Hour 2 - American Dads are Failing

Summary

Summary of "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show"
Episode: Hour 2 - American Dads are Failing
Release Date: August 7, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, Clay and Buck delve deep into the pressing issue of declining father figures in American households and its overarching impact on society. The conversation is enriched with historical insights, statistical analysis, and a candid discussion on current political landscapes, particularly focusing on the upcoming Senate race in North Carolina.

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Violence in Washington D.C. and the Symbolism of Capital Cities

Clay opens the discussion by examining the alarming rate of violent crime in Washington D.C., highlighting its significance as the nation's capital. He emphasizes the symbolic role that capital cities play in representing national excellence and security.

• Historical Perspective: Clay reflects on the meticulous planning of Washington D.C., noting the "massive roads" and the "planned city" concept designed to symbolize a nation's greatness from its inception. He references President Lincoln's commitment to constructing the Capitol dome during the Civil War as a metaphor for national unity and resilience.

  "Lincoln insisted that the construction of the Capitol dome continue... it's an important symbol of what this nation represents and eventually of the nation coming together and healing anew."
  [09:45] Clay Travis

• Current Crisis: Highlighting the current homicide rate in Washington D.C. at 41 per 100,000—a figure significantly higher than other global capitals—Clay labels it a "national embarrassment."

  "Washington D.C. has five times the murder rate of Mexico's capital city. What are we doing? That's a national embarrassment."
  [12:30] Clay Travis

• Comparative Analysis: Clay compares D.C.'s violent statistics with other capitals like Lima, Havana, Nairobi, and Brasilia, underscoring the stark contrast and questioning the neglect towards American exceptionalism.

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Father Absence as the Root Cause of Violent Behavior

Responding to an email suggestion to hold parents accountable for juvenile crimes, Clay passionately argues that the absence of father figures is the fundamental issue leading to increased violence among youth.

• Critical Points:

  • Non-Custodial Fathers: Clay points out that many children engaging in violent acts are often raised by grandparents, aunts, uncles, or foster parents, rather than their biological fathers.

  • Impact on Boys vs. Girls: He emphasizes that boys are disproportionately affected by absent fathers, leading to higher rates of violent behavior compared to girls.

  • Cycle of Absence: Addressing generational patterns, Clay notes the difficulty in breaking the cycle of absent fathers and its long-term consequences on society.

• Notable Quote:

  "I think the number. This is my big, you know, get on a preacher box argument. I think the number one issue that unites much of what is going on in the country today of a negative level is dad's not there."
  [15:20] Clay Travis

• Data Comparison: Clay asserts that crime rates drop significantly in households where fathers are present, citing statistics that support his claim of a direct correlation between father presence and reduced violence.

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Guest Segment: Michael Whatley on the North Carolina Senate Race

Buck introduces Michael Whatley, a Senate candidate from North Carolina, to discuss the forthcoming Senate race and its implications.

• Campaign Insights:

  • Expectations: Whatley anticipates the race to be the "most expensive Senate battle in 2026," with an estimated $600 million spent. He underscores the importance of fundraising and grassroots support.

  • Trump's Influence: Emphasizing the endorsement from President Trump, Whatley highlights Trump's ability to resonate with North Carolina voters by addressing their core concerns such as a strong economy, safe communities, and national pride.

  • Policy Focus: Whatley contrasts his platform with that of Roy Cooper, the likely Democratic nominee, criticizing Cooper's stance on issues like men's participation in women's sports and advocating for conservative values.

• Notable Quote:

  "What Donald Trump does better than anybody else in our lifetime is he listens to the voters, understands the issues that they care about, and put solutions on the table."
  [25:51] Michael Whatley

• Hurricane Helene Response: Whatley discusses the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, criticizing the Biden administration's delayed response and praising Trump's intervention, which he claims brought billions in relief to affected communities.

  "They were nowhere to be found after that storm hit... Donald Trump came into office and said, we are going to take care of North Carolina."
  [24:42] Michael Whatley

• Campaign Strategy: Outlining his approach, Whatley emphasizes extensive travel across all 100 counties in North Carolina to engage with diverse communities, ensuring the Republican message resonates statewide.

  "North Carolina is an amazingly diverse state... we have to go out and talk to every single community."
  [27:10] Michael Whatley

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Father Absence in Black Families and Societal Implications

Clay addresses the disproportionate absence of fathers in Black families and its correlation with increased violent behavior among Black youth.

