Obama's Father's Day Message

Robert A. George, a black moderate-conservative Republican journalist and blogger, writes: "Barack Obama gave an important sermon Sunday, one that many black fathers -- including, frankly, my own -- need to hear. The cynical among us -- including the anchor in the embedded introductory video set-up piece -- can focus on this as a socially conservative 'Sister Souljah'-ing of an issue. Who knows? Who cares? The fact is, this is a message that needs to be heard. There is a significant segment in this country that didn't grow up with the stereotypical dad tossing the football in the backyard, teaching them to drive -- or, broadly speaking, teaching them to be a man. The America of 'Father Knows Best' or 'The Cosby Show' didn't resonate with them. The far-reaching effects can be seen in poor performance in schools -- and a huge prison population. Whether this is political or not -- and considering an absentee father inspired his first book, I don't think it was -- Obama recognizes that he has a bully pulpit now and he's using it.Bully for him.The full address is here:



My response: I was totally with Sen. Obama's message until towards the end of the speech, when he went to what always seems to be his first impulse: even more Big Government, with...you guessed it, government programs. Big Government is not the panacea! In fact, Big Government (welfare & War On Drugs to name a couple of examples) has helped create the problem. This was no Sistah Souljah moment. Frankly, liberal comedian Bill Cosby stated a similar message much better a few years back. However, I do like that Sen. Obama chose to deliver this speech at Apostolic Church of God here in Chicago. I know people who attend that church, which, until recently, was headed up by Bishop Arthur Brazier. The church is doing solid community development work in the Woodlawn area - ACOG's work is more visible to me than Trinity United Church of Christ's work - which is transforming in no small part due to that church.