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Personal Sacrifice/NonViolent Action - its role and practice in Family Law Reform?
From: John Murtari (jmurtari@AKidsRight.org)
This is a message from a mailing list, members@kids-right.org Unsubscribe instructions at bottom of message. ====================================================================== Good People & People of Faith: This message contains a request for some feedback from you on the question: Is personal sacrifice an essential element of serious Family Law reform? What type of sacrifice and what about Faith? Recent events in Federal District Court have brought some of these things home to me. I was also surprised by some of the recent feedback from people on the list who have been members for quite a while. I also got some personal messages which expressed concern that my continued activity resulting in arrests for "contempt" of a Federal Magistrate's order would not only be a "personal disaster," but also not help the effort? For more details on past events see: http://www.AKidsRight.Org/actionc_syr Sacrifice & Civil Rights ------------------------ I think many of us realize we are not involved in a small effort to "tweak" Family Law so that it works better. The system is a disaster because it recognizes no limit in the ability of government to interfere in family life. The most "intuitive" of rights, to be secure in the raising of your own children and to be an equal parent in nurturing them -- does not exist in any recognized fashion. What does history tell us about Civil Rights movements? They require personal sacrifice. Our most recent example is the desegration battle of the 50's and 60's -- that Blacks and Whites could both sit in the front of the bus. I recently talked about this with someone. They told me they were "sacrificing" a lot by attending meetings, making lobbying efforts, etc.... They went on to say how much they had been forced to "sacrifice" by the way the system had treated them and abused them. I'm sorry to say this, but I laughed (actually we both did)! The time required for reform is mostly an "inconvenience" for many, costing just time and money. The indignities many of us have experienced at the hands of the "system" are just that, indignities. There is no sacrificial value in being an unwilling victim. --- A definition of sacrifice: "Forfeiture of something highly valued for the sake of one considered to have a greater value..." I told the person to think about the Blacks in the 50's in the deep South, home of the KKK. Many of them knew their very home would be burned down for what they were doing. The lives of their family could be placed in jeopardy -- and many people did die. We don't even know their names today. They never got rich on a book, or a movie -- they were just killed. At our site (http://www.AKidsRight.Org/civil_back.htm) we also have some history of NonViolence in India. Read about the "Raid on the Salt Mines" -- people peacefully lined up in a row, waiting to be next to get their head clubbed by a guard. Many were killed or severely injured. Do you know any of their names? Many people look in law books to find a definition of a "Civil Right". Many of you may want to know, "Do I have a Civil Right to be a parent?" The simple answer is, "you do, if you believe it..." The Declaration of Independence starts with the words, "We find these truths to be self evident..." Perhaps the question we mean to ask is, "What does it take to get others to recognize what I think is a Civil Right?" History seems to say it takes a demonstration of belief. Many people in the past were willing to sacrifice their lives (certainly "highly valued"), to demonstrate their right to free determination, or their right to be treated equally in society! Imagine that? The items we most cherish now as "Civil Rights" were not always regarded as such. The sacrifice of others made them important. They were certainly an item of "greater value" than even life. --- What about parents? What about our struggle? Our local city of Syracuse has a lot of "activists." Just a few weeks ago there were a group of anti-war protesters in front of the Federal Building. Several of them laid down infront of the doors and were arrested. About a year ago some "animal rights" people started a "scuffle" in front of a Fur store. Several of them were arrested. I don't know what you think about these types of efforts, but I had a new thought just recently -- Did any of them really think they would see an immediate change from their "sacrifice?" I think most of them would say "it was the principal of the thing." The US still may go to war, animals may still be turned info fur coats -- but they were willing to sacrifice some freedom for what they believed. Maybe for some of them -- their actions actually served to convince "themselves" of how much they believed? What are we as parents called to do to demonstrate our love? How do we convince others (and also ourselves), that a right to raise our own children is a basic Civil Right!? How much more important is our child than a rodent? Sacrifice through NonViolent Action & Faith ------------------------------------------- There are some local "officials" who are very concerned about my actions at the Federal Building and where the road is heading. They are worried something "bad" will happen to me in terms of jail time. I was actually quite surprised to hear it in a conversation. I'm afraid I didn't give a very good reply other than some "sacrifice" is necessary as part of the reform effort. But, a bit later, I realized that was a "half-hearted" answer. What do you think? Can something really "bad" happen to a loving parent who is acting in good conscience to demonstrate the love they have for their child -- and to make things better for others? Can that story really have a "bad" ending. An "evil" ending? If you are a person of Faith, who knows there is a loving God who loves and cares for you in the very same way you love your child -- can there be a "lived unhappily ever after" here? Go back to the earlier part of this message, the anonymous Blacks and Indians who died in NonViolent Actions. They really "sacrificed" -- to which even months in jail seems like a vacation! We don't know who they are, but I'm sure their children do and perhaps stories are still passed within the family. Others are inspired. Failing even that, they certainly knew what they were about to do and certainly their loving God saw the same.... Do I think "death" is necessary to bring reform -- certainly not! We are blessed with a comparatively easy environment. But it still means real sacrifice, voluntary sacrifice will be necessary. Even the official was ready to admit that if two other parents joined me it would be a "whole new ball game." There would be more public attention and we would get that meeting with Senator Clinton.... but where are they? What do you think? ----------------- Many folks on the list are concerned with reform. What do you think? What role does the sacrifice of parents play in making it happen? How do you think it will happen? As always, this is NOT to say that sacrifice alone will do it. Letter writing, lobbying, court efforts are also essential and part of movements in the past -- but what is the role of sacrifice? What form will it take? I look forward to sharing your answers with others and also in learning from them myself. John Murtari jmurtari@AKidsRight.Org ================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list at anytime, send email to Majordomo@kids-right.org with the following 1 line in the BODY of the message (Subject is ignored). unsubscribe members
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