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American Idle: The New American Dream
Opinion Editorials ^ | 1/2/05 | Chuck Muth

Posted on 01/04/2005 7:51:52 PM PST by 82Marine89

Larry Elder penned a rather disturbing column recently. He noted that, “According to the World Almanac 2005, nearly 70 percent of black children are born outside of wedlock.” And children born into such circumstances, not surprisingly, end up having a LOT more problems than kids born into a married household. Go figure.

The first thing that occurred to me upon reading this was that unless a bunch of white men were going around raping and impregnating black women, then this is one problem the black community simply cannot blame on “whitey.” Physician, heal thyself.

But this problem is even deeper. It’s about a serious, un-American entitlement mindset taking hold in this country, and not just among minorities.

Elder writes specifically about Fantasia Barrino, winner of the recent American Idol contest; an unmarried mother who “dropped out of school in ninth grade, got pregnant and gave birth at age 17.” Obviously, she’s not alone in choosing this dangerous path at such a young age. What’s troubling is that girls such as Fantasia think this is something to be proud of. Indeed, in a song titled “Baby Mama” on her recently released CD, Fantasia refers to single-parent motherhood as “a badge of honor.”

Honor? What’s “honorable” about irresponsibly getting yourself knocked up and bringing a baby into the world when you have no husband, no job and no education? Your baby gets to start life with two strikes against him while standing blindfolded at the plate with a whiffle-ball bat on his shoulder against Nolan Ryan. Gee, what an honor.

But it’s even worse. Get this line from the song: “I see you get that support check in the mail, Ya open and you're like, 'What the hell.' You say, 'This ain't even half of day care.' Sayin' to yourself, 'This here ain't fair.' To all my girls who don't get no help. Who gotta do everything by yourself...”

It’s hard to know where to begin here, although the fact that Fantasia ain’t got no good English tends to confirm the notion that she, indeed, dropped out of school WAY too early.

I’m assuming, and not without reason, that the “support check” Fantasia refers to is from Uncle Sam and not the baby’s father. That a large segment of the American population continues to be dependent upon the government in this post-welfare reform world means we still have a long way to go.

But think about what Fantasia laments with regard to the paucity of her government check. That it won’t cover the cost of food? Clothing? A roof over her head? Medical care? No. That it doesn’t cover even half the cost of paying someone else to raise HER child during the day. Fantasia apparently believes that being an absentee parent is not only a good thing, but an entitlement as well. She plays, you pay.

“This here ain’t fair,” huh?

Apparently no one ever told Fantasia that life AIN’T fair. Get over it. There are no guarantees in life...even in America. You’re not even “entitled” to happiness. All our Founders provided for was a God-given right to PURSUE happiness, not attain it. Some do. Some don’t. It might not be “fair.” But that’s life. Get used to it. And stop whining.

Finally, the kicker: “To all my girls who don’t get no help. Who gotta do everything by yourself.”

“Who don’t get no help”? Certainly not in the grammar department, but I digress.

What help and from whom does Fantasia think “her girls” are entitled. From the kid’s no-account father? OK, sure. But now for the Million Dollar Question: Did Fantasia’s girls stop, for even a moment, to think about that BEFORE climbing into the sack with the bums who “don’t give them no help” now? Or did they stop to think, “Hey, maybe I should get on the pill first”? Yeah, sure they did.

These poor girls have to do everything by themselves, huh? Well, they sure made the decision to do the horizontal bop unprotected by themselves. They didn’t consult you and I in advance to see if we wanted to pay for the consequences of their actions. Why in the world should WE pay after the fact for THEIR choice?

That this is the kind of un-American, government-dependent thinking which wins awards on American Idol is all I need to know to be grateful that I’ve never watched the show. American Idol, my eye. There’s nothing to idolize here. American Idle would be more like it.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: americanidol; unwedmother; wedlock; welfare

1 posted on 01/04/2005 7:51:52 PM PST by 82Marine89
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To: 82Marine89

I don't think race should be an issue here, but the attitude of dependency should.


2 posted on 01/04/2005 7:54:09 PM PST by 82Marine89 (Space for rent. Only used twice.)
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To: 82Marine89
They didn’t consult you and I

Well, Chuck, if you are going to insult the poor grammar of this misguided young lady, you would do well to check your own. They didn't consult you, and they didn't consult me. They didn't consult you and me. I learned that in fourth grade.

3 posted on 01/04/2005 8:00:35 PM PST by TruthShallSetYouFree (Abortion is to family planning what bankruptcy is to financial planning.)
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To: TruthShallSetYouFree

That be unfair ...


4 posted on 01/04/2005 8:23:38 PM PST by Seajay (Ordem e Progresso)
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To: TruthShallSetYouFree

But his point is still extremely valid, scrape that worthless leach off our tax paying backs, along with her "fellow girls", and make her/them work for a living.


5 posted on 01/04/2005 8:28:27 PM PST by nomad
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To: nomad
I raised two daughters alone for 10 years with no outside help of any kind, and no financial help from my daughters mother either. I did not get one dime, no medical, no food stamps, not one dime of handouts. I worked a lot of overtime and extra weekend jobs to get it done, but I did it.
I didn't run to the government for help. They were my kids so they were my responsibility. I did get used to getting rude remarks, usually from single welfare mothers, about who did the cooking and cleaning.
6 posted on 01/04/2005 8:44:15 PM PST by oldenuff2no (Proud Nam Vet)
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Comment #7 Removed by Moderator

Comment #8 Removed by Moderator

To: 82Marine89
I’m assuming, and not without reason , that the “support check” Fantasia refers to is from Uncle Sam and not the baby’s father.

...and you'd be wrong Chuck.

9 posted on 02/26/2005 3:46:50 PM PST by mac_truck (Aide toi et dieu l’aidera)
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To: mac_truck

Wow two trolls talking to eachother.


10 posted on 02/26/2005 3:48:21 PM PST by cyborg (http://mentalmumblings.blogspot.com/)
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To: cyborg

eh?


11 posted on 02/26/2005 3:52:00 PM PST by mac_truck (Aide toi et dieu l’aidera)
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To: mac_truck

rams4eva and fantasiafanpatrick *lol*


12 posted on 02/26/2005 3:53:42 PM PST by cyborg (http://mentalmumblings.blogspot.com/)
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To: 82Marine89

Agreed. Also, children need to grow up in healthy families (husband and wife in a strongly committed relationship).


13 posted on 02/26/2005 3:57:56 PM PST by k2blader (It is neither compassionate nor conservative to support the expansion of socialism.)
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