Kansas City Chiefs kicker and Super Bowl champion Harrison Butker hasn’t been shy about sharing his faith and pro-life convictions this past season.
You can now add to his devotion and appreciation for the role that strong and responsible fathers play in culture.
Speaking recently with a reporter, Butker was asked to reflect on the aftermath of the Chief’s Super Bowl Parade, where one person was killed, and twenty other spectators were injured. The 28-year-old was asked by EWTN for his opinion on the “best way to curb gun violence.”
“I know gun violence was a big discussion, but at the end of the day, this is degenerate violence and it should not be occurring,” Butker said. “I think we need strong fathers in the home. We need men that are leading, that are setting good examples, that are teaching the young men in our society that violence is not the way to handle our disputes.”
He continued:
“It’s very unfortunate what happened. Unfortunately, many, many children were injured. A beautiful young lady was killed over someone getting offended, and turning to violence to handle that dispute. It’s so sad. I don’t think guns are the issue. I think we need strong fathers in the home that are being great examples for our youth.”
Harrison Butker is correct. Children who grow up without a father in the home endure numerous hardships and suffer lifelong consequences. In addition to having an exponentially higher likelihood of landing in prison, we know they’re also more likely to end up on welfare, be addicted to drugs, father children out of wedlock and even struggle with anxiety and emotional issues.
Writes Dr. Brad Wilcox, director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, “Lacking the day-to-day involvement, guidance, and positive example of their father in the home, and the financial advantages associated with having him in the household, these boys are more likely to act up, lash out, flounder in school, and fail at work as they move into adolescence and adulthood. Even though not all fathers play a positive role in their children’s lives, on average, boys benefit from having a present and involved father.”
Politicizing violence has become something of a popular sport, especially when it comes to incidents that involve firearms. There is a pervasive belief that if there were fewer guns or guns were more difficult to obtain, there would be fewer incidents of violence. Yet history shows that perpetrators either figure out a way to illegally obtain a gun – or figure out another to way to exact violence.
There’s also the obvious question of why “degenerate violence” is on the rise. Is it really because there are more guns and people are just taking advantage of easy access? If that were the case, why wouldn’t violence have been proportionally high back when there were few if any laws regulating firearms?
Harrison Butker is a talented and honorable man excelling on the field and raising and advancing wise and positive perspectives off of it. Happily married to his high school sweetheart, Isabelle, the Butkers are proud parents of two young children. He’s committed to practicing what he preaches – and we wish him God’s best as he and his wife face the awesome responsibility and joy of raising children in the fear and admonition of the Lord.
Image from Getty.
