OPINION:
It’s terrific that Michelle Obama supports a host of causes mostly relevant to women, but who is supporting a host of causes mostly relevant to men? Men of all ages are looking for a few good candidates who are ready, willing and able to support a wide range of causes.
There’s the male crisis in education (they’re behind at all levels) and post-schooling equal job opportunities for men (the Finance Reform Act set aside scores of offices to guarantee employment for women but none for men). In health care, Obamacare provides scores of additional offices concerned with women’s health but zero dealing with men’s. Arguably most important for America’s future, we must provide equal opportunities for fathers to have a close and meaningful relationship with their children both after divorce and increasingly, after the breakup of cohabitation relationships. Research demonstrates that close and meaningful father-child relationships benefit children, fathers and society.
As Mrs. Obama opens most of her speeches by describing herself as the mother of her children and how that’s one of the more important things in her life, so too does America need leaders who describe themselves as the fathers of their children who are vitally interested in the health, education, well-being and success of their sons as well as their daughters.
GORDON E. FINLEY
Miami
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