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DEL.ICIO.USForum on manhood misses the mark
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A group of middle-class black professionals, including doctors, lawyers, teachers, clergy and politicians, gathered more than 500 people at Macon State College on a Saturday in March to have a conversation about manhood.
They chose as topics the criminal justice system, spirituality, mentoring and how to educate black males.
The reporter for The (Macon) Telegraph, Ashley Tusan Joyner, offered an account of the session on “Law & Black Society.” In it, Atlanta lawyer Mawuli Mel Davis instructed young men on how to deal with the police. “The Fourth Amendment protects our rights against unreasonable searches and seizures,” she quotes him as instructing. “You can always say, ‘No, I do not consent to a search.’ “
A teacher speaking about educating young black males blamed the system. “The reason they’re not graduating is because we’re not teaching them to think,” Joyner reported him as saying. “We need to find ways to make education more relevant to them.”
I readily acknowledge I wasn’t there.
But it is shocking to read that given the opportunity to have a conversation about manhood with young males, role models who are successful and accomplished in life chose to talk to them as potential criminals and as victims of an education system that had not found a way to make itself “relevant.”
Not addressed, apparently, was manhood, as in fatherhood. Or manhood, as in taking responsibility. Or manhood, as in not treating sexual partners as throwaways without concern for consequence, whether that consequence is a sexually transmitted disease or the creation of human life. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in early March that at least one in four teenage girls nationally has a sexually transmitted disease. Among black teens ages 14-19, it’s nearly half.
Another study released last week offers findings that are, in a less tragic sense, further evidence of the need to reorient the conversation. As has been amply reported, 25 percent of white children, 46 percent of Hispanics and 69 percent of blacks are born to unmarried women.
The cost is enormous. When combined with divorce (a rate that’s declined slightly in recent years) almost a third of children live in single-parent homes. In 1970, 85.2 percent of children lived with both parents; in 2005, it was 68.3 percent.
Any number of studies have documented the harm to children and the social costs in higher rates of crime, drug abuse, poverty, mental and physical illnesses, educational failures, and other damaging consequences to children deprived of the life-guiding influence of both parents.
Now Benjamin Scafidi, an economist in the J. Whitney Bunting School of Business at Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville, presents valuable new research on the economic costs.
“We estimate that family fragmentation costs U.S. taxpayers at least $112 billion each and every year, or more than $1 trillion each decade,” concludes the study, which was done for the Institute for American Values, the Institute for Marriage and Public Policy, Georgia Family Council and Families Northwest. Scafidi, a former education policy adviser to Gov. Sonny Perdue, was principal researcher. If public policies encouraging marriage reduced family fragmentation by just 1 percent, the savings to taxpayers would amount to $1.1 billion yearly, the study finds.
It seems clear that the conversation about what constitutes “manhood” needs to change, especially when the government, the media, opinion leaders and community role models gather young men to help them define it. Manliness is not creating and abandoning babies and the women who bear them. Leah Ward Sears, chief justice of the Georgia Supreme Court, is one of the voices stepping up. She is on the board of directors of one of the sponsoring organizations, the Institute for American Values.
“Healthy marriage is not only the best place to raise children, it is the indispensable institution without which all other social reform efforts will fail,” she said. “Healthy and intact families are the cradle of thriving societies.” Preach that. Teach that. Counsel that.
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Comments
By jbmlaw
April 22, 2008 8:16 AM | Link to this
Good morning all. We are now two generations removed from schools oriented around Kantian teaching; that died in the early 1960s when God was kicked out of school. Not only are students no longer even exposed to the concept of “doing the right thing because it is right,” even their teachers were taught by utilitarians. Thus we live in a world driven by the pain/pleasure calculus, and nobody will buy a cow when they get the milk free.
The only potential resolution for a multiplicity of cultural problems – absentee fathers are merely one - is to get government out of the curriculum. Once schools are empowered again to provide judgmental ethical instruction our culture will progress. Parents will favor ethical training; only the irrational wish kids to grow up rudderless. We are a culture of druids. Happy earth day.
By Mid-South Philosopher
April 22, 2008 8:17 AM | Link to this
Good morning, Jim,
Manhood cannot be taught!
It must be developed, and that development must come through a series (either long or not so long) of experiences that allow young boys to observe role models who demonstrate the meaning of manhood. When there is a deficiency in the numbers of role models, the percentage of young boys who view proper deportment and, hence, develop the characteristics of manhood decreases.
Of equal concern, are those young boys who observe only the counterfeit manhood of the post-modern world…an emasculated manifestation of maleness in touch with its feminine side…or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, the testosterone rampant machismo male who, by g*d, is the boss and lets everyone know it.
The well-balanced, competent, and confident male is hard to find in the first decade of the 21st Century.
By CMS
April 22, 2008 8:17 AM | Link to this
If you admit you were not there how can you assume the panel did not discuss fatherhood?! You make some valid point regarding the stability marriage brings to society, but you overgeneralize it as it applies to the panel discussion that took place at MSC. You simply put your post up to get people to talking, and I guess it worked. Nevertheless I rarely post, but it seems most of your critics are right to stereotype you as an old hack clinging to the good old days.
By Jim's a Cherry Picker
April 22, 2008 8:20 AM | Link to this
Hi Jim,
Some fantastic Cherry Picking today! You’ve really outdone yourself.
While I’m not about to disagree with the spirit of your column, I find it far, far more concerning that the leaders of corporate America spend much, much, much more time and effort on the regulations surrounding skirting tax law, offshoring business, reducing benefits for their employees, etc…
What’s worse?
You always seem to focus on those who are most disadvantaged who cause the least amount of economic impact. Focus on the big guys…oh, I forgot. You’re shilling for them.
By AH
April 22, 2008 8:21 AM | Link to this
Did anyone point out that a male figure in the house is the best possible role model for a young man? Bill Cosby is right and I don’t know why more people don’t what to hear what he is saying?
By jct
April 22, 2008 8:24 AM | Link to this
Jim, how do you know this forum missed the mark? You weren’t there. You took two quotes to prove an unknown point. You could have written a stronger blog without mentioning the conference. I wasn’t there either so I am not sure if your issues were addressed.
Coming up with real solutions to this problem won’t come from a blog that is written to incite folks. While I agree that strong intact families normally raise strong intact children. You aren’t helping.
