Dear Antiseptic,

You seem to think that raising the issue
of child protection on Father's Day is
intentionally tainting Father's and is
grubby.

Fair enough.

You're entitled to you point of view.

Yeah but Fathers day and Mothers day are a croc of...

I'm a father and I wont have a bar of Fathers Day. I don't do anything special. I made the choice to have kids and I raise them responsibly as is my responsibility. I enjoy it. I don't need a special day.

Why do we have to spend our lives trying to 'validate' people and make them feel 'special' and 'appreciated'. It's a croc of sh1t.

Conversely, raising awareness of all the ills of the world is equally redundant. Bla blah blah is all I hear when the latest 'shocking figures' are parroted to me from some well meaning do-gooder with a red nose to sell me or something equally idiotic.

Too much noise in the world I tell ya. It's all an excuse to not actually do anything. Yeah, I wore genes today or a ridiculous red nose, it means I care about little kiddies. Look at me look at me, look at my moustache for mens health. Piss off!

Houellebecq, are you having a bad day then? Dear me, having a go at people who financially support research into the unexplained deaths of babies is low, even for you.

Antiseptic, I think you are being a bit precious here.
I agree with Pelican and Foxy in that I did not find that article in any way a put-down for men at all.
I read it as possibly saying what better day to talk about protection of children than Father's day?

Father's day may well have been chosen as the launching day for encouraging others to report child abuse in all it's forms for a particular reason they haven't told us.

Maybe the men questioned in the survey were the ones who were less likely to report their suspicions of abuse because they felt ashamed of what they perceived as not being able to deal with their own family safety problems?

Maybe it was just a simple reason, and not a huge anti-male drama that you make everything out to be?

Jee, what a sad world we live in if we think remembering our responsibility to 33,000 children known to be abused or neglected in Australia each year will detract from Father's Day.
And I don't think a small organisation of mainly volunteers like NAPCAN working on behalf of abused children is going to do any damage to the spirit of Father's Day, unlike the multi-million dollar assault by commercial interests for the past several weeks.
Every father I know will treasure their children on Sunday and none would begrudge a thought for all those kids who don't have a father who can protect them from abuse and neglect.
As the NAPCAN people say, child abuse and neglect is everybody's business ... and that's every day of the year.

Can I assume that Suzeonline and chill are supporters of my campaign to have the National Child Abuse week commence on Mother's Day next year?

Thanks, I appreciate it.

Antiseptic, I think there are plenty of people that would support the week starting with Mothers Day next year. I am with the others on this - I see no ill will to fathers generally by the choice of date. I am aware that you have been targeted by bitter ex's or the CSA in the past, but you really should try to get the chip off your shoulder when looking at something that is not explicitly aimed at you. I have/had a wonderful father and my husband makes a pretty good one too (I accord my own father slightly more accolades given that he was a single dad, so had to be mum as well). I see no slight to them and am sure that my dad wouldnt see an issue either (and he's a crotchety 70-something yo these days). I think your life story has greatly coloured your view of the world. Try smelling the roses (but dont prick your fingers).