I must come into full agreement with Booker Rising's Shay on this issue. Yes, I am glad that actress Halle Berry is deciding to bring a child into the world but as Shay rightfully protests that this is "another out-of-wedlock situation". "Not another family values" commentary, you may say. Well, I am afraid yes---this is going to be a family values discussion. "How dare you impose your values on Halle Berry?" One may protest. How about for me to turn this around and say this to you, "How dare actresses like Halle, IMPOSE their values on North American society?!" It seems that many Hollywood actors and actresses seem to pay it no mind of having children out of marriage, thinking it is their divine right to "redefine" the family. Anyone who wants to propose to continue how things were done the "old-fashioned" way which was to fall in love, get married and have children is seen as stupid, naive beyond human comprehension, worthy of contemptful satirical humour and is monitored with Neo-McCarthyist suspicion. For goodness sake, it doesn't take an Einstein that marriage and the family were the stabilizing influence for society for thousands of years. Though Christianity throughout the ages had it's neurotic issues and controversies, it is to be complemented that Christianity as a whole, sought to preserve those values for over 2000 years. Yes, those values have passed the test of time and in general(with few exceptions) have worked. It has been since the 1960's that the social engineers aggressively sought to redefine those values and marginalize those who dared to dissent. This nearly 40 years old experimentation hasn't worked very well hasn't it. What does this have to with Halle Berry? Well, I guess this is a discussion about her choice to have a child outside marriage and with her being a famous person, she needs to recognize that this has consequences of literally shaping and molding attitudes of general public. She may innocently not think that this is not the case but the fact remains that the opposite rings true. This further solidifies the mentality of many that marriage is not that important anymore. It further solidifies the mentality of the false belief that you really don't need a mother and father both living together to raise a child. As Shay has rightfully pointed out, that this has ramifications for the black community both in the United States and in Canada (as Halle Berry is a woman who has African American ancestry) in solidifying the mentality that single motherhood is glamourous (talk my mom who has raised me and my brother and I am sure she will tell you it's anything but), natural and it is thing to do. Common sense should tell anybody, isn't sooo much easier having a father and mother raising a child together? It is my wish that that there be a generation of Hollywood actors (born after 2000) that is not afraid to fall in love, get married and have children---the old fashioned way! In their decision, it will be a bold, courageous, brash and rebellious decision against their older counterparts. There is nothing wrong with the traditional family in and by itself. It is people who do not understand (or care not to understand) the roles in a traditional family that run amock and abuse it. I understand Halle Berry's reluctance to getting married because of her two previous failed relationships but it is my firm hope that in the not-to-distant future, Halle will receive spiritual guidance that will transform her as a person and have an understanding that marriage is child-centred, not self-centred as many people have mistakenly assumed. As for now, my sincere best wishes for Halle Berry, my fellow Canadian (and her boyfriend) Gabriel Aubry and the upcoming child.
Labels: Commentary, family values, Halle Berry, out of wedlock children
