The Empresses Have No Clothes On

Winfrey and Vanzant on a fatherhood tour? Hmmm.

For me, I get annoyed with this rhetoric problematizing Black fatherhood, particularly when the problems are often generalized by the sensational few who obviously do need help. I'm not going to say we are perfect, but I refuse to buy into this moral panic which suggests a majority of Black fathers are on a collision course with deviancy and catastrophe. First, (I hate to sound like a social science snob on this) neither of them have taken he time to conduct any research that either polls a statistically significant amount of the African American male population of fathers; nor have they taken the time to explore the adjacent limitations which may contribute to the barriers presenting challenges to quality parenting. I'm not saying this because of a gender bias: in fact I was raised primarily by my mother. The aspect of my rearing which was different was that she surrounded me by strong male role models, including my grandfather, my stepfather, and my godfather. I'm not attempting to say that Vanzant and Winfrey can't contribute to the conversation. I'm curious to hear their input. That said, I refuse not to be critical of the messenger or their motives. I'll close on this note. I have issue with Vanzant and Winfrey regarding their "intervention" with rapper DMX. I sincerely feel that DMX (though to some fault of his own) was really played as a ratings booster and they capitalized on this man's hard times. To me it looked as though it were the launching pad for something bigger and I think we are beginning to see the layers slowly reveal themselves. Again, in a general sense, I'm not saying that I'm too stubborn not to listen strong African American females in regards to being a better dad. I listen to my mother, my therapists, my circle of friends, and even some women I date because as a full time single dad raising a boy, I welcome all opinions. As I welcome those opinions, I also choose wisely, and some of the kernels of knowledge, in certain cases call for some serious self reflection on my part. So in short, before we collectively decide to promote Vanzant and Winfrey to be parental champions to a moral majority right wing conservative agenda (yes I said it, I refuse to take it back) we should take the time to seek our community resources and learn from the best sources, our trusted families and friends who ARE doing it right.