hampshire calling the Governor to task), and the United States Congress attempts to reorder marriage federally with House Ethics Rules (see the Capitol Hill newspaper, reported on new proposed House ethics rules that would same-sex partners as "spouses" -- a clear violation of the Defense of Marriage Act), other governments see that family restoration is more important than ever. As a prime example, under a constitutional challenge to expand marriage, Italy has upheld marriage as critically important to society (see April 15, 2010 article Italy high court upholds same-sex marriage ban Daniel Richey in Paper Chase Newsburst). Italy understands the critical importance of marriage to family stability. Stable families foster strong societies, and secure governments.

Marriage remains the solid foundation of a strong civilization. Strong marriage policy restores families, and restores societies. And family restoration is more important than ever.

In the news:
PAPER CHASE NEWSBURST: Massachusetts AG seeking summary judgment in Defense of Marriage Act suit
PAPER CHASE NEWSBURST: Italy high court upholds same-sex marriage ban
ROLL CALL: Draft Congressional Ethics Rules Would Recognize Gay Marriages
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MARRIAGE: Lynch Lied! Watch the new NOM ad that is making NH headlines!



Read more of Professor Kohm’s scholarship on marriage at Does Marriage Make Good Business? Examining the Notion of Employer Endorsement of Marriage, 25 Whittier L. Rev. 563 (2004)(cited in 6 U. Pa. J. Lab. & Emp. Law 865 (Spring 2004); Selected Current Bibliography on Labor & Employment Law, 98 Nw. U. L. Rev. 579 (2004); Daniel W. Olivas, Tennessee Considers Adopting the Louisiana Covenant Marriage Act: A Law Waiting to be Ignored, 71 Tenn. L. Rev. 769 (2004); Karen Turnage Boyd, The Tale of Two Systems: How Integrated Divorce Laws Can Remedy the Unintended Effects of Pure No-Fault Divorce, 12 Cardoza J. L. & Gender 609 (2006)).