Want Fewer Deadbeat Dads? Read On!

If Barack Obama accomplished anything with his speech on deadbeat dads Sunday, it was hopefully to create a national conversation on the issue. So.....Here's my two cents. If you want to start the process of making good, caring fathers more prevalent, let's start with the notion this isn't just a black problem. Yes, folks, white dads can be deadbeats too. That makes it an American problem. 

Then, let's look at how the country has dealt with other problems, say, the issue of smoking. America has gone from acceptance to tolerance to intolerance to outright rejection of cigarettes. People who smoke are viewed as a negative exception, no longer the rule. How did this happen? By the skilled use of media, specifically, media aimed at young people.

Think about how that would work if the goal was to spread the concept of responsible fatherhood. Public service announcements could be created that showed young men rejecting their peers who don't support their children. Young women would refuse to date young men for the same reason. These are themes that transcend race, and while the results wouldn't be seen overnight, eventually the message would sink in.

If we're serious about responsible fatherhood (and motherhood, for that matter), speeches may well be the first step. Action should be next.