The bolded made me laugh, thanks.

 

As far as the rest I don't believe the intent was to do anything but illistrate that the black community has come a long way in many aspects but regressed in one of the most important. I will agree that the mention of the slavery error should have been left out because they don't have the statics to support what they were trying to get at. However I think it might still could be a fair comparison (again one that should have been left out). According the link I posted above only 33% of black childern live with both parents, and that was in 1990. What is the number today? It was on the decline up until then so the trend would say it's lower then that now. Do we know if the percentage in 1860 was less than that? I don't know.

 

Let me ask this, if it would have said a black child born in 1880 instead of 1860 during slavery would there be an issue.

 

I aim for laughs most of the time when I post. I hope you were laughing with me and not at me.lol (I can't use smilies on my phone since the new BGP update)

 

If they would have said 1880 there wouldn't be a story at all. The article was debunking the use of the slave era in the study.

Point made. Now that we have cleared up that there was no "black children were better off as slaves" intent, can we discuss the real issue at hand of parenting?

 

 

 

You have once again read something that is not there. LN is exactly the opposite of today's politicians. He isn't telling you who to blame. He's trying to bring about discussion of the actual issue. He's not "mad" that the discussion didn't go his way. There is no discussion going on. That's the point.

 

 

I responded to his earlier post about federal governement being involved by saying that the Obamas have tremendous power in the black community and they can use it better and he chose not to reply anymore pertaining to that part of the discussion. The opportunity was there.

TB&G, I'm quoting you since you seem to be trying to get the discussion back on track.

 

 

So the question now becomes, what can be done about this issue? How does one tackle improving the "home life" of African-American children?

 

Not coming from a vary diverse area, I don't know much first hand about the problem. I don't think that the problem can be solved politically. Purely looking at it as an outsider, I think that we need role models such as athletes/musicians/etc that are respected by young black men that have done the right thing in their own lives or are a product of a nuclear family to head up outreach programs that help instill the view that being a father is a commitment that is to be taken seriously, that kids deserve to have two parents in their lives. I think, too, that young women need the same type of role models in their lives of women that are raising children as part of a family. I suppose that in either case it doesn't HAVE to be celebrities, that it instead could be fathers/mothers in the community that work on these programs. But IMO it needs to become a FOCUS, not an after thought. It seems that for some, they only know what they see and don't even realize that it is a problem.

 

That's my 2 cents, but I'd love to hear your thoughts and those of others.

TB&G, I'm quoting you since you seem to be trying to get the discussion back on track.

 

 

So the question now becomes, what can be done about this issue? How does one tackle improving the "home life" of African-American children?

That begins and ends in the homes/families themselves ... I don't know that there is anything the government or anyone else can do about it.

These are all the posts you made regarding the pledge. I do not see a reason as to why you think it is a shot. What about it could be insulting to Obama. You made some other posts but not specifically about the passage / pledge. If I missed a post please let me know.

The first one you quoted, woodsrider ...

I come from the belief that one person can make a difference. The Obamas are the most powerful black family ever. And likely always will be in my lifetime. While I agree that it starts in homes/families themselves I truly feel that if the Obamas really wanted to they could make a tremendous difference in this area. Kids will listen to them and that is where the education/counseling needs to be to help combat this issue. A large percentage of these kids that grow up in single parent homes emulate the same behavior as they get older. I'd venture to guess that teen pregnancies contribute to the issue as well. I do wonder/question the total accuracy of the 67% of households because I feel like I see more complete black families everyday. And then you have families like mine for example...I am previously divorced and my son's mother has custody. I am remarried and have a stepson through this marriage and my son from my divorced wife is staying the summer with us and I am very active in his life when he lives with his mother during the school year. His mother has not remarried. Does he count as being in a single parent home? If so, that paints a picture that his father isn't in his life when that isn't the case. I know quite a few families in similar situations where the father might not be with his child's mother but is still very active in his child's life. I see more and more fathers involved with their kids daily so I do wonder how the data was compiled.

PP92, definitely with you. My kind of humor.

The first one you quoted, woodsrider ...

That post doesn't explain why it's a shot at Obama.