By PartyLine
April 22, 2008 8:31 AM | Link to this
Hmmm. Jim. It sounds like what you are trying to say is that we need to teach people — not just black males — how to think. Granted, I was not in your mind as you laid these words down on paper and I most certainly did not grow up in an environment that was nearly as rich and fulfilling and diversified as yours but maybe I can still tell you, based on my own personal feelings, how to make your life fit into my mold of the perfect life — the life that I think everyone should live. That almost sounds like something, as one example of many, I would expect to hear from GW as he addresses those still alive in Iraq. Arrogance is so unbecoming, don’t you think.
By Redneck Convert
April 22, 2008 8:35 AM | Link to this
Well, I reckon we can’t expect much better out of Those People. If they obey the law they won’t have to worry about getting arrested and searched. They don’t need to figure out ways to wiggle out of it.
And far as I’m concerned, the minute one of Those People get in the Fambly Way, the law needs to round up the father and make them get married. After they are married we don’t have to worry about spending tax money on the kid. We can just say the daddy is a shiftless no-account that won’t work and shouldn’t get no help. We would all be alot better off if the redneck point of view was used here in GA all the time.
But I know good and well we will see some pointy-head get on here today and try and argue we need to spend more tax money on Those People or let them live together without being married and still be on the dole. Its the same crowd that don’t want us to stick the needle to murderers or want us to pour money down a rathole for some kids doctoring. Just like fleas, you will always have libruls with you.
As far as this education is concerned, its just a waste of time after the 5th grade. All they need to learn is how to sign checks and do some ciphering and maybe learn something about the state so they won’t get lost when they go off to work. Those People need to be taught a trade and not waste their time on learning all this fancy thinking and reading. Just look at what happened to jbmlaw. Here is a good TN redneck that would have made a fine citizen but somebody sent him off to school so he could become a crooked lawyer and bamboozle us all with fancy words and weird ideas. And we suffer for it. Anyway, we would be better off if we spent the tax money on getting Those People to move to another state so we won’t have to deal with them. Maybe offer them 1,000 bucks if they will move to Alabama or S. Carolina or someplace like that.
And thats all I got to say. Have a good day everybody.
By Barry
April 22, 2008 8:44 AM | Link to this
How are we doing as a society? Are we raising our children better? Are marriages more stable or less so? Is family violence rising or falling? Eventually, we will have to face the truth that we are on the wrong track. The choices we have made as a society have moved us away from peace, success and kindness. Make no mistake the errors of our past 40 years have fallen hardest on the poor and disadvantaged. Change is required. We must reassert personal responsibility, doing good for it’s own sake, courage, honor and pride. Women are not throwaways for our pleasure. Families are the center of future generations. Quibbling is what they do in Clayton County when the schools are losing their accreditation. Acting in the face of challenge is what adults do.
By Peter
April 22, 2008 8:45 AM | Link to this
Gosh Jim, how much does the MADE UP WAR cost each month?
Perhaps if money was actually spent on Education, and not WAR, we would be better off?
By Glenn
April 22, 2008 8:50 AM | Link to this
“Not addressed, apparently, was manhood…”
No, it wasn’t addressed. They weren’t man enough to talk about manhood—-nor even, evidently, to know what it is—-so instead they talked about “criminal justice system, spirituality, mentoring and how to educate black males.” They talked about these things and they talked about men experiencing these things and they talked and they talked and talked and talked and talked. Yunno, as men are wont to do.
Jim, I’m intrigued by your final paragraph: “Preach that. Teach that. Counsel that.” Intrigued, because I’m not sure there’s a difference anymore. And neither am I sure that that’s a good thing.
Oh, and one final note: what we call “manhood” is both a social construct and a part of the crucial cultural institution called Gender. As that territory is yet partially unoccupied by those who presume to preach-teach-counsel us, the Chattymen mean to colonize it completely and ASAP. Lotta money in that. Better still, lotsa juicy power. That’s what the gabfest was for. One dead giveaway was that some sick-in-the-head got away with saying that “the reason they’re not graduating is because we’re not teaching them to think.”
When they want to crawl inside your cerebrum and teach you how to think—-or, worse, when they think that anyone can be taught to think how-to-think—-then drink a double espresso, because those are the Pod People, just waiting for you to fall asleep…
By jbmlaw
April 22, 2008 8:57 AM | Link to this
Dear Redneck @ 8:35, welcome back. You will be horrified that, in a strange way, your essay parallels Dr. Sowell’s sharp argument in today’s column, on the waste of “higher education.”
By Ray
April 22, 2008 8:58 AM | Link to this
Cosby’s opinion is so uncomfortable to the black community that most pass it off as bogus and racist. It is anything but. This country was founded on the principles of responsibility, hard work, family values and getting a good education to provide for your family. These principles are sadly lacking in what Jim describes. For someone who worked for 45 years before retiring at 70yrs of age, provided for his family and raised and educated 4 children, it is hard to swallow some of the excuses that the black community has to excuse them from responsibility for their offspring. I, for one, are tired of paying their bills and I am sure that I am not alone in that regard. There seems to be a sperminator at every corner and they come complete with an STD and a TV network to provide them with a lifestyle that is “cool”. It is anything but.
By PartyLine
April 22, 2008 9:11 AM | Link to this
I think there may be many people out there that were not taught to think. I think that schools do need to focus more on ascertaining whether a student has learned to think. I think that’s where many a child is left behind. Thinking and memorizing are two components of a learning process. Of course, I’m thinking that the word, thinking, is associated with the word, comprehension. I’m also thinking that thinking “how to think” is frequently thought of as a component of racism, bias, hatred, arrogance, etc. In the end though, I’ll think what I want to think, as will you, if you stop to think about it.
By Barker
April 22, 2008 9:15 AM | Link to this
Do you really think that the two points that you mentioned where the only issues that were discussed. You mention that there were more than two people on the panel, but you only qoute two people. And then you put down a forum that you admit that you didn’t attend. This is a very poor example of journalism.
