Clinton poor choice for Father of the Year

The National Father’s Day Committee (whomever its members are) at a recent New York City luncheon designated former President Bill Clinton as its choice for “Father of the Year.” The honor was conferred for his fundraising efforts on behalf of Save the Children Foundation, an international relief organization established to promote better education, health care and economic opportunities for children in developing nations.

I have no doubt that Mr. Clinton has probably spoken eloquently and been a very effective fundraiser for this organization. In that sense, I am sure he has done service worth commending. But couldn’t the commendation have been given under a different label? Father of the Year? Come again? A serial adulterer, who was also brought for impeachment before Congress for sex in the White House with an intern and then lying about it before a grand jury, is a role model of good parenting? Not in my mind.

Where is this country heading if we imply directly or indirectly to our boys and young men that what is defined as honorable character can be set at so low a bar? Worse is the thought that by holding someone like Mr. Clinton up as Father of the Year, our daughters will come to expect that the best man they will ever find to marry will inevitably be unfaithful.

Len Meyer

Hoffman Estates