• Historical Context: Contrary to common narratives, Clay asserts that Black families had stronger father figures before the Civil Rights era, challenging the notion that systemic racism solely accounts for current family structures.

  "Black fathers were present before LBJ's Great Society... it's 100% true."
  [34:15] Clay Travis

• Government's Role: He argues that during the Great Society initiatives, Black families increasingly relied on government support instead of maintaining traditional father roles, leading to a dependency that undermined family structures.

• Cultural Impact: Clay emphasizes that the absence of Black fathers mirrors high crime rates within Black communities, drawing a stark comparison with Asian families, where consistent father presence correlates with significantly lower crime rates.

  "Asian families, by and large, dad is there. Black families, a lot of times, dad is not there..."
  [35:40] Clay Travis

• Call to Action: He calls for an open discussion on the root causes of family breakdowns, urging society to recognize and address the critical role of fathers in preventing violence and fostering strong communities.

  "If dad is home, the overall collapse of much of what we see going wrong in American society, it doesn't exist."
  [16:45] Clay Travis

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Conclusion and Upcoming Segments

As the episode progresses, Clay and Buck reaffirm their commitment to addressing societal issues head-on, encouraging listeners to engage in meaningful conversations about family structures and their broader impacts. They also hint at upcoming discussions and guest appearances, including continued exploration of the North Carolina Senate race and its national significance.

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Note: This summary focuses exclusively on the content-rich segments of the podcast, omitting advertisements, promotional messages, and non-content sections to provide a clear and comprehensive overview for those who haven't listened to the episode.

Transcript

[Clay Travis]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Buck Sexton]

