Attention CNN! It’s not McDonald’s fault that Safiyyah Cotton chose to have a baby out of wedlock. Plus, here’s a rare news article that actually mentions the concept of personal responsibility.
By Daniel Alman (aka Dan from Squirrel Hill)
April 28, 2016
In this seven minute video, CNN talks about a single mother who is struggling to raise her child on the small salary that she earns at McDonald’s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SCB1t28nDU
As is always the case with news articles from the mainstream media about struggling single mothers trying to raise their children, the article says absolutely nothing about the baby’s father.
The article doesn’t say that the father has a responsibility to provide for the baby that he chose to create.
The article doesn’t say that the mother has a responsibility to choose a responsible mate to make her baby with.
The article doesn’t say that if they got married, they would only have to pay rent for one apartment instead of two, and so things would be a lot easier.
The article doesn’t say anything about the mother ever having made any attempt to acquire better education and job skills as a way to get a bigger salary.
By comparison, this news article by Inside Edition fully understands the concept of personal responsibility. The article is called “Mom Cries On Dock As Cruise Ship Leaves With Her Kids Still On Board,” and includes the following brilliant quote, the kind of quote that is completely missing in the CNN article about the McDonald’s worker:
Travel expert Mark Murphy told IE: “It is the woman’s fault for not getting back on time. It is not the cruise ship’s fault. It is not the captain’s fault. It is not the cruise line’s fault. Everybody knows the posted time to get back and that ship is on a schedule, it is going to go.”
I absolutely love that quote. I praise Mr. Murphy for saying it. And I praise Inside Edition for including it in the article.
CNN, and all the other mainstream news organizations that write about struggling single mothers without ever mentioning the children’s fathers, should learn a lesson from Inside Edition about how to write a proper news story.
Note from Daniel Alman: If you like this blog post that I wrote, you can buy my books from amazon, and/or donate to me via PayPal, using the links below:
Dan from Squirrel Hill's Blog 
HMichaelH replied:
Of course, this all makes sense to me. I’m 75. I was raised from childhood in a time when personal responsibility was taught at the dinner table, in school (Catholic school in my case), and even when at play with my friends. All that has changed and the world into which children are born today is exactly the opposite. Today’s children are taught about victimhood and entitlement from the wealthy – through the Government, of course – and minority rights over the majority.All that being said, I believe our Nation and most of the world is screwed up because of this dramatic change in values. At this point, I see no hope ever to return to those days of yesteryear when personal responsibility was the foundation for success and dependence was something of which to be ashamed.
April 29, 2016 at 5:13 am. Permalink.
HollyBee Hansen replied:
Life happens. Not everyone is brought-up as perfectly, logically and orderly about getting pregnant! I actually got married, seven months after I was pregnant. We were poor but had jobs. He ended-up being a different person ‘than advertised’, a felon, an addict/alcoholic and a real dumb-ass. He’s ten years older but still mentally about 7. So, even if you try to do your best by planning etc. Sometimes shit just happens! I was alone for my pregnancy. I had to move-in with his parents (shack) for the remainder of my pregnancy. It was truly awful. I felt I had to get state assistance for my prenatal care and obviously when you’re pregnant, you need food (food stamps). My in-laws were very mean, lazy and cheap. They insisted I buy my food. I’m hoping you can TRY to pretend you have some empathy. If not, you’re in for a long ride on the angry-train. I’m happily not on any assistance now and my daughter is grown. Our shared crappy experiences have taught us both how to handle anything. She’s tough, smart and strong. She doesn’t drink, smoke or do drugs. I’m so proud of her! I’ve always been grateful to everyone for helping us through a very hungry time (for me) but we made it with a lot of help. We wouldn’t be here today had that assistance NOT been available. You shouldn’t judge people so harshly.
P.S. The story absolutely did mention where the father is…incarcerated. Maybe listen next time. Lots of us leave a guy if he shows any signs of abusive/aggressive behavior. I don’t put up with that. Nobody should but you’re just a dude! How the hell could you possibly understand? Seriously. How.
