The Olen Ramsey Attitude

Eleven years ago this week my wife lost her grandfather, Olen Ramsey. I barely knew him but I have always regarded him as one of the people I have most admired. He was a World War II veteran, a coal miner, and family man. He was one of many that made up our greatest generation in American history.

As I reflect on his passing I see the values of that generation deteriorating. Men were not only hard working, responsible, honorable but they knew how to provide for their families and hold them together as a unit. I am certainly not downplaying the role of the wife in the household but I am simply pointing out that the American man is changing and I'm not sure it's for the better.

To point out a cause for this would be a larger undertaking that I can commit to but its the simple things that I see that make me concerned. So many of our young men are under-achieving and self-centered and furthermore I get to see the guys coming up after them and the outlook isn't much better. The only solution I have to offer is that us men need to be strong role models for our kids, sons and daughters alike. We need to resurrect the Olen Ramsey attitude of putting family first and showing a sense of duty to our communities. That's how we can save our kids. Its not going to happen overnight but I'm willing to devote my whole life to this venture. If I could say anything to Olen it would be "Thanks for being a role model for me."