Welcome back in Clay. Travis Buck Sexton show our number two Buck on the road for the next couple of days with his family on a summer break. He'll be back with me on Monday. Appreciate all of you hanging out with us. We just got through talking with Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee. Michael Whatley will be with us at the bottom of the hour. He is going to be running for Senate in North Carolina to try to Repl. Thom Tillis. Senator Tim Scott will be with us in the third hour. It's just me, you and all of us having a good time here on the rest of today and tomorrow as we are rolling through so many different stories that are out there. And we went to break first hour. We talked about the out of control violence and how President Trump is trying to get Washington, D.C. back, back to some form of safety. And I mentioned looking at capital cities as a proxy for the excellence of a nation at large. If you're a history nerd like I am, Washington D.C. was a planned capital city. And one of the things that's really amazing when you walk around Washington, D.C. is they designed so many of these massive roads. And when they designed it, there was almost nothing there. And if you read the history of say, Washington D.C. from the 18th, from the 19th century and the even the early parts of the the 1900s, people would talk about how the city was designed for a country to be the greatest in the history of the world. But it wasn't there yet. And so as a result, it was just these massive, massive roads, planned city with almost nothing on either side. And I always love if you study history, the metaphor of the Capitol dome. During the Civil War, Lincoln insisted that that the construction of the Capitol dome continue. And if you look at old photos in the 1860s of Washington, D.C. you can see them working on that majestic Capitol dome. And it was very expensive and it required a great deal of steel. And some people criticized Lincoln, but his explanation was the nation is still being built and preserved. I'm not going to stop work on the nation's capital because this is an important symbol of what this nation represents and eventually of the nation coming together and healing anew. And it's such a profound idea. And I give credit, I don't know how many of you saw this. Senator, sorry, Secretary of Defense Pete Hagseth, they just announced that they're going to bring back a reconciliation monument at Arlington Cemetery that was created by a Confederate veteran. And the idea is to bring the nation together again and sort of bind the wounds of the nation. And I think one of the greatest speeches ever given in the history of the United States was Lincoln's second inaugural address and the nation as a whole being brought together, even with his killing in Ford's Theater. If you visit D.C. today, you'll come across the bridge that connects Virginia and Washington, D.C. and a lot of people don't talk about it now, but at the time that bridge was created, it was seen as a symbolic union of north and south, in particular, Robert E. Lee's Arlington, which is on the bluff overlooking the Potomac river in Washington, D.C. you can stand on the porch at Arlington or on the steps on the backside of the Lincoln Memorial and see those two places. So you have the leader of the Confederate Army, Robert E. Lee, looking directly at Lincoln's Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial reflecting in some way Arlington as well. And that union of the bridge bringing the two sides of the country back together again was seen at the time that it was made as a profoundly symbolic statement. And I think President Trump gets symbol, and he understands that things are more important than maybe what they appear to be. And that is what symbol is, right? And so people get mad when he says, well, I want Alcatraz to exist as a prison. He sees that as a symbol for a message that he wants to have out there. Alligator, Alcatraz. He grips the public imagination. And I think what President Trump sees with Washington, D.C. is we can't say that we are a fabulous, undisputed champion of the global economy and world. If kids are getting mowed down in the Streets of Washington, D.C. every day, our capital city needs to be a jewel. It needs to be the best of what America can represent, particularly Washington, D.C. which I said historically, has existed for that reason throughout time. They took that location as opposed to Philadelphia, which had been a capital, as opposed to New York City, to create something new as a symbol for a country that was going to be a global beacon of freedom and opportunity. And how can you allow violent crime to take it over and not see that as a direct attack upon American exceptionalism itself? And think about this. I mentioned this earlier and before, but capital homicide rates, this is most recent homicide rates, 41 per 100,000. Washington, D.C. that's a huge number, 41 per 100,000. Listen to some of these other capital cities. These other countries don't stand for that, I think, because their leaders understand the symbolic importance of having a safe and secure and vibrant and objectively beautiful capital city. Lima, Peru. I don't think most of you out there Say you know what country, but let me just give you a bunch of these different countries. Lima, Peru. Havana, Cuba. Nairobi, Kenya. I think. Am I right about that? By the way? This is going to expose my own lack of geographical knowledge. Brasilia, Brazil. I believe Brasilia, Brazil is also a planned capital. Lagos, Nigeria. Bogota, Colombia. I think I'm going to pass the test here. Mexico City, Mexico. Addis ababi Ababa, Ethiopia. OK, those are other big capital cities. DC 41 murders per 100,000. Lima, Peru 7 per 100,000. Havana, Cuba 4 per 100,000. Nairobi, Kenya. 5 per 100,000. Brasilia. People talk about how violent and dangerous Brazil is all the time. Brasilia, 13 per 100,000. Lagos, Nigeria. 15 per 100,000. Bogota, Colombia. 11 per 100,000. Mexico City, 8 per 100,000. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 6 per 100,000. It should be a dark stain on America that our capital city of Washington D.C. has five times the murder rate of Mexico's capital city. What are we doing? That's a national embarrassment. Ethiopia, Colombia, Nigeria, Brazil, Kenya, Cuba, Peru, all of them infinitely safer in their capital cities then you and me and everybody is going around in Washington D.C. that is a national embarrassment. Now we just finished the hour. We had an emailer who said, hey, maybe we have to go after parents for some of this violent crime. And I said, I'm a little bit. I accept it on some level, but I don't accept it on another level because I think what you would see is that many of the kids that are engaging in violent behavior are actually not living at home. Grandma and grandpa might be raising them. Aunts, uncles, foster parents. I think really when you look at violent crime, what you see almost overwhelmingly is the absence of father figures in the household. This is really the root cause. If you have a dad and a mom in your house, the odds of you engaging in violent behavior plummet by a massive amount. Most kids still have moms, dads are failing. So my concern here is you got a 16 year old who takes a gun out and shoots somebody and then you decide to prosecute mom, who is the only one that was trying to raise that kid. And dad who hasn't shown up for 16 years, may not even be on the birth certificate. He doesn't have any consequences at all. Well, it's him that made it happen. So my concern when Bo writes in, and I think it's an interesting comment, is that what would end up happening is the moms and the grandmas and the aunts and all the women who are Very often doing their darndest to try to raise that kid who's got an absent dad and may have an absent grandpa, too. Because a lot of what you find out is when dad's not there, it's often the case that grandpa wasn't there, and unfortunately, that great grandpa wasn't there either, because it's hard to break that cycle. And some of you out there listening know what I'm talking about, because you're trying to break the cycle. You're the dad that's present. You know what it was like to not have a dad better than anybody. So my concern is when you say, well, let's prosecute the parents. You got poor mom who's working three jobs and doing her darndest to take care of a kid that dad had no interest in. And dad doesn't have any culpability at all, even though he's actually the cause. So I think if you go back up the chain of causation, oftentimes gun violence and violent teenagers actually started when dad didn't show up at the birth, at the hospital. And dad hasn't been around for 16 years or 17 years to that point. In many ways, these are young men who have not been raised to be men. And they are angry at the world, and they take out their anger on the world, and all that anger starts because Dad's not home. So when I think through holding mom accountable, Mom's doing her best to raise that kid by herself, and she's got three jobs, and the kid, as a result, doesn't have somebody at home whipping him into shape like a dad hopefully would. And he falls in with the wrong guys in the neighborhood, and next thing you know, he's dealing drugs or he's trying to carjack, and Mom's out there trying to do her best. And then you come home and you charge her with a crime. And then she may have two younger kids that she's also trying to raise. And how does that benefit society? So that's when I work through it. I like to go to what caused the problem, not to just what's connected to the problem. And to me, what caused the problem is Dad's not there. And I think the number. This is my big, you know, get on a preacher box argument. I think the number one issue that unites much of what is going on in the country today of a negative level is dad's not there. I think it connects on everything. Families not having enough money to feed the kids, dad's not there. Families that are Dealing with incredible violence. Dad's not there. If you go to the link, this is my personal opinion. If I could change one thing, every kid that's born has a dad at home. I think our national rates of violence would drop by 90%. I think poverty would drop by 90%. I think if dad is home, the overall collapse of much of what we see going wrong in American society, it doesn't exist. So my concern responding to Beau is you're actually going to hold accountable the mom, the grandma, the aunt, the foster family that's trying to take it, to take this responsibility of dad that he didn't fulfill, and then they get blamed because everything doesn't go perfect. That's my concern. And that's why I get a little bit nervous about holding parents responsible criminally because so many people are doing everything they can to help, to try to fill the void that is there because dad's not home. That's it. Right? You go look at rates of crime. It collapses in every household where dad is there raising a son. And by the way, it's almost all boys. And the data actually reflects, meaning committing the crimes. The data actually reflects that young girls have far less negative consequences from an absent male figure in a household than young boys do. Moms do their best. They can't be dad and mom. I think young girls see mom and that's an aspirational figure for them. And it's still better for young girls if dad is home. But what the data shows is boys outcomes collapse when dad's not home. That's the reality. That's a tough conversation. That's a real conversation that we should be having. But too many people are afraid to talk about it. Look, years ago, new legislation created opportunity for 401ks and IRAs. These retirement accounts shift the responsibility from employers saving money to you, meant to empower you to control your own financial future. And look, gold has been a part of everybody's portfolio basically throughout all of time. Gold has been a method to buy and sell so many different objects throughout time. Gold is at record highs because it's seen as a hedge against inflation. Have you thought about including gold in your own Portfolios in your 401ks in your savings? Maybe you're nervous about the devaluation of the overall American currency because inflation's been so high, because the Fed's printing so much money. 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[Unknown]

