Joe Pitts, June 18, 2004

Last week, I had the honor of meeting the new President of the Iraqi Governing Council, Sheikh Ghazi Ajil al-Yawar. In the meeting, President al-Yawar expressed the gratitude of the Iraq people and asked me to tell people back home how much their sacrifice is appreciated.

President al-Yawar acknowledged that his country faces challenges. He explained that some want Iraq to live in the ‘Ages of Darkness.’ But, in his words, he and the Iraqi people are committed to the rule of law and democracy; they are committed to ‘living in the light.’

I was struck by the language he chose. He drew stark comparisons between good and evil, right and wrong. He also touched on profound theme -- honor.

He discussed why his success in Iraq is important, saying, "What’s important to me is not whether I live a comfortable life and pass down material possessions, but whether my children and grandchildren will be proud to carry my name."

His mission in life isn’t to make democracy work in Iraq, though he certainly wants that. It isn’t to earn the right to be called America’s "strongest and best ally" in the Middle East, though he said he wants that as well. Ultimately, this father’s honorable mission in life is to leave a legacy that his children can be proud of. He cares about the future and about democracy not for his sake, but for his children.

As we celebrate Father’s Day this year, President al-Yawar’s statement is a good one for fathers in America to consider. We don’t all have the responsibility of building a democratic government from scratch. We don’t all risk our lives just driving to work. But whoever calls himself a dad shares this in common with President al-Yawar: what we do in life and how we do it impacts the lives of our children.

I know this because I’ve seen it at work in my family.

My father lived everyday knowing what his purpose was. Having been spared death as a chaplain aboard a naval vessel in World War II, my father knew he had been spared for a purpose. And it impacted everything he did. Knowing my dad’s life had purpose, gave my life purpose too. When I became a dad, I tried as best I could to impart that same sense to my children. And I see my son Dan doing the same for his two boys, my grandsons, Tommy and Tait.

Often, we think of healthy fatherhood as fathers spending time with their children. This is indeed very important.

The National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI) reports that, "fathers who live with their children are more likely to have a close, and enduring relationship with their children than fathers who do not." These close relationships reproduce healthy, thriving members of our society, and reproduce healthy fatherhood in future generations.

But just as important is how a father conducts himself outside the home. President al-Yawar’s challenge should follow every father outside the home as well. How do we conduct ourselves at work? If my children were to sit in this boardroom and see how I behave, would they be proud? As an elected official, I often find myself thinking of Tommy and Tate before I cast my vote.

In our culture, we can point to the corporate scandals as a case in point. Each and every unethical and illegal decision hurt the decision-maker’s family and the family’s honor. It takes time and effort to make amends for those misdeeds.

We all make mistakes. But the message President al-Yawar has for us this Father’s Day is: "think about what you’re doing not to save yourself, but for the sake of your children."

President al-Yawar asks: "Are you living in such a way as to bring honor and pride to your family?" It’s a good question for fathers to ask themselves. And if the answer is "no," it’s never too late to change whether at home or at work.

Congressman Joe Pitts, a Republican, represents Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District, which includes Lancaster County and parts of Chester County and Berks County.