A Mommy Story

Just when I start to convince myself that humanity as a whole is good and loving and caring, I get a few news stories thrown in my face to counter that argument.

I’ve been really feeling the love since this past weekend. HBM’s mommy-blogger love-fest was a huge hit, as can be seen by the awe-inspiring number of bloggers who joined in. I thought to myself, maybe the world isn’t so screwed up. Just look what can happen when a few people get together to spread a little love.

And then I read this over at Diary of a Reluctant Housewife. And my jaw dropped. Someone is actually encouraging white people to have more babies to counter the number of minority children being born. Can someone really be so racist and stupid as to suggest something like this on national TV? And can a network be so insensitive and backwards as to let this guy keep his job?

Babies are babies. It doesn’t matter if they’re black, white, green, whatever. And a person’s skin color doesn’t determine what kind of a person they are, or what they will become. So Mr. Moron, get your head out of your ass and apologize, OK? Or do us all a favor and NOT reproduce, so you won’t pass on that level of hatred to a new generation.

OK, just one person, right? Oh sure, I mean, W. manages to depress me nearly every day, but that’s become a constant in my life. And besides, the more his public favor numbers drop, the more hope I have that some have finally seen the light.

But then I just saw this news story on Yahoo headlines. A small town in Missouri had a law on its books preventing more than three people who are not related to live together. I assume this was put into effect many years ago to prevent homes of prostitution. But it is now affecting unmarried couples with children. A couple with three children were not allowed to move into their home because of this law. So they took it up with the city council.

Sounds simple, right? An antiquated law on the books, ignored for years, just like all those other laws prohibiting sodomy, dressing your dog in clothing, and smoking on the third Saturday of the month when there’s a full moon. Here’s the twist, though: the city council voted to UPHOLD THE LAW! As in, they believed that unmarried couples should not be allowed to live in their town. Now, in this little town outside St. Louis, unmarried couples with children will face eviction. They’re essentially being run out of town for not getting married.

Gee, I wonder what this town would do to a gay couple? I think they might bring out the torches and pitchforks for them.

Again, I am baffled by the stupidity in that town. So just because a couple chooses to not get that legal document declaring them a committed couple, they are not allowed to live in your town? A piece of paper does not guarantee a happy relationship or raising children properly. Aaron and I got married, but it was because we both wanted to. There are those who don’t see the need for the paperwork and can be just as committed to each other as any married couple. Besides, with the divorce rate hovering at 50%, it’s clear that marriage is not the cure-all for society’s ills.

So I do still believe there are nice people in the world. I’ve met some of them, and I like to think myself one of them. But I also know that there are plenty of nutjobs to go around as well. These two stories are just the tip of the iceberg.