Fathers are awesome

"We've reached an odd place in Western history when a case has to be made for fatherhood, but here we are." So begins Kathleen Parker in an excellent essay about the importance of dads. "Fathers are awesome," she enthuses. But are fathers really necessary? Here's a quick overview of what father absence looks like today in the U.S.:

...The 30 percent of children who live apart from their fathers will account for 63 percent of teen suicides, 70 percent of juveniles in state-operated institutions, 71 percent of high-school dropouts, 75 percent of children in chemical-abuse centers, 80 percent of rapists, 85 percent of youths in prison, and 85 percent of children who exhibit behavioral disorders. In addition, 90 percent of homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes. In fact, children born to unwed mothers are 10 times more likely to live in poverty as children with fathers in the home.

A few members of Congress — fortunately, only eight — couldn't care less. The House passed a resolution this week to commemorate Father's Day. It passed overwhelmingly (407 yeas, 8 present, 17 not voting). Eight members voted only "present," neither "for" nor "against." All are outspoken opponents of most bills affirming the importance of family. To say the same thing, all are regular supporters of any legislation endorsed by the feminist establishment. Read the resolution and ask yourself what kind of mental and spiritual pathology makes it impossible for a member of Congress to shout out yes to these themes:

Summary: H.Res. 318 resolves that the House of Representatives commends the millions of fathers who serve as wonderful, caring parents for their children and calls on fathers across the Nation to use Father's Day to reconnect and rededicate themselves to their children's lives, to spend Father's Day with their children, and to express their love and support for their children. The bill urges men to understand the level of responsibility fathering a child requires, especially in the encouragement of the moral, academic, and spiritual development of children and encourages active involvement of fathers in the rearing and development of their children, including the devotion of time, energy, and resources.