By Bill O'Reilly
As we have been reporting for years, the root of many social problems in America is the collapse of the traditional family. Last night we documented it. And you can see that memo if you missed it on BillOReilly.com.
This afternoon, President Obama at the White House announced an initiative called My Brother's Keeper to help young African-American men who are at risk. The plan is to combine federal resources with private funds from major corporations to help the kids. Now, I was invited to the announcement and I was happy to attend. The initiative is very well- intentioned but some specific things must be done.
First, you've got to teach children at risk to read. If that takes one-on-one tutoring, that's what has to happen.
Two, you have to provide mentors to individual children that the teachers pinpoint, who lack guidance at home. There should be a volunteer program for mentors in every city and town in this country.
Three, high profile Americans including the President and First Lady must go on television and the Net to warn to warn young people having babies outside of marriage and bringing children into this world without resources is cruel. It's cruel. It has to be a campaign, a persuasion so young Americans wise up.
Also, there has to be peer pressure not to get pregnant unless you are in a stable situation. Are we all understanding that? Right now there is no peer pressure. That has to change.
Fourth, the initiative has to get local business people to hire kids for summer jobs and internships, children must know about the work place and what is expected there.
And finally American law enforcement has to engage children at risk to convince them they are not the enemy.
If those five things are part of the My Brother's Keeper's initiative I can guarantee you America will begin to turn the terrible situation around.
But if people continue not to make judgments about bad parents, disorderly children, chaos in the family unit, we continue to make excuses for all that the problem is only going to get worse. Hopefully today the White House made the first step and I believe that American business, law enforcement and we the people will step up to help the kids at risk. I really believe that.
And that's "The Memo."
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