Dad's Day okay, but...<\/p>\n
This is in response to an article Indonesian dads get no
\nappreciation published by The Jakarta Post on Sunday, June 16,
\n2002, by Carl Chairul.<\/p>\n
Promoting Father's Day is a laudable sentiment. However, when
\nCarl compared Mother's Day to father's, pointed to the rare case
\nof the father as the single parent, and claimed that mothers only
\nknow to ask for more money, matters became a little more
\ndebatable.<\/p>\n
Indonesian women are known to be treated as second class
\ncitizens, receiving lower wages than men. The lifestyles of
\nmothers and single mothers, especially those fraught with
\npoverty, apart from giving birth, slaving at the stove, ironing
\nand laundry, and raising children today, are far from easy, rife
\nwith the responsibility of rearing a competent, well-adjusted,
\nsocially capable being. This task becomes more difficult when a
\nsingle mother, whose children have to sleep each evening without
\nbeing able to say "good night" to their dads, attempts it.<\/p>\n
According to surveys, a father's absence means that children
\nare: five times more likely to commit suicide, 32 times more
\nlikely to run away, 20 times more likely to have behavioral
\ndisorders, 14 times more likely to commit rape, nine times more
\nlikely to drop out of high school, 10 times more likely to abuse
\nchemical substances, nine times more likely to end up in a state-
\noperated institution and 20 times more likely to end up in
\nprison.<\/p>\n
I suggest Carl Chairul take a stroll down around the
\nIndonesian courts and observe divorce certificates being handed
\nout to women like hot cakes. Most divorces occur because the
\nfathers have found someone else. Statistics will even show you
\nthe number of cases in the courts where the fathers have failed
\nto provide child support and the courts can do nothing. Observe
\nthe shopping malls, hotel lobbies, and the chances are that you
\nwill find fathers with young women that do not look like their
\nwives or daughters.<\/p>\n
In fact, the government should start cracking down on these
\nirresponsible Indonesian fathers for failure to provide medical
\nand child support, and their abrogation of the rights of their
\nchildren to have quality time with them. Promoting Father's Day
\nis fine but you should not degrade mothers, for they have long
\nbeen fighting for their rights in society. Indonesian culture
\ntends to support Asal Bapak Senang (just to please the boss).<\/p>\n
LOREEN NEVILLE<\/p>\n
Mother and Publisher of Roving Insight Magazine<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dads-day-okay-but-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }