PRINTED, RICHMOND TIMES DISPATCH
Sunday, February 6, 2000
Brad Ingram, Chairman
National Cry for Children
Dear Editor,
I listened expectantly to President Bill Clinton's state of the union address. I listened for this "pro family" resident to address the widespread destruction of the American family structure. I heard the phrase "strengthen families" more times than I can count, but each time I only heard the president talk of money.
I moved to the edge of my seat as the president began to talk about the fact that almost 1/3 of our children are now growing up without a father. He then even mentioned how important it is for a child to grow up in a two parent home.
I almost stood as he pointed to fatherless children being
five times more likely to grow up in poverty... but then he
stopped.
The President failed to mention the other harms to children that are perhaps more important to our country than poverty, such as children from fatherless homes are:
5 times more likely to commit suicide;
32 times more likely to run away;
20 times more likely to have behavioral disorders;
14 times more likely to commit rape;
9 times more likely to drop out of high school;
10 times more likely to abuse chemical substances;
9 times more likely to end up in a state-operated institution;
and 20 times more likely to end up in prison
(sources available upon request).
No, the President didn't address these issues. The President addressed "dead beat dads". The President stressed that the answer to the tens of millions of children growing up in a single parent home is to find jobs for 40,000 fathers. Ironically, that's probably the total number of "well off" men that refuse to support their children. The rest of the "dead beats" are "dead broke and dead bolted". At least he was honest about the fact that non custodial "parents" are really non custodial "dads".
Frankly, I know well over 40,000 fathers that are fighting in courts and legislatures across this country to be a father to their children, yet their pleas go unheard. As long as they write a check they don't matter to the government. Our children can abuse drugs, drop out of school, kill and rape each other, and end up in prison,
but God forbid they live in poverty while they're doing it. The President also failed to address the fact that every 48 minutes another American child takes their own life because their parents are getting divorced, or getting remarried.
So where was the part about strengthening families, Mr.
President? Where was the talk of divorce reform, conflict
resolution, or funding for marriage counseling? What I heard was that it's more important for there to be two cars in the garage, than two parents in the home.
Sincerely,
Brad Ingram, Chairman
National Cry for Children
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