By John Q. Public
April 22, 2008 9:15 AM | Link to this
Good Morning Men (and you too Jim), I’ll readily admit that I was not at the forum, however, you readily admit that you weren’t there either, Jim. But you have the audacity to comment on it. It is amazing to me that when Black men gather to discuss the ills of our community and also the positives of our community, columnist like you, broadcast journalist like Lou Dobbs, Sean Hannity, Rush, all have “better” opinions of how Black men and the Black community should think and act. As if we are not capable of cogent thought. If we as Black men DO NOT reign in our young men, then our community will no longer exist. Therefore, Jim, we must speak to the problems first. We also must look at the preservation of family, which translates into having more job opportunities available for men to go to work and provide. We need to change the political system (which is happening), not continue to embrace the policies and practices of old that has brought us to this critical point. Jim, a reality is that Blacks are still targeted by the Police, we must teach our young men how to deal with that, and if you were on the ground there you could have really done a piece on how those who have succeeded, did so in light of those cirmcstances. I’m certain there was a story there. We must teach our young men that they have rights, when most have no belief that rights exists within our community. Funny, these arguments sounds like the same arguments that Black men have voiced for years. Jim, I know you’ve been around for as long as I have. You cannot believe or posture yourself to appear that you know more about the workings of our community than you do. I think we all appreciate your “At My Desk” criticisms, however, you have no clue as to the experience that our young people and Black men endure daily. I liken your comments as to those previously named as Instant Theologians of the Black Church after they heard 30 seconds of a sermon from a Pastor they labled as unpatriotic. Please be advised that the Pastor was stating truths that White America did not want to hear. As most of uor Pastors do. He said it because we live it. You’re no different here. So, Jim, why not try to understand the culture before making baseless observations. Also, try attending the next time.
By Sven the Blog Catalyst
April 22, 2008 9:20 AM | Link to this
Give a defined set of people an excuse to fail, and they will fail. We have provided the excuse through the pervasive gospel of militant victimhood, reinforced by endless, pointless social programs. As result, they have failed.
By George Washington
April 22, 2008 9:26 AM | Link to this
Ha ha ha - This crap passes for journalism at tha Atlanta Urinal Constitution? Race bashing is not jounalism, Woodenhead….Everyone, black, white, yellow and pink needs to exercise all their constitutional rights in dealing with the State, especially with their lowest level flunkies, the police. Always demand to see the warrant, always say “I demand my right to legal counceling prior to answering ANY questions,” and “I choose to remain silent.” Do not concent to a search of your property, even when threatened with arrest if you do not comply. Always carry a voice activated tape recorder, but do not tell the police, just give the tape to your lawyer after the fact. If possible, video tape the behavior of the police discreetly, do not tell the police about the video tape, but do give it to your lawyer. The voice activated tape recorder and the video recorder are the best tools the public has against police misconduct, framing of the innocent, police theft, lying, and murder. As for woodenhead, he needs to git a mule and return to his highest level of incompetence, field hand, because he sure can’t write…..imho, of course.
By WFC
April 22, 2008 9:30 AM | Link to this
Young Black males need fathers present in the home and too few have them. There are some things that even the best mama can’t teach boys.
By Fair and Balanced
April 22, 2008 9:31 AM | Link to this
Why John Q. Public! Why didn’t you just come outright and ask Jim and others to be fair and balanced. At least then I think they may have been able to understand what you are trying to say. For future reference, please apply the KISS principle when addressing those that are expected to frequent such a right-thinking blog as this one. It’s what us free-thinking, educated types understand best.
By Glenn
April 22, 2008 9:36 AM | Link to this
Well, ya got trouble, my friend / Right here / I say trouble right here in River City
Why, sure, I’m a billiard player, certainly mighty proud / I say I’m always mighty proud to say it / I consider the hours I spend with a cue in my hand are golden / Help you cultivate horse sense and a cool head and a keen eye / ‘Jever take and try to find an iron clad leave / To yourself from a three-rail billiard shot?
But just as I say it takes judgement, brains and maturity / To score in a balk-line game / I say that any boob can take and shove a ball in a pocket / And I call that sloth / The first big step on the road to the depths of degreda-
I say, first—-medicinal wine from a teaspoon / Then beer from a bottle / And the next thing you know your son is playin’ / For money in a pinchback suit / And listenin’ to some big out-o’-town jasper Hearin’ him tell about horserace gamblin’ / Not a wholesome trottin’ race, no / But a race where they set down right on the horse / Like to see some stuck up jockey boy settin’ on Dan Patch? / Make your blood boil, well I should say
Now, friends, let me show you what I mean / You got one, two, three, four / Five, six pockets in a table / Pockets that mark the difference between / A gentleman and a bum with a capital ‘B’ and that rhymes with ‘P’ and that stands for ‘pool’!
And all week long, your River City youth’ll be / Fritterin’ away, / I say, your young men’ll be fritterin’ / Fritterin’ away their noontime, suppertime, choretime, too / Hit the ball in the pocket / Never mind gettin’ dandelions pulled or the screen door patched / Or the beefsteak pounded / Never mind pumpin’ any water ‘til your parents are caught / With a cistern empty on a Saturday night and that’s trouble
Yes, ya got lots and lots o’ trouble / I’m thinkin’ of the kids in the knickerbockers, shirttails, young ones / Peekin’ in the pool hall window after school / Ya got trouble, folks, right here in River City / With a capital ‘T’ and that rhymes with ‘P’ / And that stands for ‘pool’!
Now I know all you folks are the right kind of parents / I’m gonna be perfectly frank / Would you like to know what kind of conversation goes on / While they’re loafin’ around that hall / They’ll be tryin’ out Bevo, tryin’ out Cubebs / Tryin’ out Tailor Mades like cigarette fiends / And braggin’ all about how they’re gonna / Cover up a tell-tale breath with Sen-Sen / One fine night they leave the pool hall / Headin’ for the dance at the Arm’ry / Libertine men and scarlet women and ragtime Shameless music that’ll drag your son, your daughter / Into the arms of a jungle animal instinct massteria! / Friends, the idle brain is the devil’s playground, trouble!
We surely got trouble / We surely got trouble / Right here in River City / Right here / Gotta figure out a way to keep the young ones Moral after school / Our children’s children gonna have / Trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble…
(Mothers of River City / Heed that warning before it’s too late / Watch for the tell-tale signs of corruption / The minute your son leaves the house / Does he rebuckle his knickerbockers below the knee? / Is there a nicotine stain on his index finger? / A dime novel hidden in the corncrib? / Is he starting to memorize jokes / From Cap’n Billy’s Whizbang? / Are certain words creeping into his conversation? / Words like… swell? / And… ‘so’s your old man’?
Well if so, my friends, ya got trouble / Oh, we got trouble Right here in River City / Right here in River City / With a capital ‘T’ and that rhymes with ‘P’ and that stands for ‘pool’ / That stands for pool!
[Meredith Willson]
By Tom
April 22, 2008 9:43 AM | Link to this
It’s always hilarious when jbmlaw name-checks Kant in an effort to sound erudite. You might get the idea that the leading recent Kantians (such as John Rawls, Christine Korsgaard, Dieter Henrich and Allen Wood) are “conservatives” in the jbmlaw mold. But of course they’re not. They’re all liberals, of just the kind that our proto-fascist friend jbmlaw purports to find so horrifying. And why? Because they understand Kant, as opposed to jbmlaw, who understands…well, absolutely nothing at all.
