To all of the fathers out there, Happy Fathers Day!

The father is one of the most underrated people in our society today. Men in general are underrated, but fathers are especially so. Moms are smart, witty, and can do it all. Fathers are dumb, helpless, and slobby — if they even stick around. At least, that’s what feminism and popular culture would have you believe. In real life, fathers are arguably the most important people in their children’s lives.

I’ve got some amazing fathers in my life. There’s my mom’s adoptive father, who served twenty-five years in the Navy and is still proud of his service. He’s one of the most patriotic men I know. There’s also my mom’s biological father, Mack, who she didn’t meet until she was 39. He’s become an irreplaceable member of the family. My dad’s father recently passed away, a Catholic man from Massachusetts who kept his faith up until the very end, no matter how great the odds were stacked against him.

My father is a remarkable man. He grew up in Massachusetts and joined the Marine Corps. He eventually came to Jacksonville where he met and married my mother, and worked his ass off his entire life to be able to give his family everything he didn’t have growing up. He’s been my toughest critic and my staunchest supporter. We butt heads sometimes, usually because we’re so much alike. He’s believed in me and supported me, right up to taking time off of the business he now owns to see me speak at the First Coast Tea Party. There’s no obstacle he won’t work to overcome and nothing he won’t do to give his children the best life possible for them. He’s the epitome of the American dream, and I’m so proud of him. Happy Fathers Day, Dad, and to all of the other fathers out there!