Look: Another Wedge Issue

So, yesterday I posted Family Dinner. And later, I went back and removed a sentence and the last two paragraphs. Because even though sometimes I open my mouth before I think, I tried to teach my children that most of the time when you make a mistake, do-overs are possible and appropriate. Not always. But, mostly. And, they are damned good role modeling for your children to see what you do when you put your foot in your mouth.

I had overheard two people using a couple of terms for children and parents that struck me then, and still do now, as rather mean spirited and nasty. The two I overheard were certainly being snide and contemptuous about it. And that was the second time I had heard those terms in the last week; one of them I have only heard the two times and the other not used quite that way. I said that I would like to eviscerate people who used those terms and dance in their guts. (I told you I am opinionated and passionate about things.)

So then, after I had said that rather aggressive thing on my blog, then I googled the terms. Then I read about the childfree movement. And, although I still don't like the terms, and although I can see that there are some mean spirited people in the childfree movement, I also can see this anger between people with and without children as part of a bigger picture and I want to talk about that.

"United we stand; divided we fall." As long as we are engaged in fighting each other, we don't notice that we are all being screwed. As long as blacks and Hispanics believe they are competing for jobs, they don't notice that no one is getting them because they are going overseas. So, we have these divisions that are being fostered and encouraged and that result in our not putting our attention on our elected officials and the other power brokers who could do something about it. You know, working women vs. stay-at-home-moms, gays vs. "Christians," working class white men vs. everyone else who wants a job, the common man vs. illegal immigrants, men vs. women. All of that sort of thing. And, here is another: parents vs. the childfree.

The very workplace problems that are overwhelming parents are overwhelming the childfree. Parents are working longer hours and spending less time with their kids. The childfree are being asked to work even more, because they don't have kids. And so, the childfree feel taken advantage of (because they are!). And, now that the parents and childfree are diverted into this tussle, they aren't getting together and demanding better working conditions where neither are required to put in these long hours, where both are paid decently, where neither is afraid that if they complain about it the jobs will be sent to India.