By Dusty
April 22, 2008 9:43 AM | Link to this
Well, almost everything written here this morning has some merit, except Peter who wanders mindlessly into the war zone at every opportunity.
BUT..I would say more than a few things are missing. While it seems these black men are trying to teach young males THAT there is more to life than being a breeding station and a police station visitor, they ignored the youthful (and grownup)girls.
Most girls do not have to be taught how to be ‘female’. It comes with the equipment. BUT they surely do miss out on restraint and saying NO. Since they carry the burden of licentiousness with them, you’d think they’d learn. But..obviously they do not.
Maybe young men can be taught to cherish the idea of character instead of consenting cute. (Fat chance!!) And girls might be taught to hold off and pick a good one for a life time.
TV is also the plague of youth. Almost every show has women with at least a shirt open almost to waist or very little of any clothing. Or worse, new aquaintances shake hands, have a drink and jump into bed. And nobody asks “Do you have STDs, a wife at home, six ‘fatherless’ children or a charge on record of battery against women?”
I admire this group of men for trying to do something. Anything!! Maybe on their next get together they will get rid of smoke & mirrors and speak of real things.
By Dennis
April 22, 2008 9:45 AM | Link to this
By jbmlaw April 22, 2008 8:16 AM “Good morning all. We are now two generations removed from schools oriented around Kantian teaching; that died in the early 1960s when God was kicked out of school.”
Who’s “god” should be taught in American schools?
What should be taught about him/her/it?
What textbook(s), if any, should be used?
Should the teacher hold a valid degree from a seminary just as teachers have valid degrees in math, science, reading…?
Just maybe, Counselor, the schools are better off by not teaching “god” but rather by just revealing the gods of other cultures to the students (which takes place, I believe, about the time of sixth grade social studies).
Let’s leave the teaching of one specific “god” to the various religions and churches.
We ask too much of the schools already.
You don’t have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.
By Glenn
April 22, 2008 9:48 AM | Link to this
Maybe the reason the professional blacks did not discuss the family responsibly of the young black man is because they know they would not listen. This responsibility is taught in our schools, and they don’t listen so why waist their breath?
By George Washington
April 22, 2008 9:50 AM | Link to this
Ah, fat girl Dusty barfs her usual illconcieved nonsense…Hey dirt ball, sex is natural for all mammals…Just cause you couldn’t give it away when you were young doesn’t mean other are not desirable…Dust is sufficeint justification for returning fat girls to the status of chattel, to serve the needs of their more attractive gender mates by cooking, cleaning, and steping and fetching…
By Ray
April 22, 2008 9:50 AM | Link to this
The statistics don’t lie. You don’t have to be black to recognize that that segment of our society is in deep trouble. They are killing off their best and brightest. When violent homicide is the leading cause of death in black males between the ages of 18 and 30, Houston, we got a problem! When half of your teenagers have STDs and society has to pay for their irresponsibility and single parent households, you don’t have to be black to recognize that a problem exists. Quit making excuses for what is real in this world and start doing something about it. In this day and time, it has to start with the black community who will not listen to anyone else but a black person, Cosby being the exception. When anyone criticizes the black community for their irresponsible behavior, including black journalists like Shelby Steele, Juan Williams, Thomas Sowell, John McWorter, Larry Elder and even Booker T. Washington, they are labeled Uncle Toms who are not in touch with reality. Try reading any of these authors and get informed about the real problems that must be corrected so that we can survive as a society. Another walk over Selma bridge is not enough. Do something!!!
By PartyLine
April 22, 2008 9:52 AM | Link to this
Now let’s give Glenn a big round of applause. Clap, Clap, Clap. Next up, we have Meredith Baxter doing her rendition of a woman scorned. Don’t forget to join us next week for our annual spelling bee. It’s all the buzz.
By Wally Sutton
April 22, 2008 9:56 AM | Link to this
Wooten’s racial parries are too easily foiled. (sorry). His only data is that 25% of white babies versus 75% of Black babies are born to unmarried women.
The rest of it was a nice sermon lamening the total lack of religion in discussions of law and education.
Lets just do the math on the comparative costs of the two population pools there. .25 times 220 million whites equals 55 million. .69 times 37 million Blacks equals 25 million.
Wooten might have convinced me if he had included the growing amount of research and data being reported concerning the booty call.
I’m your boogie man, I love to boogie. You’re my boogie girl, so shake that bootie.
By George Washington
April 22, 2008 9:56 AM | Link to this
Well Gee whiz Ray, it sure sounds like we have a natural warrior class in Black males….Why not put them in uniform to serve out their prison sentence somewhere nice and safe, like Iraq or Afghanistan? Oh, we are, see the latest recruiting news…Expect the Black Liberation Revolution to begin in 2015 folks, as the troops return from the front…As I told my draft board in 1969, only a fool would teach me to use automatic weapons, as you could never be sure which way I would point them….
By Sandy_G
April 22, 2008 9:57 AM | Link to this
Want to further reduce the divorce rate, ensure children the significant presence of a father in their life and the ability for boys to learn the importance of being fathers? Establish mandatory shared parenting in all divorces. In cases of domestic violence or abuse, or if Dad doesn’t want to be an equal partner, couples can opt out of shared parenting, but for most divorces, it should be the presumption that the children will spend equal time with both parents.
This reduces the divorce rate because women are no longer guaranteed, the house, the children and a child support check when they decide to file for divorce, so some women may rethink filing (women file for divorce much more often than men do).
In the case of unmarried females and males creating children, men should have equal rights to parent their children as females. Again, the courts should begin from the position that the child should have as close to equal time with both parents as possible. This might give some young females a reason to stop and think before having sex because any child created would be spending significant time with the man she chooses to have unprotected sex with.
Many good fathers whose wives decide to walk away from the marriage, or the relationship, struggle every day to spend time with their children only to be rebuffed by the courts and the mother who often think that two weekends a month and two weeks in the summer is sufficient time for Dad to be with his children because let’s face it, neither the courts, most women, nor our society in general look upon fathers as equal in importance to mothers when it comes to parenting children.
I’m a female and I have watched my husband as his ex-wife has done everything in her power to remove him from his children’s lives, even going so far as to move them out of the state. He’s a wonderful father, an awesome husband and he hurts every day because he misses his children and they miss him.
