WHO REALLY IS THE MORAL MAJORITY?

During the past 30+ years, America has been fed a meme which goes something like this: There is a Moral Majority in this country that stands for God, Country, Family Values, and [insert whatever else you choose here]. We have had, over the years, representatives of this self-identified "Moral Majority" tell us that they represent the true values that embody what America is all about. We've heard variations on this sermonizing from people like Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Ralph Reed, et.al., as well as politicians from the GOP--who purport to be the keepers of America's values.

We've also, for many years, listened to the trashing of certain regions of this country as liberal anti-God, anti-American, anti-Family Values, and anti-[insert whatever else you choose here]. These regions have traditionally been identified as the elite east and left coasts and some Great Lakes states, where the Family Values crowd claims all sorts of nefarious, anti-family behaviors flourish.

Now comes reality and the dismantling of all that hogwash, all that self-important, chest-thumping, holier-than-thou, self-righteousness. And that reality comes in the form of facts, data that destroy the false perception that somehow the Bible Belt and other parts of the Family Values country otherwise identified as "flyover country" are the keepers of what America is all about.

We all know that personal morality and individual failures on that issue cross party lines. No political party is immune from individuals who are less--much, much less--than perfect. Of course, one would not have noticed this during the Clinton years. The moral posturing, recriminations, rancor and incessant hammering away at Mr. Clinton's personal failings--especially by some men who were engaging in those very same behaviors--were monumentally hypocritical. Governor Sanford of South Carolina was among those Congressmen who denigrated and piously criticized Mr. Clinton's moral failings.

"Never spit in the wind; it'll come back and hit you in the face." --Nonna

The GOP has lost all claims to be the party of superior moral values. Their members have feet of clay just like every other human being, and their religious practices, apparently, do not protect them from temptations.

The 2009 Statistical Abstract U.S. Census Bureau report also destroys the idea that the Bible Belt states are morally superior to the more liberal coastal and Great Lake states. Here are the data:

The 10 states with the highest divorce rates:

Nevada
Arkansas
Wyoming
Oklahoma
Idaho
Kentucky
Alabama
Mississippi
West Virginia
Delaware

The 10 states with the lowest divorce rates:

New Hampshire
Vermont
Massachusetts
North Dakota
Maine
Minnesota
Connecticut
Wisconsin
Rhode Island
New York

If you want to keep your marriage together, your chances are better if you live in New England rather than the Bible Belt--yes, New England, where 5 out of the 6 states allow same-sex marriage.

The 10 states with highest teenage birth rates:

Mississippi
Texas
Arizona
Arkansas
New Mexico
Georgia
Louisiana
Nevada
Alabama
Oklahoma

The 10 states with the lowest teenage birth rates:

New Hampshire
Vermont
Massachusetts
North Dakota
Maine
Minnesota
Connecticut
New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania

The 10 states with the highest subscription to online pornography sites:

Utah
Alaska
Mississippi
Hawaii
Oklahoma
Arkansas
North Dakota
Louisiana
Florida
West Virginia

The 10 states with the lowest subscription to online pornography sites:

Montana
Idaho
Tennessee
Ohio
Oregon
New Jersey
Delaware
Connecticut
Wyoming
Michigan

Source

The Moral Majority and Family Values crowd need to be quiet and think about the abuse they have heaped on the East Coast Liberals. Take a look at those stats and understand that Family Values are practiced most sincerely in the liberal Northeast, whereas The Bible Belt needs to engage in some self-reflection before it claims moral superiority over any other region in America.

"Facts are stubborn things." --John Adams