Ramblings of a Marriage Junkie

I have to admit that I, being a Marriage Junkie, hadn’t really thought about this until I read “The Obamas can be model for marriage” (by Cynthia Tucker – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution).

One of the most significant changes President-elect Barack Obama could have over the next four years has nothing to do with who he appoints to his Cabinet, the pieces of legislation he signs into law or the inspirational speeches he gives.

It has everything to do with his marriage to Michelle.

For more than four decades, great concern has been expressed about the condition of the African American family and the state of marriage in the black community.

In 1965, The Moynihan Report, a Department of Labor sponsored report raised concerns over the rising out-of-wedlock birthrate amongst African Americans (at the time, one-quarter of births were to unmarried women). Over the years, many black leaders, ministers and celebrities have voiced concern over the rising levels of fatherlessness and family breakdown in the African-American family. In recent years, campaigns such as Black Marriage Day and the African American Healthy Marriage Initiative have attempted to raise awareness of the importance and necessity for marriage in the black community.

(A great report to read is “Responding to the Black Marriage Crisis: A New Vision for Change”)

Could 2008 be the beginning of a new and much needed trend that revitalizes black marriage and the African American family?

Barack Obama gave a Father’s Day Sermon on the issue of fatherlessness stating that too many black fathers are “missing from too many lives and too many homes.” They “have abandoned their responsibilities, acting like boys instead of men. And the foundations of our families are weaker because of it.”

After getting some flack on his message from the likes of Rev. Jesse Jackson, Obama defended his message saying, “I won’t back up one bit in asserting that is a problem that we have to be honest about.”

In the years to come, if marriage gets revived in the black community, I believe it won’t be due to new legislation or new laws … it will likely be due to the genuine example of the healthy and loving marriage of the new President and First Lady. Barack and Michelle Obama exemplify the characteristics and qualities of married life that married couples and singles (despite their color or race) can be challenged and encouraged by.

And this opinion comes from a married, white guy who voted for John McCain.

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Posted at Ramblings of a Marriage Junkie (www.marriagejunkie.com) by K. Jason Krafsky, author of Before “I Do” (www.fullmarriageexperience.com) who is in all ways a Marriage Junkie.

Copyright © 2008 by K. Jason Krafsky – Permission granted to use and reproduce with proper source citation.