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[Clay Travis]

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[Buck Sexton]

Welcome back in Clay Travis Buck Sexton Show. We'll take some of your calls here in a little bit before the program is out of this hour and certainly next hour as well. But we're about to head to, down to or over to depending on what part of the country you're in. Maybe up to North Carolina to go talk with Michael Watley who is potentially going to be hopefully going to be the next Senator from North Carolina as we get wrapped in for what will probably be the single most expensive Senate battle in 2026. So we will break down all of that with him and what he's expecting to see going forward. A lot of you want to weigh in with what I just said. We will hit some of those before the end of the hour. 800-282-2882. You can also get leave talkbacks and we'll play some of those. That way you don't have to wait online and let me talk to you. But I want to tell you about Sabre. It is return to school season. Everybody is going back to college campuses. Everybody's going back to high school. Everybody's going back to elementary school. Are your kids protected? Are your grandkids protected? Riding around the bus? Maybe they are driving their own cars to and from school. Do they have pepper spray? Do they have pepper projectile launchers? They have things to keep them safe that are non lethal. Maybe. Check it out and see what incredible offerings there are for you and your [e-mail] that's S A B R E radio.com you can get every type of non lethal protection for you and your family. We got the pepper spray projectile launcher here in the Travis household. We've got all the pepper sprays. We got all the door alarms, everything else. It's sabrerradio.coms a b r e radio.com family owned. Check them out. Welcome back in Clay Travis Buck Sexton show. Appreciate all of you hanging out with us. We are rolling through the Thursday edition of the program and we head now to the great state of North Carolina where Michael Whatley is engaged in the campaign to become the next senator to represent the state of North Carolina. We had you on, I know for sure, in Milwaukee right after President Trump survived his assassination attempt. I'm not sure if we've had you on since then. So first let me say congratulations on an incredibly well done job in the 2024 election on behalf of the Republican National Committee and getting everything done there. And now tell us about the campaign that you are embarking upon in North Carolina.