September 28, 2016 at 7:38 am. Permalink.
DNA replied:
You’re an asshole.
September 28, 2016 at 10:51 am. Permalink.
HMichaelH replied:
It is my firm belief when someone resorts to calling someone vulgar names they have nothing of substance to provide in a comment. It’s generally a function of low intellect and poor education.
October 25, 2016 at 6:57 pm. Permalink.
mchev replied:
DNA- YOU”RE the asshole.
You’re probably some spoiled brat and the best part about you dripped down your Mother’s leg
October 24, 2016 at 2:56 pm. Permalink.
HMichaelH replied:
mchev….please see my response to DNA. It applies to everyone.
October 25, 2016 at 6:58 pm. Permalink.
mchev replied:
HMichaelH,
Ok, I’ll play the game:
In your original post, you stated: “At this point, I see no hope ever to return to those days of yesteryear ”
So you mean that you’d like to return to the days of rampant racism, sexism, homophobia and disenfranchisement?
That girl works hard for her son, and IS taking responsibility, by making sure he is fed, clothed, educated and loved. A lot of people in this world were simply born with an advantage- by growing up in a household that afforded them more opportunities. I think some of these people take that for granted. You being one.
October 26, 2016 at 1:04 pm. Permalink.
danfromsquirrelhill replied:
There is nothing preventing the mother and father of that baby from getting married, other than their own decision not to get married. People who are truly responsible get married before their first child is born. 50 years ago, people felt very ashamed about creating a baby out of wedlock. Now that shame is gone, and society is much worse off because of this lack of shame.
And I still maintain my original claim that it’s not McDonald’s fault that she chose to have a baby out of wedlock.
October 26, 2016 at 7:31 pm. Permalink.
HMichaelH replied:
mchev….I find it interesting you would attribute to me a comment about all the negatives (“…rampant racism, sexism, homophobia (sic) and disenfranchisement…) of our Nation’s history and completely miss the substance of my comment. I re-read what I wrote, and there is absolutely no mention of a wish to return to a life of those shameful cultural issues of our Nation. My primary focus was on personal responsibility, which was pervasive throughout the early decades of my life. One of the truly amazing characteristics of our Nation is we have been able to admit and correct the injustices. Very few Nations have done that.
Try reading what I wrote about “personal responsibility” and see if you don’t agree with me. No one wants to go back to any of the evils of the past, but those positives which made America a unique and admired Nation are seriously under attack or have been abandoned to our great detriment, haven’t they? Now it is clearly the Negroes, not the Caucasians, who create the violence and discriminate against anyone who is not like them. The fight against racism and segregation stopped, strangely enough, with the election of a Mulatto President. You would think that a man who is partially a Negro would have done a better job of continuing the uniting of the races in America, but he hasn’t. If you think he has, please explain what he has done to improve race relations or even enhance the quality of life for those in the inner cities of America.
Perhaps you are a young person who cannot relate to what life was like many decades ago. I believe without fear of contradiction that the slavery of being born a Negro today in one of America’s inner cities is much worse than many slaves experienced on the plantations of the north and south in the early days of our Country. At the time of my birth (1940), there were no slaves in America, although there certainly was discrimination. We were well on our way to changing what needed to be changed. The difference in our current society is the slaves are killing each other.
Perhaps you could re-read what I wrote originally for a better understanding of what I meant. I’m not sure how you came up with the understanding you attribute to me. Perhaps you only see negatives in anyone with whom you disagree?
I surely understand we are not a perfect Nation and never have been. But if you deny the advances we have made and the problems we now face, you must not feel America is such a wonderful place. I don’t see the masses of people from other despotic and poverty stricken Nations fighting their way into any other Country as they do to come legally or illegally to America. There must be something here they desire.
BTW, your introduction confuses me. What game do you think is being played? I see this issue as very serious, and see nothing frivolous about it that would be considered “game playing.”
