Happy Father's Day.

It's that day of the year when you are supposed to thank your father for the (relatively) thankless contribution he's made to your growth and development.

And make no mistake; it is relatively thankless.

Because for all that your mother can go on and on about carrying you in her body for 9 months, you wouldn't have been there in the first place, if not for your father.

But who gives guys the credit? A woman can work, or not; guys can work, or go to jail. But that's ok; because most guys accepted that a long time ago.

We accepted that by and large we were doomed to work our lives away in thankless jobs, killing ourselves with stress, so that every single show on television with a father character can portray us as retarded, beer-swilling monkeys. We accepted that we can contribute 50% of the genes to our children, and bear 100% of the financial responsibility for them, and yet in a divorce, have no rights whatsoever. We accepted that women can accuse us of sexual harassment - or any sexual misconduct, for that matter - and that we will be held as guilty even if acquitted, but we can't accuse them of the same thing.

We accepted that women have choices we don't; rights we don't; opportunities we don't; and get credit they frankly don't deserve.

We accepted that no matter how hard we labor in their defense, their upbringing, their sustenance, their education, their housing and food and clothing, if we divorce, it's our fault.

We accepted that it's ok for an ex-wife to tell our children - after that divorce that's all our fault - that we're complete criminals, and yet we can't do the same thing.

We accepted that it's no longer allowed to spank a child, even though THAT tactic is CLEARLY not working, and despite the fact that it worked perfectly well on US.

We accepted that no matter the argument, if it's about child-rearing, we don't get to win any of them, EVER.

And you know what? Somewhere along the line, we started losing the urge to BE fathers.

Single motherhood is growing at an enormous rate, as more and more men treat their children like their mothers: expendable. Disposable.

Because fatherhood used to have benefits.

My father wasn't perfect, God knows. But when my parents got divorced, there was never any question that he was still my father. He continued to pay for us, give us advice - and when we needed it, which was often enough, discipline - give us an example to live by, and BE A FATHER.

And what did he get in return?

My father was my hero. He was the only person I had, growing up, that I was always 100% sure was on my team. We sure as hell didn't see eye to eye very often - although as I get a little more experience under my belt, I find myself coming around to his point of view more often than not - but I got that from him, too, and he knew it. We were both stubborn as an angry mule.

But I never, ever doubted him. He wasn't perfect, and had a lot of problems to overcome - and sometimes he failed - but I never once saw a day when he didn't TRY. He always worked to the hilt, did everything and anything in his power to keep our family going, tirelessly; he worked LITERALLY until the day he died; the morning he died he went to my mother's house to watch a football game after finishing a project for a client.

He gave his LIFE to give my brother and I an example of how to be a good man, and I try every day to live up to that.

But there aren't too many of us left who bother.

So I have a challenge for you. All of you. Male or female, I don't care.

Go to your father. Or your children's father. Your grandfather. And thank them.

Thank them for all the contributions they've made to your life and the lives of your children; thank them for their example, their perseverance, the fact that they're still sticking it out when so many other men have given up on families.

Whether or not you've been taught to believe this, YOU OWE THEM THAT.

You OWE them the level of respect that someone who gives THEIR LIFE to support you deserves.

They didn't do it because they're brainless, drunken stumblebums who are only functional when rescued and guided by women.

They did it because they loved you enough to do it.

And that deserves better from you than they've ever gotten, I guarantee.

My father was my hero. But he sure as hell deserved better from me than he ever got. Your father does too.

It's Father's Day.

Go out and give it to him.