Obama had something to say today:
Barack Obama used the Fathers Day holiday to push the message of the parental responsibility – singling out fathers needing to step up to the plate within their families.
“We need fathers to realize that responsibility does not end at conception,” Obama said to the Apostolic Church of God church in Chicago, “What makes you a man is not the ability to have a child – any fool can have a child, that doesn’t make you a father – it’s the courage to raise one that makes you a father.”
The Illinois senator said that too many fathers in the African American community are MIA in their families – acting like boys rather than men – and the foundations of the family and the community has suffered. Obama – himself a father of two – laid out three areas where fathers must parent better: by setting high expectations for their children, instilling the value of empathy, and passing on the value of hope.
UPDATE: Tariq Nelson is skeptical, pointing out that there’s not much apart from speeches that Obama can actually do. Still, I think it is worth something that he is using the immensely powerful bully pulpit that he has, to make the case. A young African American male, growing up without positive male role models at home, might just hear what Obama is saying and take it to heart. Even a few words, if spoken early enough, can move mountains.
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Good for Senator Obama!
Of course, somewhere Dr. Cosby is saying, "Wait a minute! I got pilloried for saying that!" I’m hoping all the Senator’s adoring fans can take a moment to apologize to Cos.
And the proof will be in the pudding. Will Senator Obama’s policies encourage, discourage, or ignore the twin mindsets of dependency and irresponsibility that he has correctly diagnosed as pathological? I can’t tell from your link, Aziz, because it’s a link to an IEEEÂ story debunking the Singularity.
Well, first off, I embrace his message, although as a father parts of it get a little tiresome he’s basically right.
On the other hand, now I have to argue with Martin, because in point of fact there’s nothing in that message that’s new or unique to Bill Cosby–black preachers talk that way from the pulpit every week–and because, well, Cosby has gotten rude and obnoxious about it, and attacked meaningless things in the community that haven’t got a thing to do with it (like, what name to give your kids). So, no offense to Bill, but, he’s kind of a jerk.
frak, i am an idiot. ok, let me fix that link…
I’m going with the obligatory line since Cosby was mentioned:
Pudding pops!
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Good words by Obama. The issue, though, is not good for Congress. The culture has to change. Kids being raised without Fathers is disasterous for the kids and society.
HB
Why just address the men? Last I checked it takes two to make a child. Frankly, I think you’d make a lot more progress if you worked to change the mindset of the women who produce illegitimate children over the men. Contrary to all the claims I here about "failed" BC, it’s damned easy to keep from getting pregnant if you really don’t want a child.
Barry’s churchey homily was primarily a political speech neither religious nor spiritual and will undoubtedly be eligible for his Presidential Library.
Or else, look at it this way, if Obama were the mayor of Oakland, California or the mayor of the City of Detroit, the crime rate wouldn’t budge an inch nor would the bio- fathers in question but the speech would just sound terrific at election time.
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