October 27, 2016 at 6:18 am. Permalink.
mchev replied:
HMichaelH,
You’ve got to be kidding, right? What you wrote sounds like something from 1940. I cannot debate, or even speak to, a person who uses the terms you used.
You’re quote, “Now it is clearly the Negroes, not the Caucasians, who create the violence and discriminate against anyone who is not like them.” is one of the most racist things I’ve ever read.
To attribute violence and discrimination to an entire group, which you base on skin color (other than your own, I presume), is extraordinarily prejudiced.
Pick up a book that was written in the last few decades. These terms are out of date, negative, pejorative, and downright nasty.
October 28, 2016 at 3:24 pm. Permalink.
Nyjal replied:
This article creeped me out a little. Because Inliterally just watched the CNN video. And afterwards I literally thought some of the things you mentioned in this article.
December 26, 2016 at 9:19 am. Permalink.
Tony replied:
Wow. Do you realize that McDonalds will have a $26.6 net revenue this year alone and they can’t pay this woman more than $7.50 per hour? Give me a break with the Christian values. Debate the problem of income inequality directly, this is not 1940 and white Christian hegemony does not need to enter a serious debate on economic inequality.
April 16, 2017 at 1:10 pm. Permalink.
danfromsquirrelhill replied:
I wrote this other blog entry called “I dare liberals to buy a McDonald’s franchise, and pay the workers $15 an hour.” https://danfromsquirrelhill.wordpress.com/2013/12/11/i-dare-liberals/
So, why haven’t liberals done that?
Why haven’t liberals bought their own McDonald’s franchise and paid the workers $15 an hour?
April 16, 2017 at 3:30 pm. Permalink.
nonya replied:
I feel for you when you stand before God and give an account of this post. I pray that before that day happens you will repent so that God gives you mercy.
August 11, 2017 at 12:00 pm. Permalink.
gurl49 replied:
“….return to the days of rampant sexism,..” < let's address the "sexism" of the 1940s then. Women were respected, men chose prostitutes over forcing sex on single women because society disapproved. I bet "Hollybee" the angry single mom who married the felon drunk bum at 7 mo pregnant would have had FAR more time to see thru him in 1940 before complicating her life. So by modern standards she is 'free' of sexism, but UNFREE of support of the US Government to get that child to age 18. She proves her OWN point– SHE was a responsible mother, raised a decent citizen, despite many hardships, and is proud of it. In the 1940's Mr. Felon would have courted her, her parents would have disapproved, a neighbor would have seen him in a bar too many nights..so in a 'sexist' way she was being looked after by 'society' now called "community" Chances of getting pregnant were almost nil then… fear of pregnancy by all pretty much guaranteed the wedding ring went on first.
Listen to Dennis Prager talk about how to be successful in America: First- marry before you have kids. (And HollyBee YOUR sexism is showing by saying "you’re just a dude! How the hell could you possibly understand? " << so in your worldview men are louses, because you have personal experience, and learned the hard way. A bit of rampant sexism may have protected you from hating men for life based on your choices and sexual freedom.
September 28, 2017 at 3:42 am. Permalink.
Danfrommaga replied:
Shut your dumb ass up! Everybody isn’t born into a household of values, common sense, morals, education, and overall solid foundation! People like you act like everything on this planet isn’t a result from others decisions! What wisdom was not passed onto her at a young age she would have to learn on her own and common sense just doesn’t always add up so easily to youth! Because we know your childhood was filled with perfection?
January 13, 2020 at 5:31 am. Permalink.
Bernie replied:
This editorial lacks compassion and fails to adequately address the video’s critical portrayal of life for Americans living below the poverty line. You are so obtuse!
January 23, 2020 at 4:51 am. Permalink.
R replied:
Sad how capitalism brainwashed u. Stop attacking black women and bootlicking the rotten system
June 2, 2022 at 11:41 am. Permalink.