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Demand that Rep. Spencer Swalm Apologize for Blaming Poverty on "Dysfunctional" Single-Parents
  1. Signatures
    168 out of 200
    Petitioning
    1. State Rep. Spencer Swalm (CO-037)
  2. Created By
    Charlotte Hill
    Oakland, CA
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates

There are countless reasons for the continuation of poverty in America, many of which are systemic, perpetuated by flawed governmental institutions and policies. Some legislators, however, continue to blame poor people for causing poverty in the first place, effectively relieving themselves of any burden of responsibility.

One such legislator, a member of the Health and Human Services Committee in the Colorado House of Representatives, showed his true anti-poor colors on Monday, Feb. 8. With great audacity, Republican Rep. Spencer Swalm stood in front of the House and claimed that poverty stems from single-parent households. To eliminate poverty, just don't have kids of out wedlock. Simple, huh?

Swalm even went one step further, by referring to single-parent homes as "dysfunctional" and ignoring research suggesting that familial stability, not marriage status, determines the success of children in school and life.

House Speaker Terrance Carroll rightly remarked that Rep. Swalm's comments were a slap in the face to hard-working single-parent families across America. If Rep. Swalm hopes to be seen as a legitimate representative of the people, he should immediately retract his statements and offer a sincere apology.

Sign the letter below, and demand that Rep. Swalm apologize for his insensitive, unfounded remarks.

Rep. Swalm's rhetoric is more than ignorant -- it's dangerous. Poverty will continue to spread and worsen until legislators accept and act on the true causes of poverty: unequal access to resources and opportunities, paired with discriminatory policies in governmental, educational and work environments.

Photo credit: suziewrites

Recent Signatures

Poverty Isn't Caused by Single-Parent Families

Dear Representative Swalm,

Your comments in the Colorado House of Representatives on Monday, Feb. 8 about single-parent families being "dysfunctional" and causing poverty were unfounded and damaging. Single-parent households are raising productive, healthy children across the country, and attributing the causes of poverty to their child-rearing choices is not only insensitive but also ignorant to the facts.

Cutting-edge research suggests that if a family is stable, its children are likely to be successful, regardless of whether one or two parents are present in the household. In fact, adding a second parent to a single-parent family can be extremely disruptive for children, causing difficult problems down the line.

In short, single-parent families aren't the problem. Poverty isn't a simple issue with a one-step solution; it's a multi-faceted, pervasive problem that requires a comprehensive approach, addressing both personal and systemic causes, from unlivable wages to unequal distribution of opportunities and resources.

Please apologize for your inappropriate House comments as soon as possible, and take immediate steps to address the many legitimate causes of poverty.

[Your name]

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