Last week a lot of people, we don't know how many, reports are sketchy, marched on Washington in the 10th Anniversary of the Million Man March. Ten years ago, the march was an attempt to gather black men together, to build support for black men, especially fathers, and to build "unity, atonement and brotherhood."

Jane remembers the event -- foggily, perhaps, but we do remember. We thought then that it was a good idea, although we wondered why it was only MEN...no women.

We are delighted to report that this year, the Million Man March has expanded -- to include women, and even children. Today, the focus (we think) is on family -- where it should have been all along.

Our local Democrat and Chronicle had a very nice editorial regarding this topic, on Sunday. Tom Tobin  wrote:

"The stereotype of the typical urban working poor or unemployed family is a single mom, children running rampant and fathers nowhere in sight, having decamped for another relationship and more children soon to be abandoned."

Tobin went on to introduce "The Fatherhood Initiative" -- something Jane thinks has been a long time coming. If you're new to Lip-sticking, and you take our marketing to women online message to heart, you may wonder why we're talking about Dads -- but, Moms wouldn't be Moms, without Dads. And, for the women out there who are Moms, or aspire to be Moms, or have a Mom, or miss their own Mom -- Dads are much more important than some people think.

We won't name who the 'some people' are -- we wish to focus, instead, on the Dads who are out there, supporting their kids, not only financially, but emotionally. Dads like Steaven Elmer of Rochester, NY, whom Tom wrote about on Sunday.[link goes to a previous article; at this time, there is no link to this article.] Here is a man who took the challenge presented by a nephew -- not a son -- a nephew -- and made a difference in one young man's life by walking him to school, after Steaven had put in overtime at work, all night, and was looking forward to a quiet morning at home (we think).

And, there is Lenzy Blake, also of Rochester, NY, who has been on his own since he was 14, but knows and respects the duties of fatherhood. According to Tobin's article, Blake "wanted to correct the false image that fathers who ministered to their children, who went to school with them and did more with them than play sports, were unmanly."

Can you see, dear readers, how this is fantastic marketing to women -- online? Linking to such outstanding articles -- about the Dads all women want their children to have? Can you find places to begin a Father's Initiative, a Dad's Club, in your city or town? Can you spearhead a gathering to get your local press to interview men like these? ARE YOU ONE OF THEM? Jane may go on and on about women, we may cite stats showing how many women are opening new businesses, we may insist (rightly so) that women are the shoppers of the world, and we may sometimes get critical of the way society still courts men, rather than women.

But, we hope you never lose sight of the fact that Dads count just as much -- maybe more, sometimes -- than Moms. That Dads may not be the prime shoppers, but they're out there supporting the women and children in their lives, and ought to be patted on the back. Oh, not for being Dads, not even for accepting the duty of being a dad, but for recognizing the power of the family to change worlds. And for understanding that family starts with DAD.

As we see more and more women demanding equality, standing up for each other, finally getting noticed for their brains -- instead of their emotions, Jane wishes to say a word for those emotions -- the emotions that helped us fall in love with the men in our lives...and thereby, to create a family.

Yes, women are emotional. Surprise of surprises, so are men.

Hey, what's not to like about that?