Chris Rock/ Marriage Posters / Michigan "Marriage Town Hall" - 3/2/07

[Smartmarriages]

- CHRIS SAYS MARRIAGE IS ROCK SOLID
- WONDERFUL MARRIAGE POSTERS
- MARRIAGE ON THE ROCKS?  HELP IS AVAILABLE (MICHIGAN)

######################
- CHRIS SAYS MARRIAGE IS ROCK SOLID

I know this one is probably not a big deal for the rest of you, but we¹d
tried to get Chris Rock to appear in Atlanta last year so several of us got
very into him, his marriage and family and were then upset with the rumors
this year that his marriage was going down.  He appeared on Oprah this week
with his wife and two girls (they¹d all been to South Africa to open Oprah¹s
school). Although the rumors are still flying, it feels good to have him
back in the right column as a marriage exemplar in time for Black Marriage
Day Œ07. - diane 

Chris Says Marriage is Rock Solid
Ivillage
March 2, 2007 

There have been reports that trouble was brewing for Chris Rock and his
wife, Malaak, but the couple has released a statement to Usmagazine.com
denying the breakup rumors:

    "Though we have tried in the past to take the high road and not comment
on the tabloid media, we find it necessary to express on record how
unfortunate it is that the Daily News, specifically, and other tabloid
outlets have chosen to print untrue rumors and lies about our family and
marriage. It is extremely hurtful to us, our children, and our extended
family. We remain, as always, very happy and committed to our marriage and
the beautiful family that we have built."

Rock has a new movie out called ³I Think I love My Wife², which tells the
story of a married man tempted by another woman, played by Kerry Washington.
There were whispers that the on-screen chemistry was, not so much great
acting on the part of Rock and Washington, but a case of life imitating art.

##########################
- WONDERFUL MARRIAGE POSTERS

Eye-catching, creative new posters to support your relationship skills work
with teens (or really anyone) available from The Dibble Fund.
They¹re 2 x 1.5 ft and laminated.  My favorite is ³If the Marriage Ain¹t
Happy, ain¹t Nobody Happy².  I think it should hang in the front hall of ALL
of our offices. 
$49.95 for the set or only  $14.95 per poster.
- diane 
http://www.dibblefund.org/myths-and-facts.htm

############################

- MARRIAGE ON THE ROCKS?  HELP IS AVAILABLE (MICHIGAN)

 (I love this article.  Obviously I'm going to love the opening line:
"There is not a week that goes by without fresh news that broken marriages
are at the root of many Jackson County social problems."
What a change this represents and what good work the Jackson County marriage
activists are doing....²not a week goes by².
I also love the survey. There is no better way to raise consciousness and
spread info than to ask (rhetorical) questions. Surveys are a perfect
strategy.   And a town hall meeting on marriage! And an article in the
paper.  And a plan for billboards and brochures.  Bravo Jackson County. -
diane)    

Marriage on rocks? Help is available
Patriot Citizen (Michigan)
March 01, 2007

There is not a week that goes by without fresh news that broken marriages
are at the root of many Jackson County social problems. Thus, whatever can
be done to strengthen, restore and save marriages is good for Jackson
County. Toward that end, a recent town hall meeting focused attention on a
major part of the problem -- ignorance.

The town hall meeting on Feb. 20 at the Cascades Manor House featured a
report on a survey taken among 400 county residents last fall. According to
the Marriage Matters survey, more than 90 percent of those surveyed were
unaware of local services designed to help strengthen marriages.

What is so significant about that finding? Just this: Statistically,
marriages in Jackson County are more likely to end in divorce than elsewhere
in Michigan. The Michigan divorce rate in 2005 was 6.8 per 1,000 people;
Jackson County's rate was 9.2 per 1,000 people.

This rampant ignorance of marriage-helping resources might as well begin
with the folks who took the survey. Marriage Matters is an effort that grew
out of the Full Circle Initiative of Jackson County United Way. Major
funding is from the Weatherwax Foundation, which recently granted the
initiative $128,000 for another year of operation.

So how effective is the effort turning out to be? So far, the follow-through
has been good. The survey, planned nearly a year ago, produced enough
insight into the lack of public awareness to justify last week's town hall
meeting. There is also an informational campaign planned -- billboards and
brochures to raise awareness of the help that's available here in the
community.

This information will doubtless help. By raising the profile of available
counseling -- some of it free -- the Marriage Initiative will deprive
couples of the ignorance that too often permits them to slide into marriage
trouble.

To be candid, though, ignorance isn't the only issue. The personal nature of
marriage problems inhibits many spouses from seeking help they may realize
is available.

There is, for example, that monstrous myth that more than a few pastors have
heard as a justification for couples not seeking help: "Christians don't
have marriage problems." There is also the problem of one spouse being
willing to seek help, but the other not.

One of the valuable contributions of United Way's involvement in addressing
these issues is the reminder that marriage problems are not entirely
personal problems. Since marriage is the foundation of society itself, when
the divorce rate soars, there are ramifications in the community. Children
may be affected negatively, for example, leading to problems in schools.

That is why we affirm the work of Marriage Matters, Full Circle and the many
other agencies and partners in Jackson County's initiative. But it will take
more than that to save marriages. Public policies, such as court- or
church-mandated counseling before marriage or divorce, also should be looked
at. They have worked well in other communities. In the end divorce is
between two people, but that doesn't mean as a society we can't do more to
save marriages.

-- Jackson Citizen Patriot

**************************
Send submissions and comments for the listserv to: diane at smartmarriages.com
Do NOT hit "reply". If you hit reply your email will go into cyberspace and
NO ONE will see your email.

This is a moderated list. Submissions and comments are read by Diane Sollee,
editor. Please indicate if your comment is NOT to be shared with the list.
PLEASE include your email address or url as part of your signature.

Please also understand that with thousands on the list, not all comments can
be shared. Also realize that opinions expressed are not necessarily shared
by members of the Coalition.

To SUBSCRIBE, UNSUBSCRIBE, or Change your subscription address,
use the form at: http://www.smartmarriages.com. Click Newslist - in the
column under the puzzle piece.

To read past posts to the newsletter, visit the Archive at:
http://archives.his.com/smartmarriages/

11th Annual Smart Marriages Conference, Denver Adam's Mark Hotel,
June 28-July 1, 2007
Pre-Conference Training Institutes June 26-28
Post-Conference Training Institutes July 2-3
Details: http://www.smartmarriages.com/conferencedetails.html
Subscribe to the FREE Smart Marriages e-newslist at
http://www.smartmarriages.com

List your program and resources on the Directory of Classes at
http://www.smartmarriages.com
Order conference audio & video CD/DVD/MP3s: 800-241-7785 or
http://www.iPlaybackSmartMarriages.com

Coalition for Marriage, Family and Couples Education, LLC (CMFCE)
Diane Sollee, Director
5310 Belt Rd NW, Washington, DC 20015-1961
http://www.smartmarriages.com
202-362-3332
cmfce at smartmarriages.com

FAIR USE NOTICE: This e-newsletter/site contains copyrighted material the
use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright
owner. We make such material available in our efforts to advance
understanding of marriage, family, couples, divorce, legislation, family
breakdown, etc. We understand this constitutes a 'fair use' of such material
as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with
Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed
without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the
included information for research and educational purposes. For more
information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you
wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own
that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright
owner.