The above phrase has been the buzz words of every
election since the
Reagan Administration. "
Family Values" from a
political standpoint has so far, taken to form of enacting legistation that
protects children, fosters
censorship, and limits the rights of
nontraditional families. Most of the infringements of the Bill of Rights have taken place under the guise of "family Values" legislation.
The Christian Coalition is a driving force behind this movement, however they are not the only party responsible for these actions. Many aspects of Family Values Legislation comes from
dual-income families and single-parent families from all social strata. These families often don't have the time to protect thier children from the basic harshness of this
modern world therefore, they turn to the
govenment to protect their children from anything they deem harmful.
The rise of
Family Values Legislation took a rise in the latter years of the Regan Administration when the
downturn in the economy made it nessecary for many at-home-parents to return to the workforce in order to keep the family's "
head above water". This left children in the care of
babysitters, or (more often) the television, or some other form of
media. Without direct parental supervision children often became exposed to material that some parents deemed unacceptible. This sparked
lawsuits, many of which were won by the offended parties, setting legal precedent and paving the way for lawmakers to enact more
restrictive legislation
.
However, there is many a theory about how placing "what is decent" and "acceptible" into the hands of the government takes away from true
family values, it allows a parent to be less involved in the lives of their children. The government, in this case, becoming an "enabler" in the distancing between parent and child. Parents (should be/are) the first role-models a child has. There is a great deal of "value" in that relationship, and it's truly one that the
government isn't looking at right now.