More and more Americans are rejecting the idea of marriage. Β In fact, more say, “I don’t” than say, “I do.” Β So what does that say about America?
For the first time since the government started keeping records on it, married people are the minority in America, although it’s not by much. Β 50.2 percent of Americans are unmarried. Β But that’s a huge difference from back in the 70s when only 37 percent of adults were single. Β Also up: both the percentage of people who have simply never married, and the number of people who get divorced. Β Bottom line: for whatever reason, more people simply are not married.
But those stats come at an interesting time in our nation’s perception of marriage. Β One of the hot-topic issues facing our courts right now is gay marriage. Β While several states have voted to recognize it, or lawsuits have forced them to, other states haven’t, or have decided gay marriage bans are constitutional. Β The Supreme Court doesn’t want to deal with it, but eventually, they’ll have to.
And being a parent also doesn’t seem to be much of a factor anymore. Β The feds say there were more than 12 million single-parent families last year. Β And about 4 out of 10 children are born to unwed mothers.
You used to hear about “shotgun weddings” for that kind of thing. Β Not any more. Β It makes us wonder how important you think marriage is in America. Β And so our married Man on the Edge, Robert Wilder, hit the streets to find out…
