Who Knew?

I learned this morning that this is National Unmarried & Single Americans Week. Their slogan is "Celebrating the Lives and Contributions of Unmarried and Single Americans". Who would have guessed there was such a "celebration". Puhlllease. Who dreamed up this drivel?!

The Web site's fact page states that, as of March 2004, there were 89 million single adults. But they don't separate that out by sexual preference, so that's not a clear picture of how many women I'm competing with for the attention of the few available good men. They state that the proportions of American women and men, respectively, who were 15 and over and unmarried in 2000 are 48% and 44%. Is that saying that 48% of all women, 15 and over, are single? Well, really, who cares about the teenagers for this statistic? I'd much rather see the numbers for 40-and-over or 50-and-over.

The Executive Director's letter on the Website states:

During Singles Week we want the general public to know that 89 million unmarried Americans -- and we now head up more than half of the nation's households -- deserve equal rights and fairness as workers, consumers, and taxpayers.

Mr. Coleman, in what area do I not have equal rights with my married friends? I can't think of an area in which I'm not treated fairly. What is this all about?

I only learned of this "Week" this morning while watching my favorite television show, CBS Sunday Morning. Somebody affiliated with Singles Week must have lobbied hard and long at CBS to get this piece included on the program. Or it must have been a realllly slow week.

Oh, I just figured out a way I'm not treated fairly: the absence in the Safeway meat case of packages of ground beef weighing one pound or less. Beyond that, I don't get it.

I'm open to any explanation anyone wants to offer. (To my left-leaning son: have at it.)