In December 1987, American President Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Gorbachev signed an important treaty designed to reduce the two superpowers' nuclear arsenal. Before Mr. Gorbachev left for the Soviet Union, the two leaders addressed the people of their two countries and indeed of the world via radio and television. It was a rare opportunity to correct misconceptions. President Reagan took the opportunity to assure the world that the United States is not a materialistic nation. He encouraged them to think of it not as a country where supermarkets are filled with goods, and highways with cars, but as a nation of faith and family.
When I heard that, I wondered just how well faith and family were doing, not only in the United States but in the world at large. Both are needed ingredients for the cohesiveness of civilization. I found myself wondering particularly about today's family. It has undergone tremendous changes in recent years. The large number of single-parent families is just one indication of this. There are other statistics suggesting that along with these changes some elements have crept in that are threatening the very foundation of the home.
Today's broken homes, divorce rate, births out of wedlock, widespread cohabitation and immorality tell the story. If the structure of the home is disintegrating, civilization is threatened with the loss of an essential building block. There appears to be a growing awareness of the need to rescue the family. Worthwhile public and private efforts are being made to preserve family life.