He’s not in the minority either. Many men across the country have grouped together to fight for the right to parent their children in a significant way. They are consistently blocked and lobbied against by feminist groups and liberal politicians who want to maintain the status quo of single mothers having the majority of the control and contact with their children.
Marginalizing fathers has been an unintended consequence of the government subsidizing the raising of children in single parent households. Problem is, no amount of money or housing subsidies, Head Start programs, WIC, etc. can replace a father in a child’s daily life.
By ron
April 22, 2008 10:01 AM | Link to this
Good morning Jim,I agree with you that families are the answer to a lot of society's problems.Young men and women are less prone to go astray when surrounded by a family.One man,one woman surrounded by x number of children.That's how it was when we grew up.It was a good country then.The doors to the house never even had locks.Crime was something that happened somewhere else.Only a small percentage of the people in the town where I grew up went to church.The community had an active role in raising all the children.Thats just how it was.By PartyLine
April 22, 2008 10:07 AM | Link to this
Let’s just transplant the black males and their harems to the green zone and let them start pumping out those world-class warriors. Keep cummin’, honey. GW says we needs another surge.
By George Washington
April 22, 2008 10:07 AM | Link to this
Sandy_G: a better solution is a vascectomey at age 13— brats are the biggest drain on a man’s lifetime earnings, exceeding even uncle stupids undeserved take….if women want to fulfill the biological inperative, let them learn to bud asexually, like other plants. Sex is and should be purely for recreation…not creating a financial headache for men. Remember men, never, ever let yourself care one little bit about the female…once you detect that little twinge of caring, cut off all contact…Never ever listen to her problems, and Never ever ever try to solve them for her…that leds to caring, which is the downfall of men
By Dennis
April 22, 2008 10:08 AM | Link to this
Mr. Wooten readily admits he was not there and cannot confirm or deny that “Not addressed, apparently, was manhood, as in fatherhood. Or manhood, as in taking responsibility. Or manhood, as in not treating sexual partners as throwaways without concern for consequence, whether that consequence is a sexually transmitted disease or the creation of human life.”
But let’s not be too quick to believe that these values are not taught in the African-American culture.
Those professionals who attended the conference learned them somewhere.
You don’t have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.
By JK
April 22, 2008 10:10 AM | Link to this
Mr. Wooten, the statistics you quote may be valid, but that you fail to quote statistics on white divorce rates and the subsequent abandonment of parental and financial responsibilities by DIVORCED parents indicates that you are indeed “cherry picking” facts to make a racist accusation about a conference you did not even attend. The welfare rolls are jammed with divorced white parents, and their children make up a good portion of the 4 of 10 who never finish high school in Georgia.
A lame, sad column today, even for Wooten.
By Wally Sutton
April 22, 2008 10:14 AM | Link to this
If you say that one…more….TIME!
By The Way We Were
April 22, 2008 10:15 AM | Link to this
We need to build more Mayberry RFDs. That way all the developers, realtors, home builders, building supply owners, etc., that moonlight as elected officials will get something out of it and everyone will be happy. Isn’t that right Mr. Evans, Mr. Pearson, etc.
By Aquagirl
April 22, 2008 10:18 AM | Link to this
Sandy, I thought conservatives were all about holding individuals responsible for their behavior. So why the off-topic rant on how liberals are responsible for your family mess? If you could produce a substantial group of black men who want to parent you’d make some sense. However, if your main topic is whining about your husbands ex, take your pet peeve to the momania blog. They’ll give you a nice soft shoulder to cry on.
By Glenn
April 22, 2008 10:20 AM | Link to this
‘Tweren’t I @ 9:48. But oh, well.
Tom,
How you get from the neo-Kantians to the kind of thing that dominates American politics under the name “liberalism”, is beyond me. But what’s even more baffling is your reading of jbmlaw’s libertarianism as somehow “proto-fascist”. Why don’t you just say that you don’t like jbm’s views, and be done with it?
By George Washington
April 22, 2008 10:25 AM | Link to this
Here Wally, catch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCK7N4kn7uc
By Annette
April 22, 2008 10:25 AM | Link to this
Stop referring to the “black community” as if we are of one single mind and thought. A single gathering of African American men in Macon,GA does not represent the entire “black community”. My father who was married to my mother, worked hard and paid taxes, taught all of us the value of being honest working hard, respecting people men and women, not being lose with our bodies or morals. We were not the exception. so stop perpectuating this non-sense.
By Peter
April 22, 2008 10:27 AM | Link to this
Boy One has to love Dusty the lemming’s comments……
“By Dusty
April 22, 2008 9:43 AM | Link to this
Well, almost everything written here this morning has some merit, except Peter who wanders mindlessly into the war zone at every opportunity.”
Well Dusty, please let us know how BUSH and his cronies have raised the eduction spending, that has been right in line with the WAR spending.
Please Dusty try and use your education to speak on this blog…….
I guess you have forgotten the FAILED leadership of this President, has the trickle down effect, and he has done ZERO to help the typical American, and that INCLUDES….. Black Americans as well.
The FAILED leadership starts at the TOP Dusty, and spending Billions on a MADE UP WAR, is NOT leadership, and we have now seen what that out of control spending has done to the American public.
Jim has nothing to say like YOU today…… Just put down a race that has been struggling for decades.
Racist stuff today Dusty….. I guess you are a racist as well !
When is Jim going to get to the real problems ? Like over spending on the Budget, keeping America at WAR, and pretending it is for “Security Reasons” ?
By Annette
April 22, 2008 10:30 AM | Link to this
Stop referring to the “black community” as if we are of one single mind and thought. A single gathering of African American men in Macon,GA does not represent the entire “black community”. My father who was married to my mother, worked hard and paid taxes, taught all of us the value of being honest working hard, respecting people men and women, not being lose with our bodies or morals. We were not the exception. so stop perpectuating this non-sense.
By Dusty
April 22, 2008 10:35 AM | Link to this
George Washington,
you are so cute!! And so funny!! So errr….semi-intelligently rabid! I hope you are writing a book during your 30 year incarceration. I’ll light a candle for you.
By Tom
April 22, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this
Oh, I don’t know Glenn, could it be the oh-so-worshipful nationalism, the veneration of the “strength” and “resolve” of our Leader against the enemies that surround us on all sides, the explicit endorsement of the notion that the military should control our national politics? The assertions that “those people” (whoever they may be) are perverting our way of life and ruining our sacred land? The “Gott mit Uns” belt buckle?
