This author and blogger will be away in Washington, DC for the Father’s Day Weekend, and will return to commentary on Tuesday, June 18.
I hope all my readers and followers have a great Father’s Day Weekend!
Father’s Day
Back From Wonderful Vacation In London And Paris With My Older Son, And Ready To Resume Regular Commentary On American Politics, Government, And History
I am happy to announce that I have returned from a wonderful vacation in London and Paris with my older son, and am ready to resume regular commentary on American Politics, Government, and History.
I had never traveled overseas since my younger son was Bar Mitzvahed in 1996 in Israel, but my older son has done a lot of travel in Europe, some for work purposes, and also for vacations. He wanted to treat me to an all expenses paid trip to my two favorite European nations, the United Kingdom and France, to honor me for Fathers Day, and for his 40th birthday, with him being born on that day in 1979.
We saw all of the historic and cultural sites I had always wanted to visit, and it enriched my historical and cultural knowledge, and increased the bonding I have for my older son, but with equal feelings for my younger son as well. This was a trip of just the two of us, since we had not spent much time together over the past decade since he moved to the Washington DC area, and myself continuing to reside in South Florida.
I was totally out of touch for the two weeks in regards to the news, and only now am catching up on the events, including the danger of war with Iran; the resignation of White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders; the threat to have mass deportation of undocumented immigrants by Immigration and Customs Enforcement; the usual maniacal behavior and utterances of Donald Trump; and the preparations for the first Democratic Presidential debates in Miami this coming Wednesday and Thursday, June 26-27, with Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg not having the best fortune in this past week, and Elizabeth Warren seemingly surging for now, while others are hoping for a breakthrough as a result of these two nights of debates.
I plan to comment daily on those events and trends that seem worthy of the most attention, and I am glad to invite my readers to return to a daily interaction, although while visiting Washington DC in two weeks from now for tourism and family, it is possible I might miss a day or two as a result.
Thanks, everyone, for your patience, as I took the most wonderful and enriching trip imaginable in the past two weeks.
June 17 In American History
Today is Father’s Day and the birthday, also, of my oldest son, David, who was born on Father’s Day, a coinciding event that occurs rarely.
But it is also a major historic day in American history in a number of ways.
1775–Battle of Bunker Hill in Boston, actually at Breed’s Hill location nearby, second battle of developing American Revolution against Great Britain.
1856–Republican Party opens its first National Convention in Philadelphia.
1885–Statue of Liberty, a gift from France, arrives in New York Harbor, will be installed in 1886.
1932–“Bonus Army” veterans of World War I march on the US Capitol, demanding veterans benefits in midst of Great Depression under President Herbert Hoover.
1954–The end of the Army-McCarthy hearings, which leads to the Senate censure of Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin for his misbehavior.
1972–The Watergate Break In occurs, the beginning of the downfall of Richard Nixon, the most corrupt President until Donald Trump.
2015–Nine African American worshipers at Emmanuel AME Baptist Church in Charleston, South Carolina, are murdered by a 21 year old white racist gunman.
All of these events are tied together–the promotion of freedom, liberty, principle, social justice, civil rights, and the rule of law.
All of these principles are under attack in 2018!
On Father’s Day, Is Donald Trump A Role Model Dad? NO!
Today is Father’s Day, a day to celebrate dads as role models.
But Donald Trump is clearly NOT a role model father!
Of course, his five children would, vociferously, defend their dad, and who would not, when dad is a billionaire and all his children have secure financial futures as a result?
But deep in the recesses of their minds, his four adult children KNOW he is far from an ideal role model dad!
He is a man who has cheated others–employees, fellow businessmen and women, contractors, banks, and the “little people”–with impunity!
He is a man who has has been a serial adulterer, and has mistreated his wives and shown disdain and lack of respect for women as individuals and as a group!
He is a man who has lied consistently during this Presidential campaign, at least 91 percent of the time, knows he is doing it, and has no conscience about what he says and does!
He is a man who thinks bullying, insulting, degrading, mocking, belittling is perfectly acceptable behavior!
He has no compassion for those less fortunate, and looks down on minority groups, and promotes racism, nativism, and xenophobia, encouraging violence and intimidation, not unlike Fascists in other nations who let their egotism and narcissism lead to destruction of their nations, as his ambitions and cravings are all that matters in his mind!
He has promoted the ideas of materialism, greed, selfishness, as virtues to his children, and they already display evidence of having learned very well, showing lack of conscience on what their father is doing to promote discord and division, because they are only mercenary, worrying about their own selfish personal agendas!
He has been a horrible role model to young men and boys, making their most aggressive and exploitative tendencies seem normal, therefore undermining the future relationships of men and boys to women and girls, affecting the long term future of millions of American families!
Donald Trump is a menace to ethics, morality, and common decency, and is not be applauded for being a dad, particularly one who was often absentee in nature!
