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Watering the SEED of a VISION (Part II)

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From: John Murtari (jmurtari@akidsright.org)
Date: Fri Jul 06 2001 - 11:24:31 EDT


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Good People (and particularly members of AKidsRight.Org),

This is Part II of a personal message with a single topic:
Watering the SEED of a VISION. If you missed the first one and
want to read it, check here:
http://www.AKidsRight.Org/archive/archive2001/0012.html

PLEASE, if you know me, take the time to read this message and I
welcome your feedback.  Enough 'philosophy' -- at the end it lays out
a detailed plan of action that could bring reform in the next few
years, but one that could result in imprisonment for myself and
others.

Wow!  Those are strong words, why do a crazy thing like that?  On
Sunday, I fly out West to pickup my son Domenic, and we start six
wonderful weeks together of summer vacation! I'm blessed to have the
time, and to have a Son (he's 8) who loves me very much. I get so much
email.  Many of you who don't get to see your children at all -- or
worse yet, your children have been so worked over by the system, they
don't even love you!  What a terrible horror!

Like many of you, I have watched my son's childhood shattered by what
has happened.  I have seen my importance as a parent denigrated by our
government. I'm expendable. When we realize the magnitude of the
injustice and the pain -- our response must fully correspond to that.
If we as individuals don't stand up for our children, who will?

A little time in jail compared to all that -- nothing!

When you have time to review what follows, please sign-up at the
site as a spectator/participant. You may not agree with the approach,
but I guarantee the event will be something worth watching:
http://www.AKidsRight.Org/actionb_syr.htm
(If you think you would like to try something like this in your area,
contact us -- we can setup a web based registration area for you.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Many of us, including myself, have been involved in lobbying efforts,
letter writing, and "permit approved" demonstrations. They have
accomplished many things, and will continue to do so -- but to think
this level of effort will ALONE correct the massive injustice being
done is simply hard to believe and has little historical precedence in
Civil Rights movements. It's one think to 'talk' about what you
believe, and entirely another thing to 'act' that way.  Read Thoreau
at our site!

======== WATERING THE SEED AND NONVIOLENT ACTION

Many of you probably already know part of the answer to this one, it
will take sacrifice to water the SEED. It's going to take some real
heros to do it. You might think of Captain James T. Kirk of the
Startship Enterprise -- but we are not fighting Klingons here and if
you know anything about NonViolent Action, we certainly aren't going
to fire any Phasers! But we need to follow the heroic example -- I
have found one trait that I think is consistent of heroic conduct:

In their moral 'calculus' the hero examines the potential benefit
their action can GIVE others without including the effect on
themselves. e.g.  I see a toddler in the path on an onrushing car, I
jump into the road, scoop up the child, and try to get out of the way!
I'm not 'sure' I will be able to save the child when I start. I am
sure that if I don't make it, we both die -- but there is the
'potential' I can at least save the child's life by pushing them out
of the way (even if I am killed or hurt). [Mind you -- I am NOT the
type of person who would probably do this. I wouldn't react that
quickly -- but I'll bet some of you would! It takes me a while to work
up the 'bravery' associated with doing something like this. I hope in
the months to come -- some of you will be ready to make that jump.]

Sometimes we make the mistake of seeing heros as "violent" figures.
That is not the case.  Look at the people we have as background to
NonViolent Action (http://www.AKidsRight.Org/civil_back.htm) --
Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Lady Constance Litton.  They all risked
their lives (and more than a few of them died because of what they
believed in).

======== NEED TWO MOM's and TWO DAD's

Here in the Syracuse, New York, Federal Building I have restored our
"right" to petition our Federal Legislators by carrying a picture of
my child inside the building. For details on how this came about see:
http://www.AKidsRight.Org/protest_dm.htm

This October, a very positive statement could be made if I could be
joined by two mothers and two fathers, also carrying pictures of their
children and a smile. We won't be there in anger, or to "barbecue" our
legislators. We will be there to:

 * Show the strong love we have for our children.
 * Plead for their sponsorship of Family Rights legislation.
 * Demonstrate our willingness to sacrifice.

To get a real Family Rights Act started in Congress, we need a House
and Senate Sponsor to introduce the bill.  In that building, we have
one member of the House, Congressman James Walsh (R) and Senators
Charles Schumer and Hillary Rhodam Clinton.

There are now several groups recognizing parenting as an "inalienable"
right, deserving our highest protections. I encourage you to visit
their sites, read the draft legislation.  I'd like to think we all have
something we can be "for" now!

http://www.ancpr.org/testresolution.htm (apply criminal standards before
     separating a parent and child).
http://www.custodyreform.com/reform-files/reform-mission2.html (criminal
     standards - focus is state legislature)
http://www.AKidsRight.Org/act.htm (jury protection, a federal protection
     applying to all states)

You can check the Legislative action area of our site,
(http://www.AKidsRight.Org/action_syr), for details.  We have made
several efforts and are being ignored.  Congressman Walsh was kind
enough to say he didn't believe parents had any Federally protected
rights to that children (that was for your state legislature to
decide!).  The two Senators have simply refused to say anything or
return phone calls (it's hard to believe they think they can ignore us
and we will just go away).  Remember, they are good people.  They have
large staffs, maybe they don't even know whats going on, or think we
are just a few 'cranks.'

