The National Fatherhood Initiative has launched an insulting billboard and bus-card campaign depicting small black children who have biting words for their fathers. While vilifying absent black fathers, the campaign ignores the fact that many black fathers have been driven out of their children's lives by vengeful or selfish mothers and the family courts which support them. As one black father notes:

"All the official talk about promoting black fatherhood doesn't amount to anything. I did the best I could as a father but the moment I wasn't convenient anymore I was gone. The courts didn't care about my kids having time with me, all they cared about was my money, and I don't even have much. Every time I see one of those 'Dear Daddy' posters at the bus stop I think 'what do you mean 'Dear Daddy'?' Don't you mean 'Dear Mommy'? You tell daddy to be daddy, why don't you tell mommy to let daddy be daddy?"

Reginald Brass and Alvin Thomas of My Child Says Daddy help young inner-city fathers fight to connect and reconnect with their children. Roland Warren, the president of the National Fatherhood Initiative, helped create the billboard campaign. Reginald, Alvin, and Roland joined Glenn on a spirited His Side with Glenn Sacks on Sunday, April 25, 2004.  James, a young black father who has struggled to remain a part of his little daughter's life, was also in studio and told his story.

To learn more about the difficulties faced by loving fathers, including unwed fathers, see Glenn's columns:

Many Divorced Dads Struggle to Remain in Their Children's Lives (Long Beach Times, 6/5/03)

Convicted Murderess Can Get Custody but Decent Fathers Can't (Houston Chronicle, 9/19/03)

New California Move-Away Law Hurts Children of Divorce (Long Beach Press Telegram, 10/18/03)

Why Are There so Many Women in the Fathers' Movement? (Minneapolis Star-Tribune, 6/21/02) (co-authored by Dianna Thompson of the National Family Justice Association)

No Virtue in Virtual Visitation (Boston Globe, 7/12/02) (co-authored by Thompson)

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