I won’t spout out all the statistics that clearly point this out. But we are barking up the wrong tree with most of our efforts in curbing violence. More laws don’t deter the lawless. The only people who obey laws are law abiders. Criminals do not obey laws, hence they are "criminals".

The primary source of violence in the world (and poverty, homelessness, lack of education,…) is Family brokenness.

I watch a lot of college wrestling being a former wrestler myself. Do you know a common characteristic in college wrestlers? A strong two-parent, man and woman, family structure. I would say 98% of college wrestlers have a mom & dad. When you see the National Championships on TV, they always show the Mom & Dad.

Having that kind of structure in the home most often leads to the best chance for success in a home. Those who lack a mom or dad tend to miss something in their lives. We totally honor the strength and fortitude required to be a single parent. It is super honorable to successfully raise a household with that. But it is a fact that it makes it more difficult for success.

In a traditional home where a Mom has strengths of nurturing, caring, and loving a child, a Dad is sometimes the person who instills a work ethic and creates an atmosphere of discipline. Sometimes those roles are reversed and that’s great too. But we need both pieces of the puzzle. It is much more difficult for a single parent to create that entire picture. It often takes a coach, mentor, teacher, or relative to complete the picture.

When you don’t have role models and "parents", a child’s development can go awry. I list "parents" because a parent needs to be a parent, not just a friend. When you hear of a mom or dad buying drugs and alcohol for an underage teen, they are trying to be a friend and not a parent. A parent is more responsible for caring for a child.

You learn respect in the home. In a healthy home, you learn how to properly love a woman and care for her. You also learn how to support and care for a man. You are supposed to learn what love is in your home. You learn proper manners. You learn how to eat at a table with decorum. You might even say "yes sir" and "yes ma’am" like I did. It paid off when I went into the Army where we said that there too.

Too many times, you see the opposite in society. You see a toddler cursing at a store manager. You see students talking back to their teachers. And you see teenagers and young adults not respecting authority, particularly police or others responsible for keeping peace. This is the source of where society breaks down. It is about the family. Other structures that mimic the traditional family can work too. But you have to have all the pieces of the puzzle to make it work.

I once had a good friend of mine say something that caused the end of our friendship. This person was sharing a post on social media where you could read the conversation. The post alluded to them saying that parents who make kids go to church should be charged with child abuse. If you read the current research about children who are raised with a system of beliefs have a greater sense of hope in life. I realize there are different experiences in life. But my experience is completely positive. I am far from perfect and I’ve had rough stretches. However, I always come back to my beliefs that guides everything in my life. Everyone I know who was raised in the church lives very fruitful lives. Most have never divorced. Most have kids who are raised well too.

Sidenote: I am seeking in my heart to forgive this person who hurt me. We were good friends despite our differences in beliefs. I would like to share with this person my story and those of many others I know instead of cutting this person off from my life. It hurt a lot when I read those statements. I’m now beyond the hurt and ready to reconcile.

So here is the bottom line. True planned parenthood is when you want to have a child, so with all the love in your heart, you create a child. Parenthood isn’t having a drunken interlude back behind the bar on a Friday night. There is nothing planned about that. If you plan to be a parent, there is never a need to NOT have the child. The baby was always intended. Along with being responsible, you also need to be ready to have a child. A high schooler is in no position to support a child. The parent or parents should be gainfully employed and educated enough to create a suitable home. A bald eagle doesn’t lay a fertilized egg until they first have a nest, free from predators, safe from the environment, and suitable for fledgling baby eagles to be cared for. Human babies deserve the same. You absolutely have to PLAN for parenthood and be responsible enough to raise them to be loving and productive in society.

If you start with a good upbringing in a loving home, then you don’t need laws to prevent crime. It is the best crime prevention method ever! When you have a healthy home, there is too much to lose to jeopardize what you have.