More Positives on Jubilee Father’s Day – by Francis Quamina Farrier + photos

More Positives on Jubilee Father’s Day – by Francis Quamina Farrier

Francis Quamina Farrier

Yes, we did it! There was far less male bashing on this Jubilee Year Father’s Day. I can’t give a percentage, but I could proudly submit that what I have been working on for the past five years is really paying off. Father’s Day in Guyana is regaining its true purpose; and that is to recognize and honour the Good Fathers in the Land: the Men of Honour, The Men of Purpose, and The Good Fathers.

This was the situation during recent years; a growing number of influential individuals – Senior Social Workers, Pastors, Ministers of government, Law Enforcers – took it upon themselves to behave like the Grinch who tried to steal Christmas. They tried to steal Father’s Day. What a calamity! With FIFTY-ONE other Sundays in the year, these otherwise good people, would choose Father’s Day, of all the Sundays in the year, to go into the print and electronic media and into their places of worship, and like the sheriff in the Hollywood movie, “Walking Tall”, and go swinging with a big stick, beating up on all the men in sight.

As I stated in my previous article on this subject, it is not about whether there are bad fathers. It is about the misuse of FATHER’S DAY; that one day in the year, officially set aside for the GOOD FATHERS, when we should honour them and give them words of encouragement. It is not easy out there in our modern world for the good men. Imagine a man working in a government ministry, or in a private company, where there are all sorts of corruption around him, and he tries to do the right thing and not fall prey to any skulduggery!

He loves his children and goes the extra mile every day, setting a good example, teaching them how to live a decent and productive life. He loves his fellow citizens and dedicates his energies towards the happiness and prosperity of his country. Then along comes Father’s Day and he is in church with his wife and children, and there is the Pastor, pounding on the pulpit, “YOU MEN. You must step up to the plate”. How cruel! What an injustice! The good fathers have already stepped up, not just to the plate, but with the plate, full of goodies for their children!

However, there is GOOD NEWS about this Jubilee Father’s Day. There was far less male bashing than in previous years. Hallelujah! But there is still much more work to be done. At this time last year, there was the commencement of a massive Clean-Up Campaign in the city of Georgetown. A year later, while the city is so much cleaner, there is still more work to be done. The same goes for us in recognizing the GOOD FATHERS in our society, and to give them words of encouragement – or even a simple smile of acknowledgement, when we see them doing their fatherly duties. Let’s be more positive with our FATHERS and Father Figures.

PHOTOS of GOOD FATHERS