America, when are we going to stop being politically correct and tell these young people that abstinence does work? "Daughter/son do NOT do it!!!!"
This week I was watching the local news and a public school was featured as one of the best in the state. The students were going to a statewide, big robotics competition. They have won in years past.
The students were giving credit of their hard work to the support of their parents and teachers. Their projects were worked on daily for weeks.
The title of this article is indicative of people I've met in this region of the USA. Welfare, Food Stamps, and free to them, medical and dental care. The babymakers never return to school for even a high school diploma. Where are the fathers?
I refuse to say "Daddy". Daddy works a tax paying job and takes responsibility for his family. He plays with his child. He attend Parents' Night at school, etc.
I agree that those on welfare should take unannounced drug tests. Why should you and I walk a straight line of respectability and Grandma, Mama and son, are selling weed/marijuana to augment their income? Why is Grandma teaching grandson, how to get into someone's house and burgle the place while the residents are away working for a living?
I am tired of hearing and seeing these leeches on society. None of the babies asked to be born. No child should be starved or ill-treated by anyone. That child is now our responsibility because of the sexual selfishness of hot-hormoned, thoughtless participants.
Where were the role models for the Grandma? Who is the role model for Mama? And the poor son is in a residence with two women with no husbands. What is he supposed to do? How does he know to act as a teen and then a man?
Teachers can no longer safely take a child to the side or to a conference room and give a caring chat on mores, morals, appropriate behavior and dress.
Recently a teacher patted a girl on the shoulder and was suspended with pay for "inapproiate behavior". The girl brought the charges! They learn early how to call or yell "911".
My Mom or my grandparents would have given"911" a reason to arrive had I been disrespectful in school. How dare could I ruin our name and reputation would have been the question.
In our neighborhood every parent and grandparent was the same to each child. We knew the telephone was faster than our feet could carry us. If one set of parents or grandparents had to chastise us playmates, Heaven help me coming through the door.
In "those" days our status was, who could get the best grades. Who did the best project. Who got the most honors on assembly day after the report cards were passed out.
I unashamedly admit I could easily be bribed by my grandparents. Nana would say, "If.... you will get or we will go".
Mom did not play that game. I was informed that my going to school was my job. My report card was my time card which activated my paycheck. I got "paid" every six weeks: $1 for each A; 50 cents for each B; 25 cents for a C; and if I ever brought in a D, I would get nothing. On my payday, I vacuumed Mom's wallet.
Then she made me save most of my money. My big treat was to go to the soda fountain at the drug store and have a strawberry sundae. Those were the days when bread was 15 cents a loaf.
American life in the 1950s was not as it should have been, however we were respectful to everyone. We did not need metal detectors, police officers and floor monitors in school. The only person we saw "with child" was a married "lady".
I remember asking Mom, " Can a lady have a baby and not be married?" Her response, was "No 'lady' can have a baby and not be married. I later learned about procreation.
Fifty years later our country is in many ways better but where are the role models with morals?
Do not look toward anyone in the entertainment business for guidance. They good ones are not featured in the news.
If Grandma is 40, Mama is 27 and son is 14, God Bless America and her future generations. At this rate they will return to the law of the wild and be too dumb to read a clock with hands or have shoes with laces in them that have to be secured by tieing them.
Patricia Barbee © 2008
