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Obama preaches like Cosby in the way righties like by calling on black men to change their behavior. Like Cosby's words, Obama's are very nice, but of course they're merely a sermon backed without solutions. But, if you're Republican, I think you prefer speeches to solutions, especially when it comes to so-called family values.
In a stern Father's Day address, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., told an African-American congregation today that too many fathers -- including his own -- have failed their children.
The Democratic candidate speaks of the importance of being a father.
"They've abandoned their responsibilities," said Obama, the putative Democratic nominee for president. "They're acting like boys instead of men, and the foundations of our families have suffered because of it. You and I know this is true, but nowhere is it more true than in the African-American community."
The Democratic presidential hopeful noted that more than half of all black children live in single-parent households, making them five times more likely to live in poverty and 20 times more likely to end up in prison.
"Any fool can have a child," Obama said. "That doesn't make you a father. It's the courage to raise a child that makes you a father."
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What do Marshall Faulk, Shawn Kemp, and Evander Holyfield all have in common besides being superstar professional athletes? Each of these superstars in their respective sporting arenas is the father of multiple children by multiple women. Falk, who is not married, has fathered at least 6 children by at least 3 different women, according to St. Louis Today. Sports Illustrated has noted that Kemp has seven children by six different women. But that amazing number is not even the highest child count – Evander Holyfield is reportedly the father of nine children – three with his first wife, one with his second wife, and five others born out of wedlock to four different women. These men are by no means unique in their behavior, rather they could be looked upon as symbolic of professional sports as a whole. That is, there are probably a large number of athletes who have similar situations and fly below the radar. At some point the value system has been turned on its head – athletes are idolized for the wrong qualities and not called into account for bad behavior. The entire system is starting to get out of hand. Americans idolize those whose chief claim to fame is the ability to play some contrived game, while the important issues such as raising a child, are treated as rubbish. The true value is in the child, and raising that child in such a manner where affirmation, protection, and love are known. How can you compare the life of a child with that of sports games? What is really more important here? Yet amazingly most athletes place a far higher priority on the games than they do a child. And the child is their own! They have to play the game; the child they can leave or take – and they usually leave the child. Having a child in every major city by a different woman, of whom you never marry or intend to marry, is not a good idea no matter how you try to explain it.
Some top athletes point to the fact that they send a check for the child’s expenses frequently (probably as some sort of salve for their conscious). This may or may not be true, but what a child needs is far more than money. How do they look at a superstar athlete who doesn’t have the gumption to give his own child his last name? Children need both quality time and a quantity of time with their dad.
The crux of the problem lies deeper than just the child and athlete. The manner in which an athlete treats a woman is frequently a mirror to how the child will be treated as well. Most athletes come up short here also. There are frequent stories of domestic abuse in the arena of the professional athletes and many of them deal with the same group that is noted for having children by various women in all corners of the country. How they treat the mother is an indicator of how the child will be treated in the long run.
Certainly not all athletes father children and then emotionally (and/or physically) abandon them. There are many sterling examples of athletes who raise up children and take responsibility for their care – beyond just the financial aspect. However, it seems that their number is declining. All athletes would benefit if they took a true look at the direction their life is headed and the impact it is having on others – especially those closest to them. What an athlete does off the field or outside the arena does matter – a lot.
Last edited by cupofjoe1962; 06-15-2008 at 11:33 PM..
What do Marshall Faulk, Shawn Kemp, and Evander Holyfield all have in common besides being superstar professional athletes? Each of these superstars in their respective sporting arenas is the father of multiple children by multiple women. Falk, who is not married, has fathered at least 6 children by at least 3 different women, according to St. Louis Today. Sports Illustrated has noted that Kemp has seven children by six different women. But that amazing number is not even the highest child count – Evander Holyfield is reportedly the father of nine children – three with his first wife, one with his second wife, and five others born out of wedlock to four different women. These men are by no means unique in their behavior, rather they could be looked upon as symbolic of professional sports as a whole. That is, there are probably a large number of athletes who have similar situations and fly below the radar. At some point the value system has been turned on its head – athletes are idolized for the wrong qualities and not called into account for bad behavior. The entire system is starting to get out of hand. Americans idolize those whose chief claim to fame is the ability to play some contrived game, while the important issues such as raising a child, are treated as rubbish. The true value is in the child, and raising that child in such a manner where affirmation, protection, and love are known. How can you compare the life of a child with that of sports games? What is really more important here? Yet amazingly most athletes place a far higher priority on the games than they do a child. And the child is their own! They have to play the game; the child they can leave or take – and they usually leave the child. Having a child in every major city by a different woman, of whom you never marry or intend to marry, is not a good idea no matter how you try to explain it.
