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It is a myth that single moms don't raise productive children. Millions of decent, hardworking, clean-living, godly, educated adults around the world can testify that they were raised by a single mother. The absence of a father in the home is not a precursor to under education or imprisonment, Senator Barack Obama (likely to be the first Black president of the United States) and Tom Bradley the first and only Black mayor of Los Angles (1973 - 1993) are two good examples. Both were raised without their father in the home. The ideal two-parent home has become the exception rather than the norm in many communities throughout America.  However, according to statistics, Black single mothers head 70% of the households, which is greater than any other race. This percentage has steadily increased with every U.S. Census for the past several decades.

Decades ago, although Black single-mother headed households were an increasing lifestyle their children were not dropping out of school or occupying prison space at the high numbers of today. Consequently, I believe, Black women are being misled by popular culture as the Pied Piper of Hamlet led the children away in the fairytale. Popular culture is very influential and can't be overlooked. Even white moms are affected by pop culture from sexually placed tattoos to public displays of lesbianism, such as celebrity Brittany Spears, who lost custody of your children because of her lewd conduct. Nobody told these impressible females that mature men are not seriously interested in women with sexually suggestive tattoos and/or body piecings, (which most young women regret as they mature) and/or lewd conduct beyond a diversion responsibility and definitely not as their child's role model for womanhood.

Young women today are bombarded with negative images that affect their choices and lower their standards; however, Black women seem to take a bigger bite of the apple. For example: In their song Gangsta love, Alicia Keys and Eve claim they ain't giving up until they get some gangsta love. Beyonce, Michelle and Kelly of the hit group, Destiny's Child, released a song in November of 2004, entitled: Soldier. In their song, they declare they want a soldier, "a rude boy with some street credibility." Better known as a thug, baller, shot caller or pimp. They say, "If he ain't hood, they're not interested."

Women get on their knees and pray for a good, responsible, mature man but their actions speak otherwise. Is it impossible to want a man that practices ‘thug life' and a ‘good husband' or ‘good father' to your/his child at the same time... it's an oxymoron.  I constantly see young women on the arms of young men playing thug for attention and arrogantly sorting the image; yet, these women imagine that these guys are the answer to their prayers. In later years, the single mothers are complaining the father(s) is a deadbeat, and their child is out-of-hand. The challenge for single women to beat the odds and raise productive children is greater than ever.

Email: richardojones1@verizon.net

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