On Election Day, there were pictures of Barack Obama and his family: A very attractive African American father, a wife and two kids.
However, before there was Barack, there was a Mr. Backstrom, Mr. Splane and Mr. Hunter.
Fathers, especially black fathers, are in short supply. In this society dominated by feminists, fathers don’t seem so important.
In the black community, where 70 percent of children are born out of wedlock and raised by single mothers, you see the result of no fathers. You have the prevalence of gangs, boys trying to raise boys (which is impossible), and mothers trying to be fathers (which can never be).
It seems we have forces in society that make it difficult for the nuclear family. You see fathers hooked on drugs, sitting in jail or just plain being lazy.
I was lucky. I had a mother and a father. If I could be half the man my father was, I’d be happy.
When it takes two to make a child, but there’s only one to raise a child, I wonder where the father is. I often get angry when the father could be around, but chooses not to. I wish I could shake him and tell him, “Your kids need you. They need your love and, more importantly, they need your attention.”
I have one child who is the love of my life, and I tell her. I try really hard to be worthy of her love. Most of the time, I hit a home run. Other times I hit a single. But I am always up to the plate.
This life we live is too precious and way too short to be missing in action. When you become a father, this is one of the few times in life that you get a second chance to get it right. The black community is really suffering. Where are the preachers, the politicians and the others who raise their hands and say “I will be a mentor” or “I will help?” When the rubber hits the road, they are nowhere around.
We could blame racism, the Republicans or even global warming. The reality is that these are our children, and if we say no to them, the shame should be directed on us.
We live in a state that is a no-fault divorce state, which means you can divorce for any reason. In reality, there is no such thing as a no-fault divorce. Someone had to have done something wrong, somewhere.
However, the politically correct crowd, led by the Democrats, felt that it was quicker and easier to blame no one. Hence, the no-fault divorce. The only problem with that theory is that it weakens the family, which in turn weakens society.
I have sat in family courts observing the tragedy that passes for justice. Parents saying words used just to hurt one another. I have seen rulings by judges that diminish the roles of fathers — even if the mothers are less than a stellar individuals.
We need to help strengthen families who are in crisis. While we are bailing out banks and Wall Street, what about the families? Don’t these politicians know that there’s no easy way? Pass a law like magic — POOF! — problem solved like magic?
I don’t think so.
In this society, we want a quick answer for all of life’s problems. But there is none. Life is difficult. Period. However, in the black community, there are not a lot of Barack Obamas or Bill Cosby and the Huxtables. There are, however, the Backstroms, the Splanes and Hunters. Ordinary men exhibiting extraordinary courage. You will not see them at the White House or on TV. They are men who played by the rules, loved their families — and God, we need more of them.
No excuses.
