LETTERS

Changing image of fathers

Posted

To the Editor:

When I was growing up I remember fathers portrayed on television as intelligent, hardworking and faithful. They were depicted as the head of the family and were always present to give counsel to their children. They were not portrayed as muttering, stuttering imbeciles who had no clue as to what was going on in their own household. They were not portrayed as buffoons to be laughed at.

Most of the people I grew up with never spoke ill of their fathers and many looked up to them as someone who not only went to work to give them a decent life but also as someone who had the ability to guide and direct them. What was truly interesting was that most of these fathers had survived WWII having served in one of the nation’s military organizations. We were all proud of our dads for having been a part of such an amazing endeavor and many of us wanted to emulate them.

But for some strange reason this sick and twisted society that has befallen us seems to feel that fathers are no longer necessary. That children can be brought up in single parent households and that they can be molded by society itself. And just look at how that magnanimous idea has worked out. Crime, anarchism, drug problems and a total lack of ethics or conscience have taken over. The moral compass of most is simply spinning in every direction as it has no true course to pursue. And what is truly amazing is that it will probably get worse because anyone who tries to set the course back on the right track is laughed at and labeled a deplorable, a hater or revolting.

John Cervone

North Providence

Comments

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  • Justanidiot

    my old man were a bum. all dads are bums

    Thursday, October 3, 2019 Report this

  • Cat2222

    It isn't that they are no longer necessary. It is a fact that there are far more single parent households today then when you were younger. With a high divorce rate and high absentee father rate, you are only seeing on TV what is portrayed in reality for many of the people.

    Single motherhood has grown so common in America that today 80 percent of single-parent families are headed by single mothers — nearly a third of those live in poverty. Once largely limited to poor women and minorities, single motherhood is now becoming the new “norm”.

    This prevalence is due in part to the growing trend of children born outside marriage — a societal trend that was virtually unheard of decades ago. About 4 out 10 children were born to unwed mothers.

    1 Nearly two-thirds were born to mothers under the age of 30.

    2. Today 1 in 4 children under the age of 18 — a total of about 16.4 million — are being raised without a father.

    3. Of all single-parent families in the U.S., single mothers make up the majority.

    I understand that you feel that the perception of what is on TV is twisted. The very sad facts are, they are reality.

    Friday, October 4, 2019 Report this

  • jtaxassoc

    Very well said. Keep up the good work

    Sunday, October 6, 2019 Report this

  • davebarry109

    I agree fathers on tv a portrayed as imbeciles. Look at 'Everyone loves Raymond'. Clueless dad and husband. Lazy man and avid golfer. Can't do anything right. All the wives portrayed are brilliant and always right. Is it any wonder men are not marrying anymore? They can get all the sex they want for free. They don't need to be tied down to a woman who will belittle them or risk losing half their income or more in a divorce. Meanwhile, single mothers are raising bad children. Not all of them, but most of societies ills come from these family units.

    Monday, October 7, 2019 Report this