With the declining birth rate and absolute refusal of most citizens to do the grimy nut necessary work (how many Anglos you see on a roof or on a vegetable farm in 105 degrees), it seems like we’re biting off our nose to spite our face by demonizing migrants.
Politically, I get it, it’s not a good thing in the long run for the GOP, and you have to wonder if even those jobs will be spared by AI, but this country either needs to develop a sensible immigration policy or dismantle the damned statue in New York harbor. I’m Irish-American, so my folks - as well as most of our folks - have been on the outside looking in the candy store window. I hate hypocrites.
A word about infertility. Normally, I would not venture an opinion to someone suffering something I have not. But you invite discussion, so here’s my two cents. Being able to impregnate a female does not a man nor a father make. Even a sniveling, cowardly rapist can do it. So can an effeminate gay person. It’s not a “masculine” trait, just a biological fact that all too often leaves the poor child the victim of negligence, rejection, and mental or physical cruelty. Where’s the manliness there? Personally I’m not a big fan of so-called masculinity. I’m more about decent people, regardless of gender.
But fatherhood is a completely different animal. To be a great father is one of the hardest challenges a man can face. I’m not saying I’m a “great” father, I’m not by any stretch. But I have striven toward that goal, and I have seen people who ARE great fathers, and it has nothing to do with sperm being Olympic swimmers. My brother is a great father to a granddaughter whose biological parents couldn’t make the grade. That girl is his reason for living. I recently learned via 23andMe that I have a half-brother (interesting thing to learn at the age of 77 lol). We share a biological mother, but his PARENTS adopted him.
He is a wonderful man with a big, wonderful and loving family, the result of an exceptional upbringing by parents with no biological connection to him whatsoever. Between the three of us brothers, he was the lucky one.
I guess what I’m saying is that there are lots of different ways to achieve fatherhood, and I fully understand your desire to be a biological father, but fatherhood - real fatherhood - is not about you - it’s about the child. Your masculinity, as a father, is the reflection of your influence for good in your child, regardless of how the two of you got together. A lot of the time that involves being in one place when, if left to consider only your own desires, you would rather be somewhere else - endless soccer games, hockey, baseball, football, volleyball, choir and band concerts, etc. etc.
It’s funny, but I never dreamed in my wildest imagination that I would ever read “Anne of the Green Gables.” But I am so thankful I did. It is a beautiful story about parenting. And Matthew, as shy and retiring as he was with everyone else, was a giant of a man and a phenomenal father to his little girl.
Okay, I got it out and I hope nothing I said is offensive. My intentions were anything but.
The infertility stuff is hard just because you see a lot of other fathers, from afar -- and admittedly you don't always know what they're like at home every day -- who seem to not take the responsibility seriously, i.e. "Babe, can I play golf?" and the like. That becomes triggering when you at least think you yourself would take it seriously.
But I understand sperm does not a father make, even if a lot of women probably secretly think that. I know some of Katie's friends do, and overtly treat their husbands like that. So, it's a tough dance. Part of it is probably Texas.
I wouldn't say America is screwed, but the intersection of a 1.6 kid replacement rate and AI and Boomers demanding $1,724,000 for homes at best worth $550,000 is going to be an uphill climb right now.
With the declining birth rate and absolute refusal of most citizens to do the grimy nut necessary work (how many Anglos you see on a roof or on a vegetable farm in 105 degrees), it seems like we’re biting off our nose to spite our face by demonizing migrants.
Politically, I get it, it’s not a good thing in the long run for the GOP, and you have to wonder if even those jobs will be spared by AI, but this country either needs to develop a sensible immigration policy or dismantle the damned statue in New York harbor. I’m Irish-American, so my folks - as well as most of our folks - have been on the outside looking in the candy store window. I hate hypocrites.
A word about infertility. Normally, I would not venture an opinion to someone suffering something I have not. But you invite discussion, so here’s my two cents. Being able to impregnate a female does not a man nor a father make. Even a sniveling, cowardly rapist can do it. So can an effeminate gay person. It’s not a “masculine” trait, just a biological fact that all too often leaves the poor child the victim of negligence, rejection, and mental or physical cruelty. Where’s the manliness there? Personally I’m not a big fan of so-called masculinity. I’m more about decent people, regardless of gender.
But fatherhood is a completely different animal. To be a great father is one of the hardest challenges a man can face. I’m not saying I’m a “great” father, I’m not by any stretch. But I have striven toward that goal, and I have seen people who ARE great fathers, and it has nothing to do with sperm being Olympic swimmers. My brother is a great father to a granddaughter whose biological parents couldn’t make the grade. That girl is his reason for living. I recently learned via 23andMe that I have a half-brother (interesting thing to learn at the age of 77 lol). We share a biological mother, but his PARENTS adopted him.
He is a wonderful man with a big, wonderful and loving family, the result of an exceptional upbringing by parents with no biological connection to him whatsoever. Between the three of us brothers, he was the lucky one.
I guess what I’m saying is that there are lots of different ways to achieve fatherhood, and I fully understand your desire to be a biological father, but fatherhood - real fatherhood - is not about you - it’s about the child. Your masculinity, as a father, is the reflection of your influence for good in your child, regardless of how the two of you got together. A lot of the time that involves being in one place when, if left to consider only your own desires, you would rather be somewhere else - endless soccer games, hockey, baseball, football, volleyball, choir and band concerts, etc. etc.
It’s funny, but I never dreamed in my wildest imagination that I would ever read “Anne of the Green Gables.” But I am so thankful I did. It is a beautiful story about parenting. And Matthew, as shy and retiring as he was with everyone else, was a giant of a man and a phenomenal father to his little girl.
Okay, I got it out and I hope nothing I said is offensive. My intentions were anything but.
No, that's all good. It was a good comment.
The infertility stuff is hard just because you see a lot of other fathers, from afar -- and admittedly you don't always know what they're like at home every day -- who seem to not take the responsibility seriously, i.e. "Babe, can I play golf?" and the like. That becomes triggering when you at least think you yourself would take it seriously.
But I understand sperm does not a father make, even if a lot of women probably secretly think that. I know some of Katie's friends do, and overtly treat their husbands like that. So, it's a tough dance. Part of it is probably Texas.
I wouldn't say America is screwed, but the intersection of a 1.6 kid replacement rate and AI and Boomers demanding $1,724,000 for homes at best worth $550,000 is going to be an uphill climb right now.