Posted by
Georgiaboy on Saturday, October 21, 2006 8:55:18 AM
As a pro-family conservative, I care deeply about the health of America's families. Without strong families, America will not raise strong citizens. Lately, in the fight to ward off gay marriage, pro-family has been used to mean only opposition to gay marriage. But, being pro-family is much more than that. A belief in the necessity of real fathers is part of being pro-family.
America has a deficit of fatherhood. Single mothers account for around 30 percent of births nationwide. A large number of children grow up with either no father or a dysfunctional father. Let me point out that I am not criticizing single mothers. Many of them are in that situation due to no fault of their own and would move heaven and earth to give everything to their kids. They have my respect.
But, raising a child by yourself is not ideal. It can put pressure on the amount of time you can spend with your children. But, most importantly, every child, boy or girl, needs to have a man and a woman in their life. Boys need a father to learn how to be a man and a mother to nurture them and teach them what women are like (I could say the same about sisters, but that is off topic.) Girls desperately need the sense of protection a father affords. They need to know that their daddy will beat up anyone bad guy who tries to hurt them. They need a mother to teach them how to be a woman. If either of the parents are missing, the child has a gap in their life that is very difficult, although not impossible to fill.
Unfortunately, some kids that have a dad, do not have a father. He does not do what is necessary to properly raise them. He doesn't discipline them and teach them right from wrong. He cares more about watching TV than giving them love and attention. He does not provide an example by loving his wife and giving her honor.
Both of these problems need to be addressed. The government can't really do much about either except remove obstacles to healthy marriage such as the marriage penalty and no fault divorce. And besides, do we really want the government fixing marriage like they fixed poverty or the drug problem. I didn't think so. It is up to us; churches and communities to fight for healthy marriage. But most of all it is up to us men. We have to step up to the plate, put aside our own petty desires, and become real fathers. That is one of the greatest things a man can do.
