DISQUS

NSangoma · 2 years ago

Bump what white people think!!


We need to tell adult Negroe males who have sired children; to be good fathers, concerned fathers, loving fathers, caring fathers to their children.

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Submariner · 2 years ago

The problem with the typical cultural conservative arguement is that it neglects political and economic inputs required for the solutions it proposes. Nsangoma's response is a prime example. Who is the 'we'? What is the objective criterion for 'good' fatherhood? What is the consequence for 'bad' fathers? (Do you sterilize them?)


Let's take driving as an analogy. One must be licensed and registered by the state and privately insured in order to drive a car. If one violates traffic rules, depending upon the frequency and nature of the offense, punishment ranges from warnings to imprisonment.



Every step in the driving process, from the acquisition of licensure to operation of the vehicle, has a definite legal and economic support structure. We don't just SAY people should be good drivers. We put legal constraints on them.



Now, if being a 'good' father is to have any purchase equivalent to being a 'good' driver then a state body must be equipped with licensing authority. The 'good' father solution is legitimate only if you accept that the state will be an arbiter of parenthod credentials the same way it confers legitimacy on practicing doctors, lawyers or any other occupation or business. And violations of objective standards must incur more than pooh-pooh responses but tangible material loss.



How ironic is it that in order to come about the conservative remedy would require greater state intervention?

Ronnie B · 2 years ago

Whether or not the North Carolina mayor is "racist" is secondary to truth that he fortuitousy spoke.


Does he give a damn about grown Black folk? Black folk trying to keep their jobs; trying to educate their kids; trying to rid themselves of the stains of discrimination and segregation past? If so, then I would hope that he'd use his position to speak more on the subject.



Perhaps he can teach Hillary Clinton and John Edwards how it's done.

Read All About It · 2 years ago

Wassup, ya droppin some serious points on this one. I'mma have to soak it in and do a part 2. P.S.
Malena

NSangoma · 2 years ago

Submariner, this is why I said what I said...


http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/columnists.nsf/sylvesterbrownjr/story/481F0A93F0BAD19F862573180019EF30?OpenDocument



The state of the family is more important than what some white boy said.

Submariner · 2 years ago

Nsangoma, I'm not inimical to your position. I agree in spirit. But how do you act substantively. For example, you can tell a 400 pound man to eat right and exercise in order to lose weight and be healthy. It's true but ineffective. The overweight have a diet and exercise industry supplemented by medical technology like bariatric surgery and appetite suppressants to help them meet their goals. Medical and government organizations have published guides listing ideal weight, blood pressure, blood sugar levels and screening for common cancers.


Again, telling someone to 'man up' is true but futile. It's similar to the fan watching a ballgame on TV dispensing sound but inconsequential advice.



What are the targets for 'good' fathers? What structures do we establish to make this happen? What do we do with violators? How do we establish objective criteria and apply them in neutral fashion?

Otherwise, all you're doing is making pithy admonitions like Tupac Shakur's 'Keep Your Head Up'. Nice to hum along with but utterly ethereal.