He should be confessing his shortcomings and asking forgiveness, but it is not part of his makeup, a disgrace to fatherhood as a concept!
Fathers Day And Dads’ Responsibilities To The Family Unit
The role of dads in their children’s lives has dramatically changed in the past half century!
Today, more than one out of five families with children under five years of age with a working mother has his or her dad as the primary caregiver, many of whom also work.
In the last 25 years, the number of stay at home dads with a working mother has doubled.
In the past 30 years, the number of father only families have more than tripled, and almost all are working dads.
Seven percent of families with children are father only families.
Dads are doing nearly an hour more childcare and housework a day than fifty years ago.
62 percent help with housework; 65 percent read to their children; and 95 percent bathe and diaper their children.
Yet, 30 percent of both moms and dads do not have access to either paid or unpaid leave for the birth of a child, and suffer negative career outcomes, due to family responsibilities.
It is time for updating the attitude toward families, on the part of companies and employers, way behind other advanced industrial nations in Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand!
24 Million Children Under 18 Do Not Have A Father: Truly Tragic!
As we celebrate Father’s Day, and I rejoice in my two sons, both of whom I am very proud of, the shocking statistic is that 24 million children under the age of 18 do not have a father in their lives!
Some have lost a dad to death, the only good reason for a dad NOT to be in their lives.
But others have dads who fathered them and then left the mother for good!
And others might be known slightly by their children, but are not supporting them financially or emotionally!
And some who are involved sometimes are more a detriment to their children, and can harm them by their casual, uncaring attitude, and inconsistency of their commitment to their children.
It has been said that anyone can father a child, as it is very easy to do that, but to be a dad requires commitment and sacrifice.
There is no greater honor in life than to be a parent, and this author has often said that his greatest accomplishment in life are his two sons, with his published book, blog, and 41 year teaching career (and counting), as minor accomplishments by comparison!
The greatest gift one can possess is the ability to have children, and to spend the rest of one’s life dedicated to their growth, happiness, and success, so that they can cope with the loss of their parent, when that ultimate event occurs.
The fact that this author underwent a quadruple by pass heart surgery nine years ago on June 25, and survived, and has had an opportunity to enjoy and treasure his two sons’ successes since, is the greatest gift that I could have had!
As I write about fatherhood, let us give tribute to the millions of mothers who spend their lives devoted to their children, particularly those who do it alone, without a man in their lives to share the responsibility. They are true heroines, who gain too little recognition, but richly deserve praise!
JC Penney Saluted For Pro Gay Rights Message In Its Advertising For Mothers Day And Fathers Day
JC Penney has done a great deed by deciding to advertise in a way that honors both Moms and Dads, whether gay or straight.
Last month, the retailer had advertising which included two moms for Mothers Day, and now, despite hate mail and opposition from homophobic people, many of them connected to religious groups, they have gone ahead and advertised with two dads for Fathers Day.
This is recognition by a major retailer that there are millions of families, mostly unknown, who have accepted the reality of gay parents and gay family members, and that the idea of promoting hate, rather than love, for people, no matter what their sexual orientation happens to be, is rapidly becoming something that the majority of the American people will not accept!
It also shows the courage of JC Penney to counteract, not cave in, because of fear of loss of business, and if those hate mongers want to promote stopping of business with JC Penney, so be it, as the company will not give in to threats and blackmail!
June 17 Historic Day For Three Reasons!
Today, June 17, is an historic day for THREE reasons!
First, it is the day of the famous Battle of Bunker Hill in the Boston area, a major moment in the American Revolution’s beginning, in 1775.
Secondly, it is the day of the Watergate break in, the beginning of the scandal that brought down Richard Nixon, with the event occurring in 1972!
Thirdly, and in the author’s mind MOST important, on this day in 1979, which also happened to be Father’s Day, he became a father for the first time with the birth of David Eric Feinman, who has gone on to accomplish great goals, and is as politically aware and involved as his dad!
So Happy Birthday, Dave!
Father’s Day, Family Values, And Hypocritical Conservatives! :(
President Obama is an ideal father, and has a stable, well adjusted family life!
This is, unfortunately, not as typical as one might think, with many families lacking a father, whether by tragedy or by irresponsibility! 🙁
Obama is an excellent spokesman for family values, and yet he is under constant attack by people who are pure hypocrites! 🙁
There are many people in the media and politics who constantly advocate family values, but do not practice what they preach! 🙁
This includes, for instance, conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh (four marriages), and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (three marriages)!
While no one is claiming that liberals and Democrats have an ideal record as parents and promoting family values, it is a well known fact that there are many more conservatives and Republicans who have a sorry record on these matters, even though they are the ones constantly promoting family values to gain political advantage! 🙁
So on this Father’s Day, let us salute President Obama for his outstanding image as a dad and a husband! 🙂