| Topic: |
Sociology > Education |
| User: |
"fx" |
| Date: |
15 Sep 2007 01:38:20 PM |
| Object: |
Fathers Rally to Stay In Their Children's Lives |
Fathers Rally to Stay In Their Children's Lives
http://www.polkcountydemocrat.com/articles/2007/09/14/news/01fathers.txt
By PEGGY KEHOE, Managing Editor
Fathers' rights movements appear to be gaining strength and popularity
across the country.
Locally, a group of fathers held rallies last month in Bartow and
Lakeland, not in response to a political movement, but in response to
their personal needs to be involved in their children's lives.
William Dunn of Lakeland began a campaign out of his struggle to stay in
his daughter's life when his relationship with her mother ended.
Fighting false allegations, he enlisted the help of an attorney and a
state legislator when he was denied contact with his child. When Dunn
responded to the charges and told the state Department of Children and
Families that he believed his child was being abused, the agency didn't
investigate for more than nine months, he said.
State Rep. Baxter Troutman wrote to DCF Secretary Bob Butterworth on
Dunn's behalf, and asked to be provided with the Department's practices
and rules on investigations. “Clearly, in this instance there was a
breakdown,” Troutman wrote.
Eventually, Dunn won full custody of his daughter, but he is still
working to help other fathers.
Several fathers, supported by women who believe in their cause, gathered
in front of the Polk County Courthouse in Bartow on Aug. 23, quietly
holding signs, collecting signatures on petitions, and talking to anyone
interested about their cause.
Dunn stresses they're not bashing mothers, but are fighting for the
rights of fathers to be involved with their children, and for the rights
of children to have both parents in their lives.
His attorney, Robert Peddy, of Lakeland, agrees.
“There need to be adequate safeguards in the system to make sure that
proper investigations are conducted if the mother makes allegations
against a father, taking into account the complete history of the
parties,” Peddy said. “There need to be stiffer penalties imposed
against a mother who makes false allegations in order to prevent contact
between a child and the child's father. Children deserve relationships
with their fathers.”
While there are “deadbeat” dads who can afford to, yet don't, pay child
support, or don't spend time with their children when they have the
opportunity, there also are many who get caught in the often
time-consuming tangle of the court system, or in a web of accusations
from a jealous spouse, the protesters maintain.
Some of these men aren't relying just on the court system or state
agencies, which don't always seem to treat them fairly. They are taking
their cases to the public, through rallies, organizations, and Internet
sites.
One of these, Fathers-4-Justice® U.S. is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit,
“volunteer army of fathers, mothers, grandparents, and others dedicated
to fighting for truth, justice and equality in family law,” according to
the website (www.f4j.us/).
Individuals also set up websites to tell their stories, such as Chad
Gist's helpmeseemydaddy.com. Gist took part in the Bartow rally.
They also share their stories through flyers. Ronald Lofquist wrote,
“Our children are suffering emotionally and developmentally at the hands
of mothers who use the system. We hear deadbeat dads, I have a new view
of that. Are they deadbeats or are they tired of the emotional roller
coaster ride and walk away?
“Please reconsider the rights of fathers to have equal time with the
children they love,” Lofquist wrote. “Fathers are not second class
citizens; they are a valuable part of a child's life.
A statewide rally is being planned for Sept. 29; Dunn and Gist have been
contacted to organize the event in Polk County. Initial plans are for
the rally to be on Memorial Boulevard in Lakeland.
CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A
DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NSA / CIA
WIRETAPPING PROGRAM....
CPS Does not protect children...
It is sickening how many children are subject to abuse, neglect and even
killed at the hands of Child Protective Services.
every parent should read this .pdf from
connecticut dcf watch...
http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com/8x11.pdf
http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com
Number of Cases per 100,000 children in the US
These numbers come from The National Center on
Child Abuse and Neglect in Washington. (NCCAN)
Recent numbers have increased significantly for CPS
*Perpetrators of Maltreatment*
Physical Abuse CPS 160, Parents 59
Sexual Abuse CPS 112, Parents 13
Neglect CPS 410, Parents 241
Medical Neglect CPS 14 Parents 12
Fatalities CPS 6.4, Parents 1.5
Imagine that, 6.4 children die at the hands of the very agencies that
are supposed to protect them and only 1.5 at the hands of parents per
100,000 children. CPS perpetrates more abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse
and kills more children then parents in the United States. If the
citizens of this country hold CPS to the same standards that they hold
parents too. No judge should ever put another child in the hands of ANY
government agency because CPS nationwide is guilty of more harm and
death than any human being combined. CPS nationwide is guilty of more
human rights violations and deaths of children then the homes from which
they were removed. When are the judges going to wake up and see that
they are sending children to their death and a life of abuse when
children are removed from safe homes based on the mere opinion of a
bunch of social workers.
CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT
FAMILIES YEARLY NATIONWIDE AND COMING TO YOU'RE HOME SOON...
BE SURE TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STANDS ON THE ISSUE OF
REFORMING OR ABOLISHING CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ("MAKE YOUR CANDIDATES
TAKE A STAND ON THIS ISSUE.") THEN REMEMBER TO VOTE ACCORDINGLY IF THEY
ARE "FAMILY UNFRIENDLY" IN THE NEXT ELECTION...
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| User: "Pubkeybreaker" |
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| Title: Re: Fathers Rally to Stay In Their Children's Lives |
17 Sep 2007 08:14:32 AM |
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fx wrote:
"There need to be adequate safeguards in the system to make sure that
proper investigations are conducted if the mother makes allegations
against a father, taking into account the complete history of the
parties," Peddy said. "There need to be stiffer penalties imposed
against a mother who makes false allegations in order to prevent contact
between a child and the child's father.
This is a joke. Penalties imposed for false allegations? What have
you
been smoking?
I am a single parent of 3 teenagers. During the divorce, I was
accused
of every vile thing that you can imagine. There were multiple
restraining
orders taken out by my ex (all thrown out). The allegations kept
getting
repeated. Each time the allegations were investigated and found to
be
nonsense. Finally, following one allegation (and a direct interview
of the
children by the court's family services), the judge said to her:
"You don't have much credibility left with this court".
The result? My ex KIDNAPPED the kids and ran off. When they were
eventually found (I hired private detectives), the allegations of
abuse
continued.
Even after repeated allegations were proven false, and even after a
kidnapping,
and a false allegation of my violating a restarining order (fully
proven to be false)
what were the consequences to her:??????
How many times do allegations need to be investigated and proven false
before
the courts will act against the accuser, rather than the accused?????
Very little. She had to pay *some* of my costs, and for a while
could only see
the children while supervised. Now, the children are older and
supervised visits
are not required. The children do not WANT to see her, but the
courts still insist
she has the right to visitation.
There is a double standard. If roles were reversed, you can bet the
consequences to
me would have been much greater. She got little more than a slap on
the wrist despite
what the Mass. Supreme Court referred to as 'egregious behavior by the
mother'.
[yes, she appealed my getting custody all the way to the Mass. Supreme
Court]
When allegations appear, fathers are assumed guilty until proven
innocent.
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