Some people are not pleased that Carolina Panthers’ star quarterback Cam Newton had a child with his longtime girlfriend before marrying her.
Newton announced on Dec. 30 that he and his girlfriend welcomed a baby son into the world, but had kept the birth from the media for privacy reasons. (RELATED: NFL Star Is Busy Feeding Hungry Children For Thanksgiving Instead Of Listening To His Critics)
Most people congratulated the former Auburn star on his family growing, but The Charlotte Observer posted two opinion letters shredding Newton for having a kid without being married.
The first one reads:
So the man whom we celebrate, and with good reason, has produced a son. Congratulations would be in order if he had been man enough to marry the mother of his child and make a home. This happy occasion is blighted when Cam, whose own parents were married, skips the very basis of being a good parent.
I am just very sorry and very disappointed.
PATRICIA S. BRODERICK, MOORESVILLE
The second one echoes the sentiments of the first:
It is amazing that the birth of Cam Newton’s son by his girlfriend is a front-page story. The U.S. is seeing a rise in unmarried births and for the media to flash this as the greatest happening for Cam Newton is contrary to today’s family principles.
Cam is a role model to many of our young males, both white and black. The least that he and his longtime girlfriend could have done is to get married prior to giving birth to show his followers that not only is he a superstar, but also a person with high morals.
THOMAS UHL, MOORESVILLE
Newton is highly regarded as one of the best role models in the NFL. He has routinely gone out of his way to be a force for good in the community including hosting charity dinners for children and hosting family members of a Charlotte shooting victim. (RELATED: NFL Star Cam Newton Hosted Family Members Of Charleston Shooting Victim At Final Regular Season Game)