[Michael Whatley]

Well, it's very exciting. I mean, the opportunity to be the next senator from the great state of North Carolina and fight every single day for every single community and every single family and, you know, be an ally for President Trump and make sure that we are moving that great state and our entire country forward.

[Buck Sexton]

What is your expectation for what this campaign is going to look like? Expectations are, I think it's basically written in stone that Roy Cooper is going to be the Democrat nominee. He's been elected statewide before. Thom Tillis is a Republican senator that is stepping down. So this is an important seat given the 5,347 current balance in the Senate. I said it's probably going to be the most expensive race in 2026. You're going to have to raise a lot of money. You're going to be running around like crazy. What should people know about this race, both in North Carolina and outside?

[Michael Whatley]

Well, look, you are absolutely right. It's going to be the most expensive Senate race in the country. So we're going to need everybody to go to wildley4senate.com and make sure that they contribute and they support. But, you know, we're looking in excess of five, $600 million, I think, will be spent all in on that race. And it is the marquee Senate race in the entire country because it's going to be, you know, a big hold for the Republicans in a very purple state. North Carolina is a 5050 state. President Trump managed to win by 3.2% in this last election cycle. And when we have a fully informed electorate, we're going to be in a good position to hold that race. But, you know, Roy Cooper did win two times in a row. So we know that he's going to bring a ton of money to the race and it's going to be competitive. But when people sit back and really, truly think about what they want for the state, they want a strong economy, they want safe kids and communities, and they're really going to want to make sure that our military bases are getting what they need to protect our interests and allies around the world. And our vets are getting the support that they need to for having done that over the course of their careers. So I am in a much better position than Roy Cooper to work with the president and make sure that we're going to deliver for North Carolina and really, truly move that state forward.

[Buck Sexton]

I'm sure you've seen it, but this is something that really strikes me. I live next door in Tennessee. Roy Cooper, I saw a viral video of him several months ago where he was asked whether men should be able to compete in women's sports. And he ran from answering it. He actually has tried to support it on some levels. Even though he got elected, isn't he really culturally out of step with the average North Carolinian?

[Michael Whatley]

He is. You know, he voted. He vetoed three different bills that would keep boys out of girls sports. You know, so this guy is definitely out of the out of step with the state. You know, I think that if you look at his votes when he was a state legislator, you look at his vetoes. You know, it is basically safe to say he's going to fight harder every day for, you know, tax hikes, and he's going to fight for boys and girls sports, and he's going to fight to take away your pickup trucks. And on the other hand, you know, I don't think that's really where the state is. That's certainly not where I am. I'm going to fight for a very strong economy, safe kids, safe schools, and really making sure that we are going to be in a position to move that state forward.

[Buck Sexton]

How are things going in western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene? Obviously, the timing of this storm, right in the middle of a major election calendar cycle like it was in 24, helped to bring a spotlight to it. But the Biden administration's response was, frankly, indefensible. Over the weeks and months after there. I flew into Asheville. I saw it myself. How are things now?

[Michael Whatley]

Things are better. You know, and honestly, we've. We've had story after story after story that have come out basically saying that between Joe Biden, FEMA and Roy Cooper, they were nowhere to be found after that storm hit on September 27th. And it wasn't until January 20th when Donald Trump came into office and said, we are going to take care of North Carolina. He asked me to help make sure that we got the resources into the state to be able to help them. And since then, we have seen billions of dollars that is going from the federal government to homeowners, to small business owners and to the local governments to make sure they're getting the relief that they want. And, you know, president turned around and asked me to serve on a FEMA reform commission, to be able to review FEMA and make sure that the response that we saw from the federal and state governments last year never happens again.

[Buck Sexton]

President Trump won North Carolina. 2016, 20, 20, 24. You were instrumental in all three of those wins in the state. Why do you think he has had such appeal in North Carolina? And how do you think he will impact next year's midterm election?

