Black fathers do stick around

A few weeks ago, I was in the park with my children and I came across a young father guiding his son ever-so-cautiously through the monkey bars. We briefly looked at one another and did a silent nod in agreement.

"That's what's up," he finally said in a monotone voice. The kid couldn't be any older than 21. But we instantly knew that we were two African American males breaking stereotypes surrounding black fathers. More often than not black fathers are stepping up and becoming a stronger component in their children's lives.

A CDC surveyed more than 3,900 fathers between 2006 and 2010 and found that black fathers were more likely to bathe, dress, play and dine with their children as compared to their White and Hispanic counterparts. 

It's a stark contrast from the biased reports that black fathers don't care or don't really take care of  their children. Most of my friends are great fathers - regardless if they're divorced, married or not even in relationships with the mother of the child. They're good men who walk with their sons and daughters every step of the way.

I get upset whenever we see the amazing (note my sarcasm) stories of men who have fathered 20 and 34 children and are treated like the norm. These men talk about putting in time with their children, but real fathers know how hard it is to spend the appropriate amount of time with just one child.

Thankfully, that's not the norm and there are numerous black fathers who care about their children and love them unconditionally.

Trump is the anti-hero of politics

Ah, the curious case of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.  The billionaire has had social media spats with nearly all of his opponents, and even managed to get into a rather nasty dust up with Fox News commentator Megyn Kelly.  Yet he's still able to soar well above his opponents in the polls.

And here's why.

Trump is the anti-hero of politics. He's the guy that goes against the grain of how traditional candidates usually conduct themselves and he tries to accomplish his goals by any means necessary.  A barb at Jeb Bush? No problem.

Now please, don't take this as glowing endorsement of Trump from the O.A.W. Report. That's not what this is. There are numerous comments the Donald has made that we take issue with. We're simply trying to understand and quantify why Trump seems to hold the election captive with his antics that hardly have anything to do with a substantive plan to help improve this country.

In our minds this election so far has been less about policy and more about social media attacks (via Twitter) and the use of private emails being used to conduct business (the latter is best left for another blog).

Trump's bid for presidency comes at a time when the American public is craving for crude transparency. Just look at the access we now have in the lives of celebrities. Look at the prevalence of reality T.V. shows. We want to know what a person is thinking or feeling and the more outlandish and salacious that person is, the more we accept it.

Traditionally, presidential candidates have been the opposite. They reveal as little as possible and give us a cookie cutter platform on which to base our opinions on. They provide a quaint little narrative which contains only a smidgen of truth. They're friendly to people they don't like even though the public knows otherwise.

Trump isn't any of those things. He's real. He’s transparent and you already have a pretty good idea if you're going to vote for him or not. That's why he's soaring in the polls, and that's why he's the anti-hero of politics.

A Call for Change

Bennettsville needs to change and it needs to change fast.

I blurted out those very words about a week ago, when I visited my hometown and found out Marlboro Park Hospital, the only hospital in the county, had been shut down. Upon driving past the entrance of the now defunct hospital, I spotted a sign that said for immediate service please try the emergency facilities in the next county over.

Unacceptable on every level imaginable.
How can a town, let alone a county, have its sole hospital close? People still have emergencies and get sick right? Right? As the son of two elderly parents, I have deep concerns that the nearest hospital they can attend is 20 miles out.

Owners of the hospital say it just isn't bringing in enough money. And I have to say I'm not surprised. Bennettsville has always been a town that has fought hard to resist change. Still hanging on to the ridiculous notion the economy should be driven by agriculture (an outdated concept by at least 30 years), the town is falling behind and missing out on tremendous opportunities.

For years people have been crying for change and asking for more businesses to come into the town. After years of lobbying the city finally... finally opened its doors to allow Wal-Mart to come in. Prior to the store opening, people would drive across the state line to go to Wal-Mart, or as far as 20 miles away in the neighboring county.

People want to spend their money, but there aren't any places in Bennettsville for the constituents to shop. Therefore they're looking outside of the city to get their needs met. Unfortunately, it has reached a point where Bennettsville is beginning to lose the necessities.

Change must come. It has to come for the beleaguered town that serves as a gateway to Myrtle Beach – one of the largest tourists areas in South Carolina. Leaders of the town must change and embrace the 21st century if Bennettsville is expected to thrive or next time it could lose a lot more than its hospital.