It would be easier to look at the bigger picture when certain issues are under scrutiny. In fact, human beings have the tendency to blame an unrelated fact for problems they face. The fingers are always pointed to unpleasant weather, traffic, or a terrible morning, but when we think about it, there are a lot of things more reasonable to blame. The daily news on television always celebrates the president’s acts and shows updates on the war on Iraq and politics. The focus of the media is on the famous people of the country and irrelevant issues to the general public, such as murders and other useless information. Have we heard yet of the little but important things such as the reason why there are murderers out there, why such violence exists, or why the most important issue facing America today is divorce? It may seem that the issue of divorce is not significant for a first-world nation, but statistics and facts show that it is.
The family is the basic unit of the society that contributes to its make-up. The main victims of divorce are the children and neither the parents. A child’s growth, as directed by the parents’ teachings, affects his attitude, perspective, and dictates what he becomes in the future. To have the chance to live in a house with both parents intact gives the child holistic development emotionally and behaviorally. Fagan and Rector stated clearly that children coming from broken families do poorly in school, become alcoholics or addicted to certain prohibited drugs, become more susceptible to attempting suicide, and are more likely involved in committing crimes. The negative effects of a domestic problem have a direct correlation to the kinds of people that constitute a society. If so, what if the real cause of the major problems are not too big at all rather the simplest relationships formed by the family?
This problem needs a resolution that may not involve pickets, rallies, or even laws that take a long time to be approved. Good communication skills and respect for each other create a sound marriage that works for the parents and the children. The family’s foundation should be based on morals and love rather than mistrust and obligation. Parents should ultimately put their children as a top priority and consider their welfare before making an extreme decision of splitting up.
The first thing that comes to mind when we talk about a national issue is politics. In this country, it is inevitable to think that the President and his war is the greatest problem to date. Yet this issue will die down in time and be replaced by another after a while. This is the type of self-limiting problem that can be solved by legislators and government officials. Unlike the concerns on divorce, which spans more than a lifetime and affects more than one life, this proves to be more of a national issue to me. On a personal note, it may not be considering the big picture, but it does not disregard the value of having a family based on a solid foundation that assures a better future for children.
Works cited
Fagan, Patrick and Robert Rector. “ The Effects of Divorce on America.” The Heritage Foundation. 2000.