Even though the Rev. Al Sharpton’s visit to Milford wasn’t a sold out event, there was a good number of people who showed up in support of his visit. As the culmination of the Bethel A.M.E.’s men’s month, the good reverend was able to bring his message of parental responsibility to a mix of men and women from different racial backgrounds.
But while it’s important that young men take responsibility for their actions when they father a child, it’s equally as important that our young women stop deciding to having babies with absolutely complete disregard for who they’re procreating with.
As a rule, whenever a young woman is involved in a police report there’s always a child involved and the biological father is no where to be seen. Maybe it wasn’t her decision to have it that way, but I’m not convinced of that.
I’ve written too many shaken baby stories to think otherwise. It’s always a “boyfriend” who has mistreated the child to the point that the child is dead or severely injured. I’d have to believe if this were the “boyfriend’s” child there would be at least a small biological connection to the child that would prevent most of these cases.
While nothing excuses a person from mistreating a child, these young women also must take some responsibility for who they’re leaving their children with while they’re out doing whatever they’re doing. Surely they must know that a guy who has a short temper and an inability to figure things out in a rational manner, is not the best person to put in charge of a young child.
Until we start holding some of these young women responsible for leaving their children with sketchy people, things aren’t going to get much better for the children.
As a society, I think we need to seriously consider severing parental rights much sooner than we currently do.
If a young girl with no high school degree — let alone college degree — has a baby, is she all of the sudden going to have a bunch of time and money to take care of that kid?
Unfortunately, the answer is yes.
A whole world of entitlements opens up so that this young woman can now pretty much abdicate whatever responsibility she may have to her child. There’s a daycare service so she can continue school, she gets food and WIC stamps to get food, she may even get free housing and a bunch of money to pay for her utility bills.
So, by all accounts, some young women truly do believe they’ve hit the lottery when they have a baby.
Until our young women are forced to take responsibility for their actions, too, it unfortunately won’t matter how many men try to be involved in their children’s lives.
Because, in the end, we’re allowing too many incompetent young women call the shots.
Melissa Steele is the editor of the Milford Beacon. You can reach her at melissa@milfordbeacon.com.
Milford, Del. —
