The Times They Are A-Changin'

I live in a large metropolitan city in a multi-ethnic county that has been changing over the years that I been here.  Although this is the city of my birth, I spent most of my formative years in the small-town life familiar to so many other Americans (or at least so many other Texans -- ha, ha).  I left for the big city at age 17 and have been here ever since.  Some of the changes have been quite obvious, others much more subtle.  Some we simply think we see or feel, but may not quite be sure of -- or may even want to ignore.

I've had the privilege of hearing a couple of presentations given by a university professor who has performed research about contemporary perspectives of the citizens of my county.  He's done the same survey for the past 29 years.  It employs scientifically valid methods and is statistically reliable.  The survey measures attitudes toward education, taxation, immigration, crime, health care, mobility and transit, the local and national economy, religious and political beliefs, views on homosexuality and abortion rights, and their family structures. 

Because the same questions are used, fascinating shifts emerge over the years that can be seen more clearly than with surveys taken on a less frequent basis.  Additionally, the surveys give more detailed demographic information that show where the trends or shifts are occurring.  That kind of information can be very helpful for policymakers (or for savvy marketers, inventors or other opportunists).

Some of the highlights from the 2010 report:

• In 1980 63% of the population in this county was Anglo.  Today non-Hispanic whites comprise less than 35% of the population.
• When asked which of two proposals would be more effective in reducing crime, 79% chose "spending large sums of money to reduce poverty and keep young people in school," rather than "spending the same money to send criminals to prison and keeping them there for a long time."  In 1999, 50% endorsed the first alternative.
• 69% agreed that "Individuals in possession of small amounts of illegal drugs should be fined rather than sent to jail."  Just 26% disagreed with this suggestion.
• The proportion of people in favor of "homosexuals being legally permitted to adopt children" increased from 19% in 1991 to 28% in 2000 to 37% in 2004 to 43% in 2008 to 52% in 2010.  Agreement that "Marriages between homosexuals should be given the same legal status as heterosexuals" grew from 32% in 2007 to 43% in 2009.
• Support for "allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military" has increased from 52% in 2000 to 64% in 2008 to 73% in 2010.
• The proportion in favor of "allowing homosexuals to teach in public schools" grew from 48% in 1992 to 59% in 2009.
• Conversely, the views on abortion rights have not changed significantly, or if anything a slight decrease.  The belief that "It should be legal for a woman to obtain an abortion if she wants to have one for any reason" was held by 56% in 2006, 54% in 2008, and 50% today.  Opposition to "a law that would make it more difficult for a woman to obtain an abortion" was expressed by 63% in 2001 and 54% in 2009.

Here is a link to the site where the survey and a highlight summary can be obtained if interested.
http://has.rice.edu/

So what's the point of all this?  I remember a speech I heard 25 years ago by a demographer -- yes, that really was his profession -- when I was at a week-long conference.  This gentlemen predicted the fall of the USSR, the reunification of East and West Germany, and also explained how the faces of the U.S. would be changing over the coming generations.  (He also said employers would have a hard time finding qualified workers because of the incarceration rates and other issues -- so he was right about that one, too.)  That speech (and his slides) set me on a course of watching for the development of these demographic changes in America.  As surely as I am sitting here, those changes have come to fruition.

The changes are the result of a number of things.  One of those is the phenomenon of the Baby Boomer generation.  There are a lot of us -- but we are now gray, some still in the workforce, some retired.  By and large though, we are moving toward the side of the stage, not the center any longer.  (This is a difficult fact to accept for many of us.  Personally, I'm still demanding the spotlight most of the time, although I can move over now and then.)

Most of the Baby Boomers did not have that many children in their families.  That generation, known as GenX or GenY, depending on how fast the Boomer got busy procreating, is not as large.  On the other hand, America has seen a lot of growth through immigration -- a  lot of that has been legal and some not legal.  Growth rate among Hispanic residents of the U.S. is at a higher proportion than that of non-Hispanic Whites, and even higher still among Asian Americans, with Blacks somewhere in between.  The U.S. Census has projected that by 2042 the country will become a "majority minority" nation.  In four states that has already occurred:  California, Texas, New Mexico, and Hawaii.

People can rant all day long about illegal immigration, but that is not the problem here.  It is very simply the growth rate among those people that already have gotten here.  Old 60-ish white guys can't produce enough children to turn the tide.  That ship has sailed, and the ranters should just get over it.

Instead, I have chosen to embrace the change.  I believe that diversity is a benefit.  We can learn from each other and gain valuable insight from the different experiences and background that people who are not from our same background bring with them.  A shining example of our diverse community could be seen yesterday at the City Council meeting as the new municipal judges, associate judges, and hearing officers were presented by the mayor for confirmation.  I encourage you to follow the link and watch the meeting as the people are introduced and the various council members greet the judges and pay their respects.  (Be sure to stop the "reading of the agenda" and go to "items 1-3" at about the 3:30 point).

I know two of the judges from when we were in law school and a third one is a friend of mine.  Phyllis is a trailblazer whom I admire greatly.  Perhaps I will write about her some other time.


http://houstontx.city.swagit.com/player.php?refid=11172010-1


So today I am grateful to embrace change instead of being afraid of it.  I am grateful to have a friend like Phyllis who has been through the battles and now is receiving well-deserved respect and rewards.