This is the POLITICAL PROCESS, it is our duty to show them how much we
care about our position. That the consideration of serious Family Law
Reform is the single, most important issue that should occupy their
time.  To convince them it is in their best interest to sponsor reform
OR to be fairly labelled a Senator who doesn't think Parents have a
Constitutionally protected right to be with their own children.

======== THE POLITICS OF SPONSORING A BILL

As we all know, news coverage for an event is hard to get. But when
your event is outside the offices of elected officials it becomes a
dual-edged sword.  There is a chance five parents could be arrested
outside Senator Clinton's offices, and no one notices.  There is also
a chance (which the official must consider), is that a news source
will carry the story -- and what a story it must be!

Not one of angry parents spouting off against the corrupt system --
but one of loving parents, respectful, faith filled people, that were
trying to convince their Senator to at least talk to them!

Politicians much prefer groups protest "outside" or "in general."
Like any of us, they wouldn't want to be the specific target of such
an action that would force them to take a public position.  A few
months ago some groups had a large effort to get parents to join hands
for a "Bridge across America."  Think how much more effective it would
have been to target a few legislators and form a Bridge around the
Office of Senator X" -- we'd like them to make a public statement in
support of reform!

Those of you who have done "lobbying" have heard the standard answers,
"Gee, the Senator feels your pain, but he doesn't sit on the
subcomittee that would be responsible for a bill like that. I can give
you a list of those members, much better if you contact one of them.
Bye, bye!"

We have to be firm and acknowledge all that, but know that "The
Senator still has the power to introduce the bill" and the "Senator,
if he feels strongly about it, can talk to colleagues on the committee
and convince them to support it.  You see, we don't vote for those
other people -- BUT WE DO VOTE FOR THE SENATOR.  We have a Family
Rights Act we would like her to introduce, we'd like to start a dialog
with our Senator and get her help with making a good bill. Will she or 
won't she?"

======== SENATOR HILLARY RHODAM CLINTON

Hillary Rhodam Clinton is the "family" person and if our movement were
looking for someone to sponsor a Family Rights Act -- she is certainly
the one. It is not to hard to believe that she probably intends to run
for President in the future.  After hearing a lot of other reviews, I
actually went to the library and read her book "It Takes a Village" --
and you know what, it's not too bad. In all honestly, if I had read
that book 9 years ago, I would have probably nodded my head when she
talked about "moving quickly to terminate parental rights" when it's
not in the best interest of the child.  Probably many of you would
have also -- until the system got you!

She includes many true stories in the book, and you may find a lot of
irony there.  All of us know the story of from President Bill Clinton,
and how his Mom got into an abusive relationship with an alcoholic who
beat her - until Bill finally stepped in as a growing man.  Many of
you know the enthusiasm of Law Guardians, Psychologists, and Social
Workers -- if our 'modern' methods had only been available then:

"Mrs. Clinton, we're sorry, we are going to take your son Bill out of
the home and put him in foster care. We have told you about this
abusive relationship you are in with your new husband -- it's not a
good environment for your child, you still foolishly persist in
thinking you can change him. We don't think thats the best thing. We
in the village are terminating your Parental Rights... Bye!"

Maybe she does have a point about the "village," but we need to help
her see that the village is not a Judge, Psychologist, or Social
Worker with too much authority. Before the government can impose it's
will, it must convince a "village" of twelve jurors, twelve parents --
that something is SERIOUSLY wrong.

========  THE BOSTON TEA PARTY OF FAMILY LAW REFORM

This would be an entirely new event. Five parents, arrested inside a
U.S.  Federal Building just carrying picture of their children.
Petitioning their government to protect their rights.  Not rude, not
angry, but by the sincerity of their action, demonstrating the power
of their words.

This could be an event that captures the imagination of others across
the Country.  Not very complicated and fairly simple to carry out --
that start of a grass roots movement in many Congressional Districts
to hold our legislators accountable.

What kind of trial would these people have?  Would any public official
want to hear the following said about them:

QUESTION: Why did you fail to obey an order to leave the building?
ANSWER: I was there as a parent to petition our government, not to bother
        anyone else or cause a disturbance. So far this Senator has refused
        to talk to me and other parents about introducing legislation
        that recognizes my right to nurture my own children. I love
        my children and I'm sure she does also.  We're not here to condemn
        here, but to show our willingness to sacrifice for the well 
        being of our own children and others.  This could all been
        avoided if she would have just entered a dialog with us so we
        could better understand each other.


======== WILL YOUR SACRIFICE BE NOTICED

This one can be a tough question.  No one likes to be first at a
party, and maybe we just aren't ready for this type of action yet --
some people think real reform is 10-20 years away.  We could just be
taken to jail and forgotten!  You might think no one will notice --
but that would be wrong.  I can guarantee their would be at least TWO
interested parties:

* Your Children -- more than anything you could ever say, or try to
explain.  The simple power of the event itself would make it clear
to them how much you loved them.Will it change how they feel about you?
Well, we don't control that -- but you will done your best!

* Our Father -- we have a heavenly Father who loves us as his
children. ( In our approach we remember that our former spouse,
judge or lawyer -- is our brother or sister.) Surely, such a sacrifice 
and demonstration of Faith will be noticed.  Can a loving parent sacrifice 
for their child, and have it be meaningless -- it hardly seems possible!

======== FAITH

This message reaches many groups, many people.  We are all focused on
reform and all the efforts are necessary. AKidsRight.Org focuses on
Faith by its very methods and the tremendous sacrifice required.

Best regards!
John Murtari
jmurtari@AKidsRight.Org

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