Saturday, July 12, 2008

Usher on fatherhood

Like Barack and Jesse, Sr., R&B star Usher grew up without his biological father. Here's what he had to say in Essence magazine when asked, "What is living right as a father?":

That man would accept his responsibilities as a father, regardless of whether he was with the mother of the child. Men will leave a situation for several reasons. One, it's not comfortable. It may be violent. The two of you may grow apart. But you should never abandon that responsibility, which is to be there, reading with your child, being supportive of your child's growth. That is communicating. That is making the choice to put your child before your own vanity.

Beautiful.

I was raised by a great father, a true Southern gentleman. In fact, I wrote a story about us cooking a pot of black-eyed peas in my book Black-Eyed Peas for the Soul.

I know many good men who, whether married or single, have been great fathers to their children. My business partner, Alfred "Coach" Powell, is not only a great father to his own children, but he's been like a father to my daughter and other children in the community who haven't been blessed to have dad around. My brother-in-law, Reuben Miller, is another father at-large to my daughter, my niece, children at his church, and many incarcerated young men.

I could go on and on with examples.

These are the real men of the community and nation. They are unsung but heroes nonetheless. They receive no praise, no recognition in the media, yet they keep on keeping on. No, it sometimes doesn't work out with the mother, but a real man stays connected with his children in a real way. (Source)

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