I'm not a crooook.
Posted on 06/15/2008 2:50:25 PM PDT by forkinsocket
In the third week of June 1972, Richard Milhous Nixon committed an injustice with which the Western world is still struggling. Yes, two men broke into the Democratic Party headquarters in the Watergate building - but we're no longer bothered about that. What still affects us today - or rather tomorrow - is that the then President that week brought the American nation together by making Father's Day a public holiday. For this high crime and misdemeanour, his name should live on in the annals of infamy.
Now, of course, it's over here. It's just like Hallowe'en - another American import. One year we're marking it with a quick ghost story before bed, the next it's a national drama involving all major shops and food outlets. The American business press has cheerfully predicted that this weekend is "recession proof". $11 billion will be wasted on Father's Day tat. Why wouldn't British retailers want us to do the same?
The economy must stimulate itself somehow. But the most worrying thing is that there is a new generation of impressionable young minds who might somehow get the Days of Fathers and Mothers confused. They may even, given the strength of the commercial message, judge them as equal. It is essential to clarify the differences.
The first is historical. Mother's Day was born out of the sacred rites of the holy church, in the 16th century. It was a day to celebrate the role of the Virgin Mary in the life of Christ, and for women to meet up in their own mother church and re-establish their family bonds. Father's Day was invented by Hallmark, and blessed by Richard Nixon.
And the second is in the rites of the celebration of the day itself. Gifts are exchanged on Mother's Day; of course they are. Flowers are delivered, cards are sent. But those are not the important things. The traditions that really matter are the breakfast in bed, and the lunch being cooked by others for once, and being allowed to read the paper in the afternoon. It is a day away from the domestic coalface. And how quite do we adapt that this Sunday?
Of course, there are single fathers who deserve every treat coming their way this weekend. But although one quarter of all families live with a single parent, only one in 10 of those parents is a father.
In two-parent families, the culture of fatherhood has changed significantly over the past generation. Men are, on the whole, much more involved on a day-to-day basis with their children and noticeably more demonstrative emotionally than their fathers were.
There is sympathy and accommodation in the workplace for them to be actively involved in family life. They attend births and change nappies and drop off at schools. They are great. Give them a soppy card and a copy of the new James Bond book.
But real co-parenting is still a rare and remote ideal. For all the family activities that men do join in, a few still, bizarrely, get overlooked. Nit-combing remains a female preserve. As does the dentist's waiting room, the scrum of the school uniform sale, the toy stall at the fete. But most important, recent research shows that, among couples with children, regardless of who goes out to work, women do a whopping 10 hours more child-generated housework per week. How can men have a day away from the coalface if they never look down the mine?
And then there is the question of taste. Mothering Sunday one associates with a charming church service and a hand-tied posy of violets. This week, the image most employed in the celebrations seems to be that of Homer Simpson.
But now the day is upon us, it would be rude to ignore it. In this household we will be celebrating as in all others. We'll cook him lun… hang on, we always do. He can read the pap… nope, he always does. Put his feet… they're always up. It'll just have to be the Bond.
**Father’s Day - the worst thing American President Richard Nixon did***
The worst thing Nixon did was drop the interstate speed limit to 55mph. I got mu first speed tickets then.
The only worthwhile thing Clinton ever did that was restore the speed limits to their pre- Nixon limits.
Either you have full equality, or you fully take account of biological, psycho-emotional, social and cultural differences. There is no well-defined, sustainable middle ground.
For history's sake, just how many illegal break-ins were there - on both sides?
***Men are, on the whole, much more involved on a day-to-day basis with their children and noticeably more demonstrative emotionally than their fathers were.***
I beg to differ.
Just wait till we have illegal alien day
I have no answer for that - but God forbid they would have stolen 100 FBI files!!
They probably would have been hung!
Bull!!! The world’s worst criminal (and sinner) was the dumb@$$ (most likely a womxn) who first proposed the idea that man and woman should be equal (the same)...
It was the republican congress in 1995 that changed the speed limit. Clinton reluctantly signed it. That was when we had some leadership.
http://www-cgi.cnn.com/US/9511/highway_bill/11-28/index.html
Every day is illegal alien day. :)
I'm not a crooook.
For history's sake, just how many illegal break-ins were there - on both sides?
For history's sake we should begin by noting that five men were arrested at the scene of the Watergate burglary, not two.
55mph is the exact speed at which I get sleepy.
Yeah, but it was men voting that made it happen, LOL.
I get it. Father’s Day = Nixon = Crook = Father’s are crooks?
The writer stresses the role of church on Mother’s Day. This morning our family went to church to celebrate Father’s Day. The sermon was about the role of the father in the family and why he is so important. I do not consider this day wasted at all.
Nor do I. Fathers are to be revered and respected. Just as I do mine. If we had more fathers acting like fathers the country would be a much nicer place. There are few more deserving of the honor of a day out of the year, than Fathers!
Next to the obama trash collectors Nixon was a saint.
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