My first truck was a '73 Blazer, then I had 3 Suburbans, to my current 1995 diesel Suburban. I've had pick up trucks and I would never ever buy another, especially since I have four dump trucks that do everything a pickup can much better. I'm actually waiting for GM to bring back the diesel suburbans. For most an SUV makes more sense than a pickup truck. They have better weight distribution, are better in snow/rain, hold more people, have a better ride, more comfortable seating, and the stuff people put in the back is usually luggage, shopping bags, or some stuff picked up from the home depot (things that would normally be exposed to the elements in a pickup).
An SUV is easier to park too, less of a blind spot than a van/mini-van and easier to judge the ends and corners. I don't know too many (mini)vans that are RWD with selectable 4wd with both a Low and High range (and I hate that automatic AWD stuff, there are times when I don't want all my wheels spinning). I don't see too many vans with plows either, while SUVs make excellent plow vehicles (which is why we still have two '70's Blazers we use for plowing). Plus with the Suburban I like that on long trips towing my snowmobile trailer up to New York State or heading down to Florida the kids can sit in the third row with the second row folded down they can stretch their legs out, watch tv, have a table, and reach the stuff behind them. Then with my 22mpg, 42 gallon tank, and comfortable kids I can make it in half the time than if I was in my Mustang.
I've gone from NJ to SC with no stops, the rest of the family driving various cars and gas (small) SUVs didn't get there until 45+ minutes after us. As to the safety of it, a guy side swiped me on the highway when I was driving the wife’s Explorer, we did a complete 360 spin, never flipped, and the only damage I had was cosmetic (bumper, running boards, door panel), I and my family walked away unharmed. The other guy was totaled with injuries and he wasn't even on the collision side. An SUV is definitely safer than your average 4/5 seater car, quite a few of my friends and people that worked for us are living proof to that.
All in all, I love large SUVs and will buy them over a similar sized Van or Pickup every time and I know plenty of guys (and girls) out there just like me. It's my hard earned money and if I want to spend it on an SUV, Corvette, classic car, or Sherman tank that's my business. If you don't like SUVs that's fine, buy a car. I've got cars and trucks and I like both equally, but for different reasons. It's funny that I don't hear too many people that drive trucks/SUVs complain about people who drive cars (well, except when I see the moron with the washing machine poorly strapped to the roof of his compact car because he didn't have the foresight to have a friend with a larger vehicle help him). Maybe it's just envy. All I know is I'm tired of people complaining about it. When gas and Diesel was 3.10 a gallon I was still happy to be driving my SUVs, I just remember my cousin in Germany paying $5 a Liter and I smile.