Some top athletes point to the fact that they send a check for the child’s expenses frequently (probably as some sort of salve for their conscious). This may or may not be true, but what a child needs is far more than money. How do they look at a superstar athlete who doesn’t have the gumption to give his own child his last name? Children need both quality time and a quantity of time with their dad.
The crux of the problem lies deeper than just the child and athlete. The manner in which an athlete treats a woman is frequently a mirror to how the child will be treated as well. Most athletes come up short here also. There are frequent stories of domestic abuse in the arena of the professional athletes and many of them deal with the same group that is noted for having children by various women in all corners of the country. How they treat the mother is an indicator of how the child will be treated in the long run.
Certainly not all athletes father children and then emotionally (and/or physically) abandon them. There are many sterling examples of athletes who raise up children and take responsibility for their care – beyond just the financial aspect. However, it seems that their number is declining. All athletes would benefit if they took a true look at the direction their life is headed and the impact it is having on others – especially those closest to them. What an athlete does off the field or outside the arena does matter – a lot.
Not a bad treatise, but providing anecdotal evidence and your feelings about rich coddled athletes does not have much to do with the comments of Obama. He speaks to all black men who have abandoned their families and responsibility, I wish he had taken it one step further and not qualified it with a specific race.. as there are quite a few derelict men of other races who work very hard at not financially supporting their child and do little as a parent.
__________________ "Being the best doesn't mean you always win. It just means you win more than anyone else".. tweet from Kurt Warner to Tom Brady.
I thought we liked honesty, if he did not the sermon/speech would not be as valid as it was.. the child is not responsible for the sins of the father. If he dissed him today would it be more palitable??
__________________ "Being the best doesn't mean you always win. It just means you win more than anyone else".. tweet from Kurt Warner to Tom Brady.
Obama preaches like Cosby in the way righties like by calling on black men to change their behavior. Like Cosby's words, Obama's are very nice, but of course they're merely a sermon backed without solutions. But, if you're Republican, I think you prefer speeches to solutions, especially when it comes to so-called family values.
In a stern Father's Day address, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., told an African-American congregation today that too many fathers -- including his own -- have failed their children.
The Democratic candidate speaks of the importance of being a father.
"They've abandoned their responsibilities," said Obama, the putative Democratic nominee for president. "They're acting like boys instead of men, and the foundations of our families have suffered because of it. You and I know this is true, but nowhere is it more true than in the African-American community."
The Democratic presidential hopeful noted that more than half of all black children live in single-parent households, making them five times more likely to live in poverty and 20 times more likely to end up in prison.
"Any fool can have a child," Obama said. "That doesn't make you a father. It's the courage to raise a child that makes you a father."
I'm glad to see him make the call for more personal responsibility. I agree with him. And it isn't just a problem with black men, but as GJAJ15 said crosses racial boundaries. The numbers say it is the biggest problem for the black community.
Patters, what do you think about the fact that he's admitting there's a problem with the fathers, not saying we can fix it with more money, like you want to do? Or how about the fact that he sees a problem with the family unit today, which you do not, and is pushing for family values, which you will not? No change in your thinking, eh? And there is a solution right in his speech, for people to grow up and be men, not fools.
I'm also curious to see what the groups that have taken issue with Cosby say about this.
Cosby/Obama have brought up "A Truth" that the rest of the Cowering Phony Cowards are terrified of even letting themselves think about.
If Mccain had said what Obama/Cosby said Mccain would be out of the race tomorrow, he would Join Don Imus in the land of banishment forever known throughout history as "Subhuman Racist Bigots"
GOD DAMN AMERICA
__________________
Harry Boy (Genius)
In The Absence Of Law And Order Society Will Surely Destroy Itself
Will the Cosby fans love him for this?
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