The Conservative Edge

If you are a frequent visitor to this blog site, then you know I am less than thrilled by the actions of the Obama administration. Much of the legislation passed this year was done in speed and haste. You might say that some things were enacted because the liberal/Democratic bunch have greedily desired to beat up certain industries (like tobacco and automobiles); yet some issues are hastily being dealt with (namely health care) because they don’t want to give us a chance to disagree with their efforts.

But I do have to commend President Obama for his recent remarks concerning the dignity, and importance, of fatherhood. He has openly talked about the neglect he endured from his own father. He turned that negative relationship into a positive motivator, vowing to be a better father when he had children of his own. “I don’t want to be the kind of father I had,” the president is quoted as telling a friend in a new book about him (read more on Yahoo! news).

Fathers, and men in general, are being lost in an ever-growing tidal wave of feminism. If you look at the way TV shows, for instance, are being promoted, you can see a marked difference. Ads for “The Closer” and “Saving Grace” show a headstrong woman single-handedly rescuing society from evildoers. But men aren’t allowed to be independent butt-kickers anymore. White males, especially, have to be part of a multi-ethnic team now; look at the way the new drama “Leverage” is depicted. Perhaps more degrading is the manner in which men are shown on network programming. They are either stupid, lazy louts who can’t groom themselves, or they are weak, effeminate servants of some dominant female character.

Men and fathers are better than that, if they can only believe. I am often amazed when I read of the literary genius of a Winston Churchill or a J.R.R. Tolkien; or the deep reflection and power of observation of a Carl Jung or an Abraham Lincoln; or the artistic talents of a Pablo Picasso; or the mathematical and scientific ability of a George Boole or an Albert Einstein. These were all great men, remarkable in their various achievements. They can also be examples of what men can achieve, if they but only try.

I once read a book about the fall of the Roman Empire, and what lead to the breakdown of Roman society. The author cited the disintegration of the family unit as the beginning of the end of the empire. When the family lost the leadership of the father, there was a subsequent loss of tradition, discipline, work ethic, and honor. The author also drew a parallel to modern American society; indeed, we are witnessing the erosion of fatherhood, just as Rome lost its way. It has been estimated that 24 million Americans are now growing up without a dad. How tragic that we now esteem single mothers who raise kids alone, while men and fathers are deemed unimportant.

So, at least dads get one day of recognition tomorrow. We will have our T-bone steaks hot off the grill, we will have our iced teas (with perhaps a splash of tequila mixed in), and maybe enjoy an after-dinner cigar and a siesta. And then, come Monday, we will slide back into obscurity as the feminists see fit. It has been said that it takes a village to raise a child; that village better have some good men in it, or else I sure feel sorry for the kids.

Happy Father’s Day!

Now that school finals are over with, I can get back to blogging. I don’t necessarily have a shortage of topics, but I have been pressed for time to reflect and write. If you visit this site regularly, you should be seeing some new posts within the next few days.

I’d also like to say Happy Anniversary to my wife, Crystal. I can’t believe you have put up with the same guy for the last 22 years. (Wink Wink)

Anyway, I do plan to take the wife to dinner tonight. I also plan to dress up a bit, and I won’t be taking my cell phone along. I am reminded of the evening just a couple of weeks ago, when we dined at a local pizza parlor. We sat near a couple who had brought their two kids with them. The mother hardly spoke to her family. She had her fancy cell phone with her, and kept it on the table, just to the right of her dinner plate. Every few minutes, she would grab the phone and start texting, and then stared at the screen in anticipation of a reply. I can only imagine her earlier, asking the family, “Hey, I’m taking my cell phone out to dinner—you guys want to come along?”

It’s been quite a change in social etiquette over the last few years. We pay much more attention to our electronic devices than we do our dining partners. And because of the ability to communicate via those devices, we don’t have to care about our appearances anymore. I remember there was a time (and I know I’m revealing my approximate age) when men, especially, would want to look their best when going out on the town. People may ridicule the late ’70s styles, especially the disco scene, but at least folks wanted to look their best, because of who they might meet that evening. The better you looked, the more attention you got.

So what has progress wrought? Look at white men today. Generally speaking, they have shaved heads, grotesque tattoos, wear baggy shorts and football jerseys and act like unruly kids with short attention spans. Many television programs seem to reinforce this, by featuring beautiful women paired with dumb unattractive men, or just making a show exclusively about beautiful women.

The rock group ZZ Top had the right idea in their song lyric, “Every girl’s crazy ’bout a sharp dressed man.” Too bad many guys aren’t getting that message.