As we celebrate Father’s Day, I thank God that I had a mentor in my life, the kind of man who understood what it means to be a father. Not everyone is so lucky. So let’s chat about the “father crisis” in many communities in the U.S.
Ten years ago, I cut out this article from the Wall Street Journal paper edition. I saved it and look at it from time. It was written by Juan Williams, author and Fox News contributor. It is “The Tragedy of America’s Disappearing Fathers“:
The extent of the problem is clear.The nation’s out-of-wedlock birth rate is 38%.Among white children, 28% are now born to a single mother; among Hispanic children it is 50% and reaches a chilling, disorienting peak of 71% for black children.According to the National Center for Health Statistics, nearly a quarter of America’s white children (22%) do not have any male in their homes; nearly a third (31%) of Hispanic children and over half of black children (56%) are fatherless.
This represents a dramatic shift in American life.In the early 1960’s, only 2.3% of white children and 24% of black children were born to a single mom.Having a dad, in short, is now a privilege, a ticket to middle-class status on par with getting into a good college.
Kids suffer without a father, no matter their color or last name.
Father’s Day is here. Let’s remember a simple truth: we need men to be responsible fathers.
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