I'm a liberal pagan living in West, Texas. Yes. That West, Texas.

Monday, May 30, 2011

MARRIED COUPLES IN MINORITY




U.S. CENSUS
The Associated Press
Data released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau shows married couples have found themselves in a new position:'They're no longer the majority.'
It's a trend that's been creeping along for decades, but in the 2010 census, married couples represent 48 percent of all households. That's down from 52 percent in the last census and , for the first time in U.S. history, puts households led by married couples as a plurality.
The flip in the 2010 census happened in 32 states. In seven other states less than 51 percent of households were helmed by married couples.
The reason, said Portland State University demographer Charles Rynerson, is twofold: The fast-growing older population is more likely to be divorced or widowed later in life, and 20-somethings are putting off their nuptials for longer stretches.
"People in their 20's are postponing marriage for many reasons, including money," Rynerson said."We also have an aging population, so there's more people living alone."

So. What I don't understand is why with the declining numbers of married people why anyone should give a red rats ass if gay people can marry. If no one is doing it any more and it's becoming a rare thing, why such a fuss over people who truly want to marry, not just as an expression of their love but for the same benefits accorded to people who marry, divorce, marry and divorce again. I think if nothing else, the people that are in the marriage business, (flower shops, bridal shops, travel agencies for honeymooners, etc.) should be on the band wagon trying to get equal rights for gays..just saying.

13 comments:

Jan said...

I don't understand why ANYbody would want to get married today unless they really loved lawyers and courtrooms.

TheWayfarer said...

Vox Day was whining about this earlier.
Since the "institution/sacrament/(place unmerited idolatrous label here)" originated in the enslavement of women, I look on this as good news:
You would think the homosexuals would be trying to talk the rest of us out of marriage, rather than wanting to hop on a bandwagon that isn't going anywhere!
Just sayin'

yellowdoggranny said...

how many couples stay togher because of the finances..? they'll lose their benefits if they divorce..yet Gay couples can stay together for 30 years loving each other and staying together because they do love each other and get no benefits from insurance, have no rights..no matter how long they've been together..NOT RIGHT.

Rox said...

I'm a minority! Where are my rights?! LOL! I say give the gays a shot...they would have fabulous weddings and they couldn't do much worse than straight people as far as divorce goes.

Come to Canada. We let everyone love everyone up here.

Shrinky said...

Ah, now there speaks the voice of common sense!

Mr. Charleston said...

What's so sacred about marriage and family? It was made sacred in the first place by the church and capitalists who needed a stable, non-mobile workforce to collect taxes and tithes from. The church turned into pedophiles and the capitalists abandoned us. Just sayin.

Susan said...

I'm still married and yeah, I want equal rights too!

Marriage is a tough, tough gig, and even when you think you know what you are doing, you don't. And there are many couples who stay married and hate every minute of it. I went through a phase like that; so did my husband--both at different intervals. I don't know when I finally said: You and I will grow old together and never be apart. And it isn't for everybody, nor should it be. My mom kept throwing doctors and lawyers at me when I was single, because she thought I would be unhappy if I didn't marry or marry rich. I married a carpenter straight out of the army--such a rebel.

Good post.

Grandma K said...

Amen, amen! But I do have a worry/question. All those couples who remain "fiancées" forever - when one of them needs to have the spousal consent - who does it. Have they thought about the future and given the medical power of attorney to their significant other? Just askin'

The Future Was Yesterday said...

I believe in marriage. I DO NOT believe in all the religious bullshit, "no fault" divorce, lawyers, or the courts. Every divorce lawyer I've ever met (three divorces for me) sanctimoniously says at the outset "I don't encourage divorce", then promptly takes the case and bills you to death.

Lying MFer's!!!!!

TheWayfarer said...

Mr. Charleston & TFWY are clearly awake. Wild & domesticated animals procreate all the fuckin' time...What is "sacred" about it? Meantime authoritarian thugs grope you in the airports, break down people's front doors in the middle of the night & violently assault American citizens exercising their First Amendment rights at Monticello - trampling something that really is sacred, and the Establishment press nor hardly anyone else says a goddamn word about it...
WTF is wrong with this picture!?

yellowdoggranny said...

I don't think there is any thing sacred about marriages.but straight people can put each other on their insurance if they are together for over 7 years(in texas anyhow) as common law wife/husband..but gay people can't...so I don't think it has a thing to do with marriage, as it has to do with equal rights for everyone..

Intense Guy said...

Hey, I'm not married - so I'm in the majority for once.

I think we should do away with all the "benefits" the law gives marriage... for so many people the "institution" has become a massive joke.

As for the Gays - why not let them marry? I've no problem with whoever living with whoever... the problem I have is with the so-call parents that can't raise a child properly to save their ass.

Rainwolf said...

Late to the party, but. Whoever started pushing gay marriage should have used different terminology. Those 2 words together scare some people. I don't want a piece of paper saying I can spend my life with someone, I want the right to the same things as everyone else. Right now, I can't make any decisions about Lucy's healthcare, or her mine, and a marriage license wouldn't change it for us. If I die, she won't get any federal or state benefits from me that either spouse in a traditional marriage would recieve. It's still just discrimination. (Putting away soapbox now.)