18 June, 2006

Happy Misandry Day!!

Today is Fathers' Day.

Since Mothers' Day was a scant month ago, it's still fresh in my memory. Let us contrast, shall we?

MD: Special speech about the value of being a mother in Sunday School.
FD: No mention.

MD: All the women get long-stemmed red roses.
FD: Nothing.

MD: Restaurants are full of people taking their mothers to lunch.
FD: The grocery stores have specials on meat so that Dad can grill his own lunch. And everyone else's.

MD: Cards are either sentimental, expressing the value of mothers and what the mean or jokey about shopping.
FD: Cards are jokey about how dads are either lazy (sleeping all afternoon in a hammock) or clumsy (botching DIY jobs, etc.)

MD: Advertised gifts include jewelry, fine apparel, purses, spa days.
FD: Advertised gifts include power tools (to clumsily do DIY jobs, I guess), ties and cheap polo shirts


So let me ask this. Why is there even a Fathers' Day? What's the purpose? Does this society in any way consider a father someone to be either admired or revered? If I were an alien from another planet I would think that fathers these days are buffoons and this holiday is designed to mock them.

It makes me sad. I have a wonderful father who loves his family above all else and has spent his entire life making sacrifices to provide the best for his family. He busted his butt through college and law school, he worked countless hours building up a decent law practice and went into debt to educate his kids, pay for weddings and family vacations. He sacrficed to make sure all FOUR of his kids got to go to Europe. In addition, one daughter went to London and the other to Greece and Israel. He used his precious vacation time for his kids. Instead of sitting in a hammock he drove an unweildy camper through 42 of the 50 United States so his kids could have a hands-on experience of America. He spent most of his weekends either working around the house or taking us on camping trips to see all the State Parks of Indiana. He still sacrifices this day, extending his generosity to the spouses of his adult children, his three grandchildren and three grand-dogs. He is not a buffoon. He is not lazy. I didn't send him a card, and if he reads this blog he will understand why. I hate the cards and their lack of respect for the men who make small miracles for the children they bring into this world.

So happy Father's day, dad. I hope that in time society will appreciate you and your role as much as I do.

5 Comments:

At 9:16 AM, June 19, 2006, Blogger Michael Hickerson said...

Yeah, I have to agree with you. It's hard to find a card that really sums up having a great day you're proud of.

 
At 8:38 PM, June 19, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Don't forget the beer gift baskets at Publix.

 
At 5:58 PM, June 20, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

What a great tribute to Dad! I've experienced the same frustrations with Father's Day. The benefits of having a father like ours are endless. James Dobson talks about this subject in his book, "Bringing up Boys." It's a tragedy that boys do not have positive role models to live up to and society makes fathers out to be buffoons. Maybe if fatherhood were more respected, more men would become better fathers.

 
At 7:59 AM, June 10, 2014, Anonymous Anonymous said...

At my childrens' school the teachers have the kids making Mother's Day cards, but not Father's Day.
At my previous job my employer gave flowers to all the women, put out treats & muffins thanking all the Moms, but nothing on Father's Day. Last year my wife & children entirely forgot Father's Day.
Dad's are important yet we don't hear about it unless it's to point out a deadbeat Dad somewhere.
All I can do it try to maintain a special relationship with my Dad and ensure he knows how important he has been and that I acknowledge all that he has done.

 
At 12:12 AM, June 12, 2014, Anonymous Anonymous said...

The father is a lawyer (liar)?! He is the enemy. He works for the Crown of England whether he knows it or not (B.A.R. stands for "British Accredited Registry) and makes his living off of the misery of others and the scam of real estate transactions! I can imagine the kickbacks and payoffs he's taken to go enjoy himself in The Bahamas! Father's Day is just another example of the false realty people such as this man have created!

 

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