Character Building: Dads Needed (Some Assembly Required)

      Old-fashioned character is hard to find these days.  It seems that the day has passed when American men of steel struck giant rivets into the weighty beams of towering skyscrapers.  Yesterday was the man who plowed his field by hand, protected his land from predators and trespassers, sowing his crop in faith and diligence, only to reap that which he'd rightfully sowed himself.  Once a man existed that believed in God, studied the bible, and prayed over his family at dinner time.  Not so long ago, sons knew fathers who were tough, character-rich men.
        Whether you follow NFL drama, National news sensationalism, or reality TV provocations, one thing is certain: America needs better character.  Roughly half of Americans actually pay into the federal tax system, while more than half of Americans receive some form of federal entitlement.  Over two-thirds of Americans are classified as obese distressing the fact that less than 10 percent of Americans can medically and physically qualify for military service.  More than a fourth of American children are born to single parent homes of which 80 percent of single parents are women.  Nearly a half of these mothers are divorced while another third of these women have never been married.  Alongside these statistics, cases of domestic violence, sexual assault, corruption, bigotry, and self-indulgence flood the news.  Hope for a stronger America seems desperate.
       Some will say that perception is reality.  In our case, reality is reality.  America's character issues haven't just magically conceived themselves from some behaviorally-twisted, psychologically perverse netherworld.  A scarcity of public leadership combined with increasing media liberalism fosters an ever-selfish culture of American men.  A legacy takes root.  Families lacking male leadership perpetuate America's tragic moral vacuum.
      Go ahead, feminists and progressives, complain about how politically incorrect and sexist that statement is.  This one is for dads and wannabe dads.  Learn how to be an uppercase "Dad."  America's character problem has little to do with public sentiment and everything to do with fundamentals at home.  Kids need Dads.  They need dominant male role models that exemplify physical strength and ethical fortitude.  For both sons and daughters, resilient men inspire the provision and protection that make them feel safe and confident.  A child's moral compass steadies on the course their patriarch sets.  It's simple, innate, and arguably ordained.  Men speak life or death into the hearts of their children.  Every word and deed an act of construction or destruction, character building starts with Dads.
       America is breaking but not broken.  Before public schools will improve or political corruption will wane, American Dads must lead the charge in renewing American character.  This is not a matter of race or religion, but responsibility.  Men, you have a responsibility to your children to build them strong and character-rich.  It's not complicated.  Institute faith in your homes, be masculine and hard-working, love your wife, and cherish your children.  You may not pound rivets into skyscrapers, but your ironclad ethic can build morally-rich children and restore old-fashioned character.  American character.