[Michael Whatley]

You know, what Donald Trump does better than anybody else in our lifetime is he listens to the voters, understands the issues that they care about, and put solutions on the table. And so, you know, he has been completely in sync with North Carolina voters who want to see a strong economy, want to see safe communities, and really, truly want America to be the best country in the world. And that's what he's putting on the table. He's delivering every day. You know, today is 200 days into his term and you can just see that this is the most transformative, you know, term in our lifetime, really. I mean, it's remarkable what he has been able to do in just 200 days and set us up on a track because he's delivering on the promises that he made. So the voters of North Carolina trust him. They voted for him, they're going to listen to him. And coming in as a Trump endorsed candidate in this race gives me a tremendous leg up. It's not just in the, in the primary, but it's in the general where I'm going to be facing off against Roy Cooper because the voters really like that America first agenda. And we're going to make sure that we deliver for North Carolina first.

[Buck Sexton]

It's 15 months roughly until the actual midterm election Day. What is a 15 month campaign look like from your perspective?

[Michael Whatley]

Well, look, I mean, I, as the state party chair, I went to every Single county, all 100 North Carolina counties every year. And I got a chance to meet with people in every single community. I think you need to do that. I think you need to be out there. I think you need to have the conversations. You know, North Carolina is an amazingly diverse state. We have the second largest banking center in the entire country. We have ag and agribusiness are the number one business for North Carolina is farming. We also have rural communities and we have Charlotte and Raleigh. So it is a state where you're going to have to go out and talk to every single community. And I think that we're going to take a lot of time to do that. We're also going to have to make sure that we have the resources there to go out and tell our story all day, every day. And it's just going to be a matter of working every single day so that people in the state know, you know, that you listen to them, you understand what they care about and you're putting solutions on the table.

[Buck Sexton]

Look, we're willing, able to help you as much as we possibly can. I know it's going to be a big battle over the next 15 months. Just let us know when you need to come on, when we can help. Because like you just said that 500 or $600 million bill for this race, it's going to be almost impossible to escape.

[Michael Whatley]

Yeah, it really is. And I appreciate that. You know, you guys, you have such a good finger on the pulse, you know, and your listeners all across this country know exactly what we're talking about when we say that There are two visions for America in this country right now. The Democrats are absolutely going hardcore straight left. They haven't learned a thing from the 2024 election cycle. They're doubling down on stupid. The Democratic agenda right now is open borders, inflationary spending and a weak America. That's where Roy Cooper lives. That is his ideological center is far left. And that's not what North Carolina needs. So we're going to need every one of your listeners to go to wadleyforcentate.com make a contribution, join the movement and make sure we keep that seat read and that Donald Trump is going to have an ally in the Senate and North Carolina is going to have a champion in the Senate.

[Buck Sexton]

We got your back. We appreciate you. Let us know how we can help in the next 15 months.

[Michael Whatley]

Excellent. Thank you, sir.

[Buck Sexton]

That's Michael Whatley, who we hope is the next senator from North Carolina. We'll take some of your calls. We'll get some of your talk back, some of your emails when we come back. In the meantime, I want to tell you, I mentioned it. I've got three boys, 17, 14, 10 years old. You know, when we had our first kid, I didn't know what to expect, but I wanted to make sure that if something, God forbid, happened to me that that kid was going to be taken care of. And I bet that a lot of you out there, dads, moms, grandmas, grandpas, have had the same thoughts as you have looked at your younger family members. Maybe you're out there every single week, it feels like every month, holiday season, trying to mediate the disputes that go on in your family. Everybody out there knows what that feeling's like. Hey, who can sit at the same table? Hey, are we even going to go to the same place? Have you thought about what your family will do when you're not there to solve all the problems, when you're not there to be the peacemaker? Have you thought about who's going to argue? Have you thought about who's going to get in screaming matches? Couldn't you maybe do something to try to keep that from happening? The answer is yes. It's a will and a trust. And I know that can sound a little bit intimidating and maybe it's not the greatest thing to think about. But if you think about it in the context of trying to solve family problems, and if you think about it in the context of trying to keep your kids and grandkids, your cousins, your aunts, your uncles from all fighting over what you might want if you weren't there. Why not just control that and tell them exactly what you want. That's the purpose of a trust and a will. It's why I have one. It's why I think you should have one. You can do it without even having to have a lawyer. It doesn't have to be crazy expensive. Just go to trustandwill.com and use my name Clay. You get 20% off and they'll walk you right through the process to make decisions to make things better for you and your family when you're not there. To keep them from all fighting, arguing and frankly, maybe not even knowing what you would want to happen in after you are gone. Make it clear at Trust and will Comm slash Clay. That's my name Clay. For 20% off trust and will Comm slash Clay.

