Single parent situations drive poverty and often lead to unsupervised kids. Many boys growing up without fathers often feel angry and abandoned. Thus, they seek comfort in all the wrong places.

Growing up under the heavy hand of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, it was drummed into me that attending weekly mass was not an option. It was a must to avoid eternal damnation, which was not a prospect filled with many positives. Hell fire was perpetual, and no parole would be offered.

My father firmly embraced the Ralph Kramden philosophy: he was king of his Levittown castle. He worked hard, and his family deferred to his wishes. Except me. I did not defer and was disciplined accordingly.

Communicated in the right way, Judeo-Christian philosophy and the religions that uphold it bind a citizenry together in pursuit of a just and generous society.

This country is filled with remarkable people. One of my best friend's families is from Iran, and they're the most American family of all time. Some of the best people that I've ever met are immigrants.

Sadly, I have very vague memories of Burma. The family was forced to leave when the generals took over.

I have this thing called my 'Post It People': they're my closest family members. Those are the ones who count. The ones who I put their word as something special to me. So if they're all like, 'No you're good, we love you, we know who you are as a person,' then I don't take anything else personally, 'cause those are the ones who matter - my family.

I grew up in a small, rural community, where my extended family were mountain-folk type people, and some were very religious.