Stop It Now

This is from a blog titled Broken Bread and deserves attention.

Stop It Now
To the Virginia Dept of Health:When my daughter was born prematurely, I would place my thumb into her hand for her to squeeze as she lay in her isolette. When she recovered and came home from the hospital, I would hold and kiss her hand often. After she learned to walk, we could frequently be seen walking hand-in-hand down our street.My daughter will turn eleven this summer. I see her two nights every week, every other weekend, and for two weeks in the summer. I have told her she doesn't have to hold my hand when we walk down the street, but she insists. At times I've wondered how it looks to other people to seea 10-year-old girl holding her father's hand, but this doesn't occupy my mind for very long. I'm more concerned about what feels right for her than about what other people think.I find the latest advertisement from the Virginia Department of Health deeply offensive and hurtful. It is offensive to any man who has a nurturing relationship with a child, because it implies that any father who shows physical affection to his child should be labeled a potential sexual predator. It is hurtful because it twists an innocent gesture of affection between a father and child into something that would make most fathers turn pale. Fathers are not by definition pedophiles, but your ad asks viewers to think of all physical affection shown by fathers as an indication of sexual abuse.Some find your ad ridiculous. I do not consider it funny or ridiculous. I am extremely uncomfortable with the climate of fear that sex abuse and domestic violence advocates are creating. You are creating a McCarthyist environment that may one day drive a permanent wedge between fathers and their children, and which will ultimately be damaging to men's relationships with ALL children. Sex abuse is a problem, but to imply that sex abuse by fathers is of epidemic proportions is both inaccurate and unhelpful.Please stop smearing fathers. Stop It Now.Jeffrey Zeth