I Am "A" Father

I was watching the move Life the other night, you know the one with Martin and Eddie getting life sentences down in Mississippi. I’m sure there aren’t many who won’t find it to be a comedy classic of the late 90’s.

A scene struck me in a way it hadn’t before as i was enjoying the film. The one i’m talking about is where the warden of the prison camp is trying to determine which one of the prisoners is the father of his white daughters black baby. Take out the time period references and it almost sounds like a situation you would see on the Maury Povich show.




As you see by the clip from the movie in the scene the prisoners, who all happen to be black men, each step up and proclaim that the child is theirs. What struck me
is the power of this demonstration minus Bernie Mac at the end. Usually in these circumstances which happen to be on the Maury show most of the time we see a brother denouncing and disowning a child which is proclaimed to be his. In the cases where he is right we see dancing and celebration on his behalf, when the child is found to be his devastation is usually found on their face.

There have been many discussions and arguments on the state of the African American community especially dealing with African American men and their roles. Gone are the days when it was common for a black man to be portrayed and looked at as the provider and protector of his family. Instead we are more likely to see black men being put down, labeled as no good and worthless.

Just imagine what it would be like to truly have that community sense like in the olden days we always hear about. Where if a child needed some support that there was a wall of brothers willing to step forward and offer their help rather than look for a way out of any responsibility.

I know the movie was a comedy and the scene was meant to produce laughs, but just think about it...

Watch the clip again....

“It takes a village to raise a child” - African Proverb