[Unknown]

You ain't imagining it. The world has gone insane. Reclaim your sanity with clay and bun. Find them on the free iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Clay Travis]

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[Buck Sexton]

Welcome back in Clay Travis Buck Sexton Show A lot of people reacting to our discussions so far. Let me get to some of the talkbacks. A lot of dads look, let me say this before we hear from some dads. I understand that lots of relationships can be toxic, right on both the male and the female side. So I'm not trying to dear Abby your individual relationships or call guys out who are trying to be involved in their kids lives but have relationship issues with the moms such that that doesn't happen because I feel like when I talk about generalized stories. And this is, this is true and I understand it on some level, people want to call in and give me anecdotes while the generalized. Why the generalized story isn't true. For instance, if I said to you, and this is not a very serious thing, women tend to like taller men. Inevitably people reach out and they're like, well, I'm a woman and I like shorter men. Ok. Your individual experience doesn't erase the general rule, right? General rule, men like women who are not overweight. General rule exception. Some men, they like overweight women, right? So your individual experience doesn't cancel out the fact that women are far more likely to be raising children and in absent male father households, then women are to be blocking dads who want to be super involved from being involved. Does that make sense? So I'm going to take some of these calls. But your individual interaction with your wife or the mother of your children doesn't erase the fact that overwhelmingly this is an issue. And by the way, do you know where it is the biggest issue? Black families, right. There's some element out there where you're not allowed to talk about racial difference. But this is one, and I talk about it in my new book because I've been thinking about these kind of things a lot. And obviously I think about it because I'm a dad and I'm raising boys and I want them to be good dads one day and raise boys and girls of their own. They'll be my grandkids. I want them to be strong leaders and foundational rocks for their families. If you go and look Democrats out there, people on the left, they will say, well, the black family, the reason why black men are not as present as fathers who are Asian, for instance, right? Like you ever wonder why Asian crime rates in the United States are like a pinprick of what black crime rates are? For instance, go look at the percentage of Asian dads that are in the House raising their kids. It's almost a direct correlation. So Asian families, by and large, dad is there. Black families, a lot of times, dad is not there, kids are the unfortunate result who commit violent acts. It's far more likely for a black kid with a parent that's not there to commit a violent act. So my point on this is you look at the data and you extrapolate beyond it. And what's really interesting is people say, well, that's racism. Right? And in fact, everybody just hold on, I'm going to take your calls because I don't want to rush you. I Will take your calls at the top of the next hour. I'll hit the talkbacks. Everybody just hang on with me. We don't have a guest at the top of the hour. We'll continue this conversation. But they'll say, oh, well, that's because of racism. You know what's really astounding and gets almost no attention? Black fathers were present before LBJ's Great Society. That stuns a lot of people because you think, oh, well, there was a lot more racism. You're right. In the 1920s, in the 1930s and the 1940s and 19, in the 1950s, you were far more likely, if you were a black kid to be born in a house with a mom and a dad in the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, pre civil rights. How did that happen? Why isn't there any discussion about that? Wait a minute. I was told those were the most racist times ever, and it was completely unacceptable to have black families. The black family unit was stronger before civil rights, I think, and people get riled up. They don't like me trying to explain what the data shows. You can go look it up. It's 100% true. I think the black family, to a large extent, traded the black dad for big government, and big government became the father figure of the black family. And also this happened with white families and Asian families and Hispanic families, too. But it's the most pronounced. Go look at it. Think about that. Why would black fathers have been far more likely to be present in the home in the 1950s than in the 2000s? How does that happen? How did 70 years later, we go backwards in terms of the role of father figures in many different communities in this country? How does that happen? We're told that progress is always happening. Yet for many kids out there, your dad is less likely to be present now than it was in the 1950s. And what has that meant? And why does it, in my opinion, directly correlate with acts of violence skyrocketing in this country? We'll talk about it. I'll take some of your calls. You guys can all react. Get your popcorn. Third hour. Clay and Buck coming up.

[Clay Travis]

This is an iHeart podcast.