By Dusty
April 22, 2008 10:47 AM | Link to this
Dear Peter Rabid,
Bush is fighting for our freedom so we can continue education in our own schools instead of madrassas. That is something you are unable to comprehend.
Wooten was discussing a ameeting of Black males. They were black males talking about “Black Society” and said so. Do you think using the word “black” is discriminatory? How about “white”?
By Glenn
April 22, 2008 10:53 AM | Link to this
Annette,
Whew, I’m glad you said that. I suppose what we should be—-but are not—-referring to are really just “communities” of [shared] interest. These men claim to be interested in manhood. They’re not, but they claim to be so that they can then make some pronouncements that stick. Doing so in the name of some mythical creature called “The Black Community” just gives them more juice, that’s all.
It’s such a racket, and quite undemocratic in that if they had something to say they’d just offer it to the marketplace of ideas and see whether it sticks—-and dispense with all the rigamarole about how they have special knowledge of the topic of their assertion.
I edited a report the status of young African-American males, and I can assure you that had anyone, of any race, creed or nationality, or either gender, submitted a promising new idea for improving the conditions of that group, the Commission would have jumped for joy. The doing-it-for-ourselves programs of the great black American leaders were crucial to the advancement of the race and of this country—-possibly in equal measure—-but that’s an important idea whose time has passed. Just as it was meant to have done.
By Ray
April 22, 2008 10:57 AM | Link to this
Annette,
Someone is making you look bad, or have you not noticed. I appreciate hard work, family unity and principles that your family shared with you in your youth. I tried to do the same with my children. Why don’t you speak out against irresponsibility? Someone black has to do it…. no one will listen to a white person. You must recognize that a problem exists. Hanging tight with the brothers and sisters doesn’t seem to be working. And you know what….. in the end, responsible people like yourself will be the ultimate losers.
By willie b
April 22, 2008 10:58 AM | Link to this
Dusty 10.47…It seems you are unable to comprehend….Bushie is not fighting for anybody’s freedom!
Never has, never will…it’s always someone else that does the fighting!
By Jackie
April 22, 2008 11:07 AM | Link to this
When there is a need for deflection, this blog always seem to come up with a racial slant.
As everyone has noted and Jim has stated, he was not at the conference, therefore, his only reference is heresay and speculation.
Secondly, Jim has not been black a day in his life. He knows nothing about what goes on in a black family and the struggles of black families.
Anecdotal information to “prove” a theory is not valid. One could try to use statistics to prove a point, but we are constantly reminded that the outcome of a formula can be manipulated by placing that number in different places in a formula.
Trying to prove a negative is impossible. Without a complete understanding of the sociological environment society has built for each player in that society, how does one ever know why anyone does anything.
To provide “evidence” to the crime and punishment in this country, the Justice Department has statistics showing that 6% of the citizens in this country are criminals, regardless of race.
If one were to break that down by race, blacks are roughly 15% of the population of more than 303 million citizens. That number gives us roughly 45 million blacks with 6% of those being criminals, which gives us roughly 2.3 million criminals, including men women and children.
Now, we know that our prisons have more than 2 million people with blacks being roughly 64%. Statistically, blacks fall outside the norm.
Do the math for whites and see how this does not add up.
As one reads Jim’s piece and thinks about what those folks were attempting to understand, using government numbers, what conclusion would you come to?
By Peter
April 22, 2008 11:07 AM | Link to this
Please Dusty tell us what BUSH is actually doing ?
“By Dusty
April 22, 2008 10:47 AM | Link to this
Dear Peter Rabid,
Bush is fighting for our freedom so we can continue education in our own schools instead of madrassas. That is something you are unable to comprehend.”
Gee Dusty, last I heard 911 was caused by Bin Laden….. and is he NOT still Free to run about and cause destruction ?
Why didn’t BUSH go after Bin Laden ?
Tell me how he is making it all safe for us?
Now please tell me what Bush is doing in is his Education budget ?
Dusty as usual you have zero to say, and none of it makes any sense…..
Blah Blah Blah…… welcome to Dusty’s post !
By George Washington
April 22, 2008 11:13 AM | Link to this
Thanks for lighting the candle for me Dirt Ball, now stick it up your ASSets, either end first, your choice.
By Dusty
April 22, 2008 11:19 AM | Link to this
willie b@10:58 (I thought you were dead!)
shhh… there’s a couple of words you missed. Commander-in-chief, President,National Guard pilot, leader elected by the people, supporter of the FREE world, and suppressor of terrorism.
That is George W. Bush. If you don’t think he is fighting for us, you are blind or sadly lacking.
By FLY
April 22, 2008 11:22 AM | Link to this
As I sit here in Afghanistan as a civilian contractor I can only shake my head and laugh. The bottom line is our youth lack Leadership—does it matter if they are white or black? Leadership is the process of influencing and individual to accomplish a mission through purpose, motivation, and direction. Most young people that I’ve come into contact do not have a purpose in life, and therefore they do what feel good as oppose to what is good or what can lead to good. In as much young people, especially my people, young blacks lack motivation because there is an absence of a male role model in the home or neighborhood who is willing to take the time to encourage, mentor, and incite passion and drive to be somebody important…in the midst of racism, poverty, and other obstacles life may bring. Lastly, young people lack direction for two reasons. The first reason is MTV and BET are training our children and not real life adults. As a result, they conceptualize a false image of life which leads them down a dangerous road of money, drugs, and women. The second reason young people lack direction is because they fail to take self responsibility before they are forced to take self responsibility. When they learn to take self responsibility for their decisions they are more inclined to think about the positive and negative aspects of their choices.
In all, manhood is rite of passage not a right. You can be 40 years old and never reach manhood—just as you can be 16 years old and reach manhood when you stand up and take on responsibilities. Let us focus not on who said what and what was said, but on how we can take what was said and make a difference by leading boys into manhood.
FLY
By Charles
April 22, 2008 11:22 AM | Link to this
Jim Wooten, let’s have some straight talk here my friend. The deity that many of us serve did not create African Americans to live in a society as slaves, specifically volunteer slaves. Now don’t get this statement twisted. This is in no way an indictment of white people as others often do, but one of black people; especially the ignorant, bought and paid for, so-called educated integrationist Negroes. And that’s not being negative per se, it’s being truthful.
