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Vincent DiCaro weighs in on statistics that show the absence of father’s impact boys negatively
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Keep them coming.
All right so as we continue to look at the question all of why.
And as you just heard William -- would say there is probably.
No single fact -- idea that drives somebody like this to do this it's a multiple.
Set of factors -- and to -- the vice president for development and communications at the national fatherhood.
Initiative joining us from DC.
Has a theory and that is the role of the family in this Vincent.
-- I thought it was a kind of interest in the previous -- didn't say anything about our family dynamics but a pattern that we see emerging in so many of these horrible tragedies.
Is that almost invariably these are these are -- young man who are growing up with either and and non existent or broken relationship with their father.
And there are just far too many children and our country right now growing up -- that sort of environment.
And we've seen it play out so many times with the DC sniper the shooting in Tucson the Norwegian terrorist a couple years ago.
On and it appears in this case although of course -- we can't speculate we don't know exactly what happened yet.
I'm but it appears and in this case.
This shooter had not seen -- father and about six months.
And he seemed to have been really negatively impacted.
By his parents divorce a couple years ago -- Do you what what is the evidence that.
A nonexistent.
Relationship with a father rather relationship with a father in the home that is a bad one.
How what is the evidence that a nonexistent relationship is actually more damaging Vincent.
Why don't businesses early -- it.
Instead it's more damaging.
They're damaging in different ways I think I think when you have to come to terms with the absence and ask yourself why is my father not involved in my life and that's a painful question.
To have to confront for for anyone on of course if you have a father in the home or me off an involved father and it's a bad relationship.
You know that obviously right it raises different questions you know why why don't -- have a good relationship with my father is or something wrong with me.
Is there something out there in the world that's more important to my father -- than me -- -- children unfortunately.
About one out of every three children actually -- our country right now our growing up and father absent homes is the question and unfortunately is being asked all too often by kids these days.
-- -- what what what is it that a from what you know the studies done by your organization what is it that a father.
Brings to the -- -- of a young man who might otherwise go on a different pop that make.
Yeah I think it's its structure its stability.
-- someone to look up to.
On the you know if you look at gangs in our country for example.
Gangs are largely populated by young man.
Who are looking for an example of what it means to be a man on these are often young man who are growing up without ads in their lives.
On force in our nation's prisons are also.
Disproportionately.
Filled with that we young man who grew up without.
Fathers and their lives so these women who are looking for an example of what it means to be a man what it means to be responsible -- what it means to be a father and when they can't find that in the home.
With oh with a man who is -- -- in the home saying.
I care about you I love you I'm gonna make sacrifices to be here in your life.
Every day.
You know that makes an enormous impact on the psyche of a young man who one above.
He was riding in here agreeing with you hi -- -- says I agree with the family dynamic that aspect people are always so quick to blame movies and video -- because it's easier.
Then blaming themselves Cassandra -- but they're also says how can they -- TV even looney tunes cartoons will violent there is so much of this.
Lack of respect for people.
Is a big pot so.
How do we go about it -- on the on the broader issue of absent fathers Vincent how do we go bad as a nation tackling that.
Well I think first of -- we just have to pull up a cultural life deal about the importance of dads that fathers are just -- important to their children -- mothers are.
On and really -- you know hammer that that message home and as many places we can in movies and our culture.
Through government policies and that sort of thing.
And then of course you know that -- the hope in this issue is that something that you can do to -- to start making things better if you're a dad.
Be there for your kids be involved in our lives love them nurture them provide for them.
On and you could also become a mentor to other children so it's you know if you're doing a great job with your own kids.
In -- might -- other kids in your neighborhood that might not necessarily have that be a mentor to those kids.
-- mentor to another father.
Who needs help.
His -- in journey.
Also there's there's lots of actionable things that that men and women frankly can do you are today if you're a mom you know try to.
You -- encourage and help the father of your children be involved in their life you know recognize how important it is for that -- to be involved.
But so Vincent -- It we don't know Walt was in Adam lenses mind we might never know -- was in Adam jones' mind walk Cole's goal this Mac and being in home without his father.
May have been a contributing factor having Asperger's syndrome may have been a contributing factor but who -- the -- saw that there are off.
Millions of kids would -- -- who do not do this there are millions kids with that with -- without fathers.
Without.
Got fathers in their lives who do not do this so there's that -- there's a multitude of factors when you look at all of these you're not saying that this kid did this because he did not.
Have a father's life.
New absolutely not but what I am saying is that you know again it's a pattern we see emerging a lot of these cases.
And it is so it's -- is worth looking at.
It's worth looking -- as one of the factors and I think another important point to make.
Is that if you look at the other risk factors.
Around around violence such as kind of unfettered access to it is too dangerous you -- media -- You know violent video games and television for even poverty.
Bomb or joining a gang you know all these things that seemed to be contributing factors -- risk factors for crime.
Those factors are actually more likely to occur in father -- and homes.
So even if there's not a direct impact.
There could certainly be an indirect impact that father actions has on all these other important factors.
What are the the role and an on again until he to a broader issue here -- half of the role of the colts in this.
They do say 88 and in relationships well that -- go wrong then there's a divorce happens.
The courts do seem to lean perhaps towards the mother do you get a lot of fathers coming to you and saying I need more help from the colts.
We do arm.
But the from our perspective I think that again to speaks to a broader cultural issue.
Which is that we as a culture don't necessarily value the contribution of fathers who are two children's lives as much as we value the contribution mothers.
So the court system is really just a reflection of cultural values.
In this case.
So I think we have to just do a better job in a culture of really valuing and holding up responsible fatherhood as something that's unique and irreplaceable and children's lives.
All right -- -- of a it's a very interesting discussion.
Thank you for bringing it to us today been since web -- of course of the national fatherhood.
Initiative as there on the screen it is fatherhood.
-- old really interesting to told -- Vincent thank you very much indeed and as he say it is no one calls here that we can pinpoint we might never be able to pinpoint it but this is one of those factors.
That is worth discussion on what debate and we thank you for doing that would distance of the Karen.
Thank you very much are.
