"Good Fathers Make Great Dads"

As published in the Chicago Defender by William J. Booker

We often leave it up to the courts to decide on what to do with men who have children they don’t or can’t financially support, but fathers who intentionally dodge their financial obligations to their children may have other problems they suffer from related to inadequacies from their own life experience of growing up in a fatherless household. The lessons young men learn about fatherhood begins at home. However, fatherless young men who never learn what is expected of them when they eventually have a family of their own. These men often detach themselves from the experience of raising children out of fear of reliving past feelings of abandonment and neglect that they themselves may have experienced as a child. It’s challenging in many ways for some men to accept their responsibility of being a father, especially when you’re told growing up that you will never amount to anything, or that you’re just like your dad–which can have a negative connotation. 

All young boys need their fathers to teach them how to be responsible dads, and how to take care of their family. When a father leaves his home and tells his son, “I’m going to need you to be the man of the house when I’m not here.” It means a lot to a young boy to know that his father has entrusted him to take good care of his family. He grows up knowing he can handle the responsibility of fatherhood. But when a young boy grows up in a fatherless household, he is often denied the experience and reassurance that he can handle the job. 

"Moreover, if the solution is to lock up every father who falls behind, or fails to pay their child support, many young men will never learn how to be a good dad. It’s children that hurt the most when fathers are absent from their lives. Courts and policymakers must understand and consider all of the challenges children of incarcerated parents face when making decisions that affects the lives of millions of children." 

Clearly, there is a disconnect that must be addressed, but incarcerating men because they have failed at being good providers to their children is not the solution. Despite the challenges, let’s hope that all men can find the experience of becoming a father a blessing, and learn how to become a good father and provider by spending less time in jail, and more time with their kids. 

Reprint from the Chicago Defender June 14, 2018.

:: FED UP ::

In the wake of the United States budget crisis, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and President Trump's ongoing efforts to keep illegal immigrants out of the United States, and to build a wall that Mexico still refuses to pay for; Congress needs to pass the 2018 Farm Bill which will have a huge impact on farmers and over 45 million low-income Americans who currently depend on SNAP benefits to feed their families. 

The Farm Bill, passed every five years, provides millions of dollars in subsidies to farmers for things like home loans, access to improved broadband service, improved drinking water systems in rural areas, and provides grants for research at universities in fields of animal health, organic crop production and biotechnology. 

The Bill also funds conservation programs that help farmers improve air and water quality on farms which affects us all. The farm bill is detrimentally important for all Americans, and can have far reaching effects on the price of food across the country if it's not reauthorized by Congress and the President this year.  On the table for SNAP recipients, will be everything from imposing work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents; making it tougher for people to qualify for LINK, to limits on what people can buy with SNAP benefits like soda or other foods that are considered unhealthy. 

"The Farm Bill doesn't guarantee that the price of  fruits and vegetables won't go up because of Trump's immigration policy, but what it does guarantee is that feeding the poor and hungry will never be an issue for those who can afford to eat unhealthy foods like cheeses burgers on their multi-million dollar private jets, then have their doctor lie for them about their weight."   

:: The Price of Patriotism ::

America's eyes are open wide shut to the relentless persecution of blacks by racist white people in this country, and their misuse of emergency 911 calls to the police to aid them in their discrimination and racial profiling of blacks. As Americans, we watch these horrific episodes being played over and over again through the lens of social media; as racists are given a pass to abuse emergency 911 calls and trespassing laws to have blacks arrested for doing absolutely nothing wrong.

It's uncanny, in many ways in its resemblance to Civil Rights era Jim Crow laws, and no one seems to be doing anything about it. This reckless behavior puts innocent black people in handcuffs and in jail, while onlookers watch in utter disbelief. This America is our truth.

"Make America Great Again is nothing more than code for Make America White Again. Giving privileged white Americans the right to discriminate against blacks."

We all heard the sentiments in an announcement made by President Trump at one of his rallies in North Carolina, just before he was elected President. When Trump stated that he would pay the legal fees of a white man that sucker-punched a black protester. This was his national call-to-action in my opinion to "Make America Great Again" and his unwavering support for white nationalists.

We heard it again in Charlottesville Virginia, during a white supremacist rally, when Trump seemed to side with white nationalists initially, condemning the violence on "many sides". I could go on, but it's clear to me that we live in a country where two Americas exists. One that puts police officers against black and brown Americans, and threatens their safety, and one that seems to make it ok for white Americans to call the police on black Americans, and have them arrested for just being black.

This is the America we celebrate on the 4th of July. It's the America our troops, of all nationalities, die and fight for, and the America we all stand for during the national anthem--and in many cases are willing to take a knee for regardless of the consequences, or the price we have to pay to the NFL. As we celebrate this 4th of July, and in times of racial uncertainty let us all remember, a very wise man once said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

In Solidarity,

William J. Booker

"In the case of the American Negro, from the moment you are born every stick and stone, every face, is white. Since you have not yet seen a mirror, you suppose you are, too. It comes as a great shock around the age of 5, 6, or 7 to discover that the flag to which you have pledged allegiance, along with everybody else, has not pledged allegiance to you. It comes as a great shock to see Gary Cooper killing off the Indians, and although you are rooting for Gary Cooper, the Indians are you."

— James Baldwin "The American Dream and the American Negro" (March 7, 1965)

:: Give Your Child Everything & Nothing ::

I hate when I hear people say, "my child don't want for nothing." Like that's really some kind of parental badge of honor.

"Truth is, when you give your child everything...they appreciate nothing. You want to give your child something, give them something money can't buy."

Give them plenty of responsibility. Shower them with your time. Give them a listen-party at the end of a grueling work day without criticizing them. Give them spiritual guidance. Give them honesty and respect. Give them praise and encouragement...tell them how wonderful they are in the mist of their own quite little storm.

Give them rules to obey. Give them hugs and kisses. Give them wisdom. Give them time out. And after you're done giving them everything they didn't know they needed without spending a dime, tell them that you love them, but you can't afford to buy them that new pair of Jordans or designer handbag because you're broke.