Why don’t black Americans have respectable institutions of their own? They say that slavery ended in 1865. Badly needed institutions are non-existent because the so-called educated integrationist Negroes conspired and are conspiring as we speak with the powers that be to deprive the masses of black people of human dignity, honor, and freedom in exchange for filthy lucre, money, status, etc. for a select few. Any fool knows that no group of people can survive for long, or remain intact, without institutions which give them support and direction. If African Americans had institutions capable of meeting their basic needs, there would be no legitimate reason for a soul to “taxi to the dark side.”
A forum on white manhood concerning some of their personal failures would be more in touch or aligned with reality, or a better case to make. Here are a people that have institutions capable of servicing their basic needs, food, clothing, shelter, education, employment, etc. and as a consequence are free; free provided that they don’t lose control of their institutions. Why do white people have personal struggles in America would be a legitimate question…
Leah Ward Sears, Bill Cosby, Oprah Winfrey, Jeremiah Wright, and countless forums are all parts of what’s wrong with Black America. I’ve heard prominent black people, fifty, sixty, and seventy years of age say to young black people, “Pull your pants up if you want someone to give you a job. These white people are serious. You are not going to get a job dressing like that.” This is an example of how adults, black men and women, advise their children and community. They sense no contradiction in having only futile advice for their children, and being responsible adults with jobs to provide for them. Black America doesn’t need people who simply tell us what our problems are and show us how to overcome them. We need something more substantial. Like any responsible people, African Americans desperately need people in our community committed to building institutional power capable of meeting our basic needs, while at the same time, providing us with the ability to institutionally address our human failures with something other than talk.
By Charles
April 22, 2008 11:24 AM | Link to this
Jim Wooten, let’s have some straight talk here my friend. The deity that many of us serve did not create African Americans to live in a society as slaves, specifically volunteer slaves. Now don’t get this statement twisted. This is in no way an indictment of white people as others often do, but one of black people; especially the ignorant, bought and paid for, so-called educated integrationist Negroes. And that’s not being negative per se, it’s being truthful.
Why don’t black Americans have respectable institutions of their own? They say that slavery ended in 1865. Badly needed institutions are non-existent because the so-called educated integrationist Negroes conspired and are conspiring as we speak with the powers that be to deprive the masses of black people of human dignity, honor, and freedom in exchange for filthy lucre, money, status, etc. for a select few. Any fool knows that no group of people can survive for long, or remain intact, without institutions which give them support and direction. If African Americans had institutions capable of meeting their basic needs, there would be no legitimate reason for a soul to “taxi to the dark side.”
A forum on white manhood concerning some of their personal failures would be more in touch or aligned with reality, or a better case to make. Here are a people that have institutions capable of servicing their basic needs, food, clothing, shelter, education, employment, etc. and as a consequence are free; free provided that they don’t lose control of their institutions. Why do white people have personal struggles in America would be a legitimate question…
Leah Ward Sears, Bill Cosby, Oprah Winfrey, Jeremiah Wright, and countless forums are all parts of what’s wrong with Black America. I’ve heard prominent black people, fifty, sixty, and seventy years of age say to young black people, “Pull your pants up if you want someone to give you a job. These white people are serious. You are not going to get a job dressing like that.” This is an example of how adults, black men and women, advise their children and community. They sense no contradiction in having only futile advice for their children, and being responsible adults with jobs to provide for them. Black America doesn’t need people who simply tell us what our problems are and show us how to overcome them. We need something more substantial. Like any responsible people, African Americans desperately need people in our community committed to building institutional power capable of meeting our basic needs, while at the same time, providing us with the ability to institutionally address our human failures with something other than talk.
By George Washington
April 22, 2008 11:26 AM | Link to this
George W could not go one round with slick willie clintax, let alone osamba-bin-bomin, dirt ball, you ignorant s……..
By FLY
April 22, 2008 11:33 AM | Link to this
As I sit here in Afghanistan as a civilian contractor I can only shake my head and laugh. The bottom line is our youth lack Leadership—does it matter if they are white or black? Leadership is the process of influencing an individual to accomplish a mission through purpose, motivation, and direction. Most young people that I’ve come into contact do not have a purpose in life, and therefore they do what feel good as oppose to what is good or what can lead to good. In as much young people, especially my people, young blacks lack motivation because there is an absence of a male role model in the home or neighborhood who is willing to take the time to encourage, mentor, and incite passion and drive to be somebody important…in the midst of racism, poverty, and other obstacles life may bring. Lastly, young people lack direction for two reasons. The first reason is MTV and BET are training our children and not real life adults. As a result, they conceptualize a false image of life which leads them down a dangerous road of money, drugs, and women. The second reason young people lack direction is because they fail to take self responsibility before they are forced to take self responsibility. When they learn to take self responsibility for their decisions they are more inclined to think about the positive and negative aspects of their choices.
In all, manhood is rite of passage not a right. You can be 40 years old and never reach manhood—just as you can be 16 years old and reach manhood when you stand up and take on responsibilities. Let us focus not on who said what and what was said, but on how we can take what was said and make a difference by leading boys into manhood.
FLY
By FLY
April 22, 2008 11:33 AM | Link to this
As I sit here in Afghanistan as a civilian contractor I can only shake my head and laugh. The bottom line is our youth lack Leadership—does it matter if they are white or black? Leadership is the process of influencing an individual to accomplish a mission through purpose, motivation, and direction. Most young people that I’ve come into contact do not have a purpose in life, and therefore they do what feel good as oppose to what is good or what can lead to good. In as much young people, especially my people, young blacks lack motivation because there is an absence of a male role model in the home or neighborhood who is willing to take the time to encourage, mentor, and incite passion and drive to be somebody important…in the midst of racism, poverty, and other obstacles life may bring. Lastly, young people lack direction for two reasons. The first reason is MTV and BET are training our children and not real life adults. As a result, they conceptualize a false image of life which leads them down a dangerous road of money, drugs, and women. The second reason young people lack direction is because they fail to take self responsibility before they are forced to take self responsibility. When they learn to take self responsibility for their decisions they are more inclined to think about the positive and negative aspects of their choices.
In all, manhood is rite of passage not a right. You can be 40 years old and never reach manhood—just as you can be 16 years old and reach manhood when you stand up and take on responsibilities. Let us focus not on who said what and what was said, but on how we can take what was said and make a difference by leading boys into manhood.
FLY
By FLY
April 22, 2008 11:33 AM | Link to this
As I sit here in Afghanistan as a civilian contractor I can only shake my head and laugh. The bottom line is our youth lack Leadership—does it matter if they are white or black? Leadership is the process of influencing an individual to accomplish a mission through purpose, motivation, and direction. Most young people that I’ve come into contact do not have a purpose in life, and therefore they do what feel good as oppose to what is good or what can lead to good. In as much young people, especially my people, young blacks lack motivation because there is an absence of a male role model in the home or neighborhood who is willing to take the time to encourage, mentor, and incite passion and drive to be somebody important…in the midst of racism, poverty, and other obstacles life may bring. Lastly, young people lack direction for two reasons. The first reason is MTV and BET are training our children and not real life adults. As a result, they conceptualize a false image of life which leads them down a dangerous road of money, drugs, and women. The second reason young people lack direction is because they fail to take self responsibility before they are forced to take self responsibility. When they learn to take self responsibility for their decisions they are more inclined to think about the positive and negative aspects of their choices.
In all, manhood is rite of passage not a right. You can be 40 years old and never reach manhood—just as you can be 16 years old and reach manhood when you stand up and take on responsibilities. Let us focus not on who said what and what was said, but on how we can take what was said and make a difference by leading boys into manhood.
FLY
By Dusty
April 22, 2008 11:34 AM | Link to this
Peter Rabid..
Osama attended a madrassa.
Osama is “free” in a hole in the mountain tops. Afghanistan is free to run its own government. So is Iraq. I guess you think that is nothing.
Well, I can’t stay here all day talking to simpletons who do not appreciate their own freedom. It is the disgrace of America but liberals don’t mind a little thing like that. They bite the hand that protects them.
Adios!!
(George Washington, you are so predictable. Speaking “nasty” doesn’t cut it these days except for the ignorant.)
By Glenn
April 22, 2008 11:34 AM | Link to this
Charles, what to you is an “institution” when you ask, “Why don’t black Americans have respectable institutions of their own?”
By Jackie
April 22, 2008 11:39 AM | Link to this
@Glenn,
I think your reply to Annette is not correct.
She used the generic term “black community” to mean those that were part of the black experience were putting forth their personal experiences to the collective group to come to a consensus as to offer solutions to the problem.
Submitting solutions to the public that would stick, as you well know, is trying to make one size fit all.
Blacks are not a “collective” that is want to follow one single idea of person. I contend the collective theory does not apply to the white community, therefore, the use of a single-threaded idea is not possible.
What do you consider manhood? Words like that are what I called “ellipses;” sounds good but has little meaning in context.
If one were to follow the logic that is presented today to solve this problem, it could be argued that circular logic is being employed.
Think about it; there are always a series of benchmarks that are laid out with the completion of each one coming right back to the beginning. If one does not complete the circle, there is a complete failure of the logic loop, don’t you think?
If you use the analogy of being a student with a class in quantum physics and your grade depends upon your successful completion of your finals, you have a question of acceptance in this scenario. You studied hard and felt that you did your best to obtain that grade. If you get an 81 on that exam, do you throw it back or take it and go forward with your life’s education? e?
By Jackie
April 22, 2008 11:46 AM | Link to this
@Charles,
My man Charles, glad you were revived.
It is so important that you appear to impart some of your profound and irrefutable wisdom about what is best for blacks.
Last time that you made your presence, you indicated that you would provide a list of folks that you work with and the name of those organizations that you are a part of that provides you and your cohorts with the depth of knowledge about the black community.
I still await your list?
By jbmlaw
April 22, 2008 11:50 AM | Link to this
Dear Tom @ 9:43, Robert Nozick’s philosophy is my model. I do not reject Rawls for inconsistency or misapplication of Kant’s genius – quite the contrary, I have often expressed my admiration for Southern Democrat on this blog, a Rawlsian if ever I saw one. I believe Rawls’s philosophy is condemned by a false premise, that everyone would make the same decision as he did. More to the point you missed, however, I wish all leftists were Rawlsians – at least they would then be susceptible to intelligent argument.
Dear Dennis @ 9:45, we are not so far in disagreement as you believe. “Just maybe, Counselor, the schools are better off by not teaching “god” but rather by just revealing the gods of other cultures to the students (which takes place, I believe, about the time of sixth grade social studies).” I fully agree, except I think that discussion should begin in the second grade, and rather than call is social studies I would call it “comparative religions.” No limits on discussion of doctrines. There is a difference between instruction (1) that “man is the center of the universe,” and (2) there is a higher justice or truth or good in the universe. The government schools teach the former, as it magnifies the role of government overlords in our lives; that is the false premise that leads to the hubris, and leftist worship, of Leviathan.
By Charles
April 22, 2008 11:55 AM | Link to this
Glenn,
You know I’m telling the truth. Black people need institutions to address their human problems. Talk is just not enough. These Negroes have been talking a good game since the days of Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Association.
I don’t expect white people to use their institutions to adequately address the problems of black people.
By Charles
April 22, 2008 12:09 PM | Link to this
Jackie,
You must think I’m a fool. I’m a responsible black person. And responsible black people have real enemies. The last time I commented on a radio station 1380 waok radio am, the host attempted to goad me into revealing my organization and associates. I’m much smarter than that.
That best I can do at this time is www.radioliberty.com. This is a good website for white people and others. I can’t reveal our website because the so-called educated integrationist Negro enemies will attack us from every side assisted by outside powerful forces; just like they attacked Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Association.
By Ed
April 22, 2008 12:09 PM | Link to this
Forgive me for not reading every single post before I offer my own thoughts. More than one poster took Jim to task for making points without being at the forum. Without being there he could only comment and opine on what was reported. If personal responsibility, fatherhood and other relevant topics were discussed, why were they not reported? Could it be that the reporter on the scene did not feel that these topics were important? If that is the case, then it is all the more justification for Jim’s column. What could be more important than urging young people of all races to take responsibility for their actions? If someone else has already pointed this out, please forgive me for making the same point twice.
By FLY
April 22, 2008 12:14 PM | Link to this
As I sit here in Afghanistan as a civilian contractor I can only shake my head and laugh. The bottom line is our youth lack Leadership—does it matter if they are white or black? Leadership is the process of influencing an individual to accomplish a mission through purpose, motivation, and direction. Most young people that I’ve come into contact do not have a purpose in life, and therefore they do what feel good as oppose to what is good or what can lead to good. In as much young people, especially my people, young blacks lack motivation because there is an absence of a male role model in the home or neighborhood who is willing to take the time to encourage, mentor, and incite passion and drive to be somebody important…in the midst of racism, poverty, and other obstacles life may bring. Lastly, young people lack direction for two reasons. The first reason is MTV and BET are training our children and not real life adults. As a result, they conceptualize a false image of life which leads them down a dangerous road