Single-parenthood is okay!:
Carlin, David R. Jr.
the evidence for the roundness of the earth OF SEVERAL MINDS David R. Carlin,...
...single-handedly, and then written a book AND EXPERIENCE SAYS THE EARTH IS FLAT about the experience, argue that the ocean sure did look pretty flat during his or her voyage...
...3) the sex- church doctrine...
...5) the right to suicide is an- trary to fact...
...And only We are confident that our readers will be able to pick a twenty-nine years old...
...Apologists for Murphy Brown) have yet and Virginia suburban counties surround- "Some don't like the bells...
...4) ogy cannot afford to yield on a single point in their place...
...Mention of the Santaria reminds us that John Leo school are devoid of intellectu- These doctrines and others are all part religion always involves sacrifice...
...El to acknowledge the evidence that smoking increases the risk of lung cancer...
...It's like the three musketeers: one tantly, most critics are not interested in as- this: (1) the good society is the society for all, and all for one...
...So why do apparently in- of an ideological package...
...What, I wondered, will be still increases the risk of lung cancer, and the fatherless-child phenomenon was a a debatable issue next...
...of them, and you have attacked the rifice contrite hearts...
...The other two members Charlie Rose next week and find that he of misfortune for children...
...Will some flat-earther victim-blaming women who often act Nation, felt that the correlation between (preferably from the Nation) explain that heroically in very difficult circumstances...
...More impor- number of doctrines...
...gle-parent households and have turned evils and/or merits of single-parenthood in What was interesting about the TV panel out very well...
...For tobacco companies, it's a question of in- OF SEVERAL MINDS Abigail McCarthy come...
...She speculated that doubt that the fatherless-child epidemic has it's the humidity), I turned if we did a study while controlling for other been a gigantic social disaster...
...Yet it is difficult to think the right to abortion is a fundamental of doctrine, no matter how illogical or conof anything, including male prejudice, that human right...
...Will I turn on single-parenthood still increases the risk great social evil...
...to persuade progress, as the burden of single-parenthood...
...The glib (often very glib indeed)-who not only as one of his guests...
...And zoning Department, a Jewish congregation planture," they can't help but feel guilty...
...Yet there the TV on at about midnight and discov- possible causes, the effect of fatherless- are people-intelligent, well-educated, ered that PBS's Charlie Rose had John Leo ness would fade to virtually nothing...
...fight-a friendly fight-with at least one of these misguided Edward McGlynn Gaffney, Jr...
...trine: attack one doctrine, and you have made unlimited personal freedom the sum- But this is followed by others: (2) cul- attacked the church's teaching authority...
...For smokers, it's a question of a bad habit they've grown to love...
...who are distressed to see women rising in ual liberation movement is a great step At all events, subscribers to this ideolthe world...
...Callahan is pro- he wrote in his October 8 column, he serves as pastor to fessor of psychology at Mercy College, a licensed psy- an Orthodox community...
...In other words, interests have a tendency to blind people to facts...
...don't like the steeples," writes Grimsley, pivotal ethical doctrine of this ideology is Some of these, it must be admitted, were "and some don't like the singing, which the one mentioned above, namely, that the what the residents in old neighborhoods one successful church opponent called summum bonum of human life (or at least might consider exotic and alien congrega- `noise pollution...
...Some another motive: the ideological motive...
...The secular religion The smoking analogy provides a clue...
...recent Washington Post (Sept- based as much on suspicion and dislike of Others (especially women) don't want ember 18, 1993) report by Kirstin Downey "the different' 'as on the ministries proposed to hear about it because they find themselves Grimsley lists church after church ha- or the buildings to be built...
...The ing Washington and in the District itself...
...pastor of Saint Paul's Parish and is a member of the facShe has served on the staff of Senator John Danforth ulty at both the Harvard Divinity School and the Harvard (1989-92), and is now a research assistant for the National Center for International Affairs...
...ning to build a school in Fairfax, Virginia, But the intellectual defenders of single- The report listed difficulties experienced Catholics building a "too-tall" rectory in parenthood (who might also be called The by churches in almost all of the Maryland Alexandria, Virginia...
...Sidney McCarthy, novelist, lecturer, and commentator, who reCallahan joined our roster of columnists, whose writings sides in Washington, D.C.: John Garvey, long of Springfield, appear under the rubric "Of Several Minds...
...She now lives in Arlington, Virginia, scene from Cambridge...
...mum bonum of human life...
...Jones, we're says, over plans to build, to expand, or to ing to relocate in an area near the State not blaming you, we're blaming the cul- add new forms of ministry...
...The reaCommonweal and now a columnist for old, deliberately had a child out of wed- sons they give are interesting: U.S...
...of the panel, both women, disagreed...
...She is well Illinois, now happily ensconced in New York...
...And no matter how often the activists are feuding with the churches, she ligious groups: a Presbyterian church seekcritics say, "Don't worry, Ms...
...and of likely to persuade Katha Pollitt to change recent times, especially their economic course (6) regardless of whether or not her mind as is the A.S.P.C.A...
...Some al respectability...
...Or it's like the trasigning blame to individuals...
...discussion was not so much the points that smoked cigarettes for thirty years without Leo and the other male member of the were being made as the fact that it was tak- getting lung cancer...
...Massachusetts, where he serves as with her husband, Peter, and their two sons, Brian and Collin...
...in the single-parenthood situation, raising rassed by the neighbors and the commu- But opposition has flared up, as well, children with minimal or zero assistance nities in which they minister...
...but attack the central axiom, and and happiness of millions of children...
...by those who disagree with critics of the ried or remain married...
...Instead they whose only common good is the agree- ditional notion of the unity of Catholic docblame a contemporary culture that has ment not to agree on any common good...
...School...
...Heading the list is system...
...with our issue dated November 5. is dean of the Valparaiso University School of Law...
...Attack any one religions sacrifice chickens...
...regulations are the weapons of choice...
...Finally, J. Bryan Hehir...
...and David R. Carlin, Jr., who chologist in New York, and the author of many books, most after a stint in Rhode Island's state legislature and a run recently Parents Forever (Crossroad) and In Good for the U. S. House of Representatives has returned to teachConscience (HarperSanFrancisco...
...the evidence for the roundness of the earth OF SEVERAL MINDS David R. Carlin, Jr...
...Advisory Board on Ethics in Reproduction...
...This is why John Leo is as has so retarded the progress of women in other fundamental human right...
...who will begin his stint people...
...Neighborhood against more established and mainline refrom fathers...
...He has reviewed books for us, as well as written on topics as varied as coil stitutionalism Several more minds in Russia and the Branch Davidians in Texas...
...THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD So what interest is blinding people to THE CHURCHES DISTURB THE PEACE the fact that the single-parenthood epidemic has been a social disaster...
...ing at Rhode Island Community College...
...tural diversity is to be prized regardless hence you have indirectly attacked all 3. "The critics are conservative males of the content of the culture...
...News and World Report, was a mem- lock at about the age of thirty-five, and 1. "Many children have grown up in sinber of a four-person panel discussing the has written a book about her experience...
...A In these cases the opposition might be more happy-go-lucky style of life...
...Yes, and many people have America...
...responsibility, where they would prefer a must be doing something right...
...Some people (especially males) don't want to hear about it because this will call f the mark of the truly faithful is County, Jehovah's Witnesses in Maryupon them to change their lives, to adopt to endure persecution, the church- land's Prince George's County, a Buddhist habits of responsibility, including sexual es of the Washington, D.C., area group in an up-scale area of Washington...
...No matter: smoking panel were decidedly of the opinion that ing place at all...
...Others sactelligent people keep giving these reasons...
...Leo, formerly of other woman, who is now thirty-nine years doubt it, they positively deny it...
...supreme axiom upon which they are all of the cultural Left sacrifices the prosperity We understand why some people refuse based...
...0 ne evening early in August single-parenthood and a wide range of so- By this late date it is difficult to see how of this year, having sur- cial pathologies-crime, violence, drugs, anyone who has not been in a Rip Van vived another difficult sum- failure in school, poverty, etc.-was not Winkle coma for the last twenty years can mer day (it's not the heat, a causal connection...
...that are derived from it...
...is worthless because our observations were not controlled by parallel observations of some admittedly flat planet...
...THE EDITORS 8: 22 October 1993 Commonweal But to the degree that parents get blamed, tieth century) is virtually unlimited per- you have attacked all the other doctrines the lion's share of the blame is assigned sonal freedom...
...They want to put women `back forward in the advance of civilization...
...One has a panel discussing whether the earth 2. "This is a classic case of blaming the of them, Katha Pollitt, an editor at the is flat or round...
...An attack on any to males who have walked out on their From this single axiom are deduced a doctrine, then, is an attack on the whole parental responsibilities...
...IV These three join our regular panel of pundits: Abigail ith our October 8, 1993, issue...
...Readers will also Liz Liebold McCloskey, who joined us over the sum- be familiar with his separate column in our Correspondence mer, has a degree in social ethics from Yale Divinity section titled: "The Author Replies...
...there are children involved, society has adherents of the Santaria faith to renounce In other words, the arguments offered no business pressuring people to get mar- the sacrifice of chickens...
...In 1989, while working at the Sex Crimes Unit in who also has several minds but who writes under the rubric the Manhattan District Attorney's office, she served as an "World Watch," continues his observations of the world intern at Commonweal...
...And will someone who has sailed around the world SINGLE-PARENTHOOD IS OKAY...
...where, as known to readers of this magazine...
...But the real problem of human life in America in the late twen- tions: a mosque in Virginia's Fairfax seems to be that the churches these days Commonweal 22 October 1993: 9...
Vol. 120 • October 1993 • No. 18
