I just read an article on Philly.com, "Helping Fathers Grow Into Men" , about Sam McNabb, Donovan's father, and I must say I was moved. Earlier this week and later today I'll be looking into the eyes of Philadelphia's future crime wave, when I go down to the Youth Study Center, which is the holding facility in Philly, where they keep youngsters who have been arrested and are awaiting trial.
I assist the Chaplain by befriending, counseling and praying with these youngsters. Over 90% of them are African-American youngsters, who are being raised without a father in their lives. Quite a few of them are fathers already and they have no idea what it means to be a man. This is the reason we have a sky-rocketing murder rate in the city and a school system that is barely hanging on.
I always applauded the McNabb's from a distance because they represent exactly what we need more of in Philly. I had to sit and talk to youngsters in the Youth Study Center who criticized Donovan for not fighting with Terrell Owens when they were having their feud a couple of years ago. See these youngsters don't put up with anything, they'll fight you if you look at them the wrong way and that's why they're incarcerated. They'll have a tough time being employed if they don't change their attitude. It's a code being a "brother" that you don't take anything. My father made me drop that code and Sam McNabb made Donovan drop it.
Of course all of the sports media in Philly was criticizing Donovan and calling him a whimp. All I could do was sit back and shake my head when I viewed the double standard. Could you imagine how Donovan would have been viewed if he had attacked Terrell Owens physically and gotten into a fight? It would have fit the stereotype of the black angry, violent and out of control professional athlete. Have you ever heard of white quarterback being asked to physically attack one fo his teammates to show he is the team leader?
I went through this growing up where I had to show I was a real brother but still sneak and get my work in school. Donovan was setting a good example for all the wayward youngsters here in Philly and across the country, when he refused to get down on T.O.' s level.
After reading about Sam McNabb I couldn't help but think about how he and his wife have been ridiculed here in Philly because o of the way they support their son. Rather than being lifted up as a hero, Sam and Wilma were laughed at and scorned. I understand that Eagles fans want the Birds to win but there's no way I'm behind two outstanding people like Wilma and Sam being criticized because they choose to do something that thousands of parents in Philly fail to do, and that's love and support their children.
