Hardly the ideal family

Hardly the ideal family

I read Kathleen Parker’s column entitled “Michelle Obama’s valentine to men” in the Sept. 6 issue of The Herald with great interest. I fully agree with Ms. Parker’s praise of the First Lady’s references to the importance of her father in her life and of the importance of her husband as father to their daughters.

In doing so, Ms. Parker said that “The importance of fatherhood to the health of children and therefore to the nation can’t be exaggerated.”

In her speech, Mrs. Obama called herself, “the mom in chief” clearly noting the importance of that role for her family. These are all laudable expressions of the value of the ideal, traditional family.

Yet, in the same speech, Mrs. Obama provided thinly veiled approval for same-sex marriage when she expressed support for those who “can be who they are and boldly stand at the altar with who they love.” Many of these couples will choose to raise children in families without either a mother or a father present — and this is by design and not circumstances. Therefore, the very elements of an ideal family which Mrs. Obama praised in her speech, she contradicted with her support of same-sex marriage.

Tom Paulsen

Wheaton