MY TAKE
Earl A. Birkett
LOVE, MARRIAGE, THEN FAMILY When it comes to family, I am a great believer in tradition, and for one overwhelming reason: Family is the cornerstone of civilization. Every race, every culture, every religion that I have studied seems to agree with me. As this is a truism, it also stands to reason that marriage is the surest route to familial strength. It binds spouses to each other and provides an example of strength, stability and, hopefully, love and commitment to their children. Although I am a lifelong bachelor with no children, I have personally benefitted from the love and support that a devoted mother and father can give. Earl and Queenie Birkett gave me and my siblings all of the advantages available to pursue my dreams. Having themselves been denied the advantages given to other children due to their race and lack of money, they felt it important not to deny it to their own progeny. As a result of my personal experience, I believe in the tradition of family. I believe that when a couple find compatibility and love, they should get married, after which they should proceed to have and raise children in a household that is nurturing and full of love. This does wonders to a child's self-esteem and attitude toward others, for when it is grown, it will most likely take the example of its parents and replicate it with its own spouse and children, thereby forming the building blocks of a civilized and progressive society. BAVUAL
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THE BIRKETT FAMILY IN 1992 (LEFT TO RIGHT): EARL, SISTERS ERLANDA AND GLORIA, MOTHER QUEENIE, FATHER EARL, NEPHEW CLIFFTON
Do we have such a society in 2023? For the most part, yes. Most people are decent and want the best for their spouse, their children and the social fabric as a whole. Others, sadly, do not. It is to these people, thankfully still a minority, that I address my commentary. Please be mindful that whatever you do in front of your children, they will see it, soak it up like a sponge, likely take it as gospel, and seek to imitate it because "Mom and Dad are never wrong." Unfortunately, at times, Mom and Dad are wrong, and the result is a society that is meaner, more ignorant, more unjust, and ultimately regressive. As the 21st century progresses, the human race as a whole yearns to advance and not repeat the mistakes of the past. To do so requires a foundation with the nuclear family, but with love and understanding.
SPRING 2023
