Thomas Canfield
For about forty years, “family values” has been a political buzzword, promoting the sanctity of marriage, the safety of children (and fetuses), and the security of the home. Mainly it was used as a dog whistle against the Gay community, suggesting that Gay marriage, Gay adoption, and Gay home ownership would corrupt the virtue of suburbia. In the 21st Century, it has become a hollow slogan. Gay marriages and adoptions have not harmed any children. Yet, information is coming out that Catholic churches in Louisiana may have indulged in child trafficking by sending gullible boys to pedophile priests. The sanctity of marriage has been torn to shreds by a multi-married former President, who has been exposed as a sexual predator and who paid off a porn star for an affair. The security of the home has been made questionable by the governor of South Dakota, who has revealed she gunned down a misbehaving family dog, and killed a goat for good measure.
At the time of the Summer Solstice, we may be seeing more family horrors revealed. Vesta, the asteroid of hearth and home, is entering Leo and opposing Pluto in Aquarius. Vesta is also in an out-of-sign square with the Part of Fortune, and semi-square Juno, the asteroid of marriage and politics. Vesta in the Ninth House may bring out some legal cases regarding family abuse and long kept family secrets. It may be found that those who cried the loudest about “family values” may have had the worst family conditions. Mars in a wide square to Vesta may start a new militancy to fight against “family values.”
Juno and Saturn are in opposition, and both are being squared by the Moon. Conditions may be so bad, even the conservatism of Saturn will be appalled. For years, conservative politicians have managed to divide women over the abortion issue. Conservatives had branded it a “liberal” issue, and the right to choose had to be suppressed. With the Moon squaring both Juno and Saturn, events may reach a point where both conservatives and political hacks will be appalled. There are reports that in some Red states, doctors will not treat women having miscarriages out of fear that the doctors will be accused of performing abortions. If women start dying from lack of medical care due to the anti-abortion laws, the “pro-life” people are not going to be able to point any fingers to blame others.
Adding to this confusion is Neptune at the end of Pisces, in an out-of-sign square with the Solstice Sun, Venus, and Mercury. Those who preached a religious justification for being “pro-life” may be trapped in a theological quagmire when it is realized that not only are their prayers not being answered, they are also working in the opposite way. The Sun, Venus, and Mercury are in the Eighth House of Death, Taxes, and Other People’s Money. If women start experiencing deadly complications because of a lack of pre-natal care, it could result in more money having to be paid out by insurance companies or state Medicaid programs.
A new national debate may be taking place whether “family values” are wanted or not. Uranus, the ruler of talking heads, is in opposition to Pallas, the asteroid of wisdom. Both are squaring the Midheaven. There may be a strong contention for getting attention. The Midheaven is trine Chiron and Eris. It was in 1973 when Eris and Chiron were last conjunct, sparking the discord following Roe versus Wade. Politicians began working to take away rights from women and from doctors. A review of the history of the “pro-life” movement may uncover some stories that some people might not want told, like how many politicians paid for abortions for their girlfriends.
Ceres in Capricorn represents the controlling mother, a person who will try to dominate others at any cost. Ceres is squaring the Node Axis. More people may be rising up against control. Ceres is in a wide opposition to Mercury, and people may be speaking out against control. Old tactics of saying “Don’t talk back to me” or “Shut up because I said so” may not work anymore. The message may be out there and people will hear it regardless of any attempts to silence it.
Pluto in Aquarius is trine Jupiter in Gemini, and changes in the way laws are set up may be in the offing. Jupiter is sextile Vesta, and there may be different kinds of “family values” laws set up, which may actually protect women and children (and maybe family pets.) There may have to be a major re-evaluation of the old “family values” laws and what were the intentions of the people who drafted them. The 1864 Arizona anti-abortion law was found to have been drafted by a man who forced three teenage girls into marriage with him. Fortunately, the state legislature and the governor overturned that law. In other states, it may be necessary to question the motives of the men who drafted their laws. Just after the Summer Solstice will be the Capricorn Full Moon and planetary positions will not be changing that much for the Full Moon. The issue of control may be a one-two punch and those in control may be feeling it.
