I recognize that this is not a new idea. What I offer here is why we cannot afford to be absent!

I stopped a father and son in the grocery store one afternoon. I asked permission to speak to his son, the boy was seventeen. I shared a few thoughts about growing up and growing into manhood. I noticed the young man’s father tearing up. He shared with me that I just repeated, almost verbatim what he was addressing with his kid having gathered him up from the juvenile detention center earlier. They were driving home to Seattle.

On another occassion, a father, divorced, and separated asked me to lunch. He wanted me to speak with his son about racism, the boy was fifteen years old. This young man did not understand why his highschool, basketball, teammate yelled at him, “I hate white people!”. On another occassion, a young black kid did not want to be in gangs. He felt the pressure within his neighborhood to join a gang or else. This was a real issue for him which caused a great deal of fear, he was living afraid.

I had a young, white female of college age declare that men were pigs! Honestly, there are many guys who are pigs, I can appreciate her sentiment! There are also women who despise men. Most, but certainly not all, have a story of absue to share. I once held the door open for a young woman who stopped abruptly explaining, “I don’t need you to open the door for me!” However, there are men and women who enjoy being men and women. There are fathers and mothers who enjoy being parents, and there are children who have no problem being boys and girls.

We live in corrupted times where the identity of biological men and women is promoted as subjective. People are the only thing in the “Created Universe” who can decide to be un-natural. In today’s culture this attitude and mindset is being imposed on the natural world which has only produced chaos. Our kids and grandkids are learning how to navigate chaos and abnormality, fearful of representing normal, huh?

My granddaughter, while on the phone with a school representative was asked, “What is your preferred prounoun?” My granddaughter responded, “Her-She (or something in line with the expectation.) I asked her why she didn’t not just say, I am a girl – as if the person on the other end did not know this? My granddaughter explained to me the many ways that she would get into trouble. My heart hurt for her while my insides were screaming at what our kids are being indoctrinated into.

The Critical Race Theory, White Privilege, and the Black Lives Matter insanity are systemic of a cultural abnormality introduced by people, organizations, and political opposition against critical thought and personal responsibility. Our children’s minds are being enslaved to this sort of social justice thinking. Political correctness gave birth to emotional insanity, a new dysfunction. I am still trying to comprehend,  “Safe Spaces,” Personal Space,” and “Body Shamming?”

I grew up with kick ball, jungle jims, and, ass whoopins! I also grew up in a broken home. My generation was possibly the first generation to not have dads in the homes as a growing trend. Today, we have a different kind of father, many of whom had no father figure. I swore that I would never be that father! I look into the lives of young boys seeing a need to encourage them to be okay with growing into manhood. I have engraved into my spirit the young men who fought for our freedoms, our way of life in America. Whether fighting against racism and bigotry or fighting to raise a family, every ethnicity has had to battle back the failures that chase humanity through the centuries.

I think women are amazing, my mother to be my finest example. I have met amazing men who helped me along the way as well. These people are still part of the natural, normal reality that produced all of us. However, there are always those who lead the way, through the centuries creating chaos!

 

I am wanting to be a voice for the normal people addressing young boys with a single message, it is normal to become productive, masculine, men! Each boy can make decisions that do not shackle them to fear and or reprisals for becoming a man. Women are never looking to be married to somebodies child.

My father once said to me that he never grew up. My thought was, ya think? I was forced to disown him as a parent because, he disowned me and my siblings. One day, not to long ago, it occurred to me that I have no memory of him buying Christmas presents, a birthday present, or even school clothes. He did not offer those memories to his kids. It took years to grapple with this and years to forgive him. I was only able to forgive him years after his death…..Tia Rottach, writes in her book, Echoes of Resilience,  ” Forgiveness is a gift to yourself.”

I am not writing this to bleed all over what is wrong in the world but rather to highlight all that is right. The idea behind the “boys to Men” conference that I am planning is to do just that.

This conference, financially can only happen with sponsorships! With a few raised prayers and me asking for your support, your thoughts, and your personal involvement (we can do this!) Who amoung you is willing to help?

A nineteen year old man sent to me an email yesterday. I want to share with you what he wrote in response to a conversation that I initiated with him and his friend. I had no idea at the time what he was going through:

“It’s ******** from the Rainers game, I was one of the 19 year old guys you talked to during the game. I just wanted to say that what you had to say was incredible, inspiring and exactly what I needed in that moment. Recently I’ve been struggling with a break up with my ex girlfriend of 2 years, we started in high school and went until earlier this year. What you said was powerful and really gave me a different perspective on how to heal. Thank you, I needed you more than you knew. I would love to get that link for your podcast.”

His note to me spoke volumes about his situation, not because of the failed relationship but, because he never mentioned it during our conversation the night before. I watched him listening, I could see him taking in every word that I spoke that night. This person’s note made my day because I watched what he wrote to me swirling around in his head the day before. I just did not know the personal situation that he was struggling with until his email.

To the fathers who have been dad to all of their children, all of their lives, I salute YOU!

To the fathers who are raising the children of other men…I salute you as well. The first time that I heard Elvie Shane’s song..I cried! (Ask my wife)

If you want to help email me jsmorton@protonmail